cam timing/ locking tool???

[cupra20v.t]

I want to check my valve clearances and the tvr service schedule says you need to lock the cam/sprocket.

I have never used one of these tools before nor have I seen one. I have changed timing belts before but never messed with a chain.

do you need this tool to do the job?
or can it be done with marking positions etc?
are the tools specific to the ajp or tvr?
where can i get one from if i need one and how much?

thanks in advance.

[cupra20v.t]

what ever is easiest really.

i need to get the timing cover off for painting, so if its easier to do with it off then thats the way i will go.

if its easier to do with it on, in order to rest a tool on the cover for the cam sprockets to slide on then ill go this way.

what ever people recommend to be honest.

Thanks very much for the offer Clive, if this is the way to go then i will take you up on your offer of borrowing the bottom sprocket tool

[cupra20v.t]

can you do me a spasticated drawing on micorsoft paint or something to explain.

[cupra20v.t]

reading the workshop manual, one of the 1st steps is to measure the cam clearances with e feller guage.the picture is a bit vaugue hence this post.

does it mean the distances between the back end of the cam lobe and the engine block which will tell you the amount of wear on the cam lobes?

or is it something else?

also the front two valves, is the 1st one the inlet and 2nd one the exhaust?

[cupra20v.t]

so you cable tied the chain to the sproket yes?

sounds easy.

with the valve fully closed i guess the back half of the cam lobe doesnt touch the valve bucket/follower?

[cupra20v.t]

i see, so you measure the valve clearances 1st, if they are out then it means that, that valves shim is worn etc.

so the thickness of the shim should correspond to the gap between cam lobe and follower?

i suppose you have to rotate the crank to measure the clerances on each cylinder.

[cupra20v.t]

so if i measure the gap between the cam and bucket and for example say its 0.003 then remove all the gubbings and measure the shim and thats 0.007, add them together and thats 0.010, deduct that from say the exhaust value of 0.012 that leaves you 0.002 so does that mean i need a shim 0.002 of an inch bigger?

[cupra20v.t]

now i get it. when the service manual says 0.008 and 0.010 that means the gap between the cam and bucket?

if the gaps are bigger that what the manual says then the shims have worn, if the gaps are smaller then the shim needs reducing

have i got it right this time........

[cupra20v.t]

thanks very much for that detailed description, its made it a lot clearer for me. thanks fella

[cupra20v.t]

right ive dug out an old feeler guage, its in metric and the tvr manual gives imperial numbers 0.010 of an inch. ive converted this to mm and it comes out as 0.254mm my feeler guage has 0.2 and 0.3mm blades.

What do i do? should i just buy an imperial guage they are only £5