Just ruined my engine by being cutting corners
Hi, I just tried to do a cam install on my K20 to try and get some more power out of it. I felt very confident going into the job as I prepared for months, but my inexperience got the better of me when I was timing the engine. I didn’t want to take off the side cover as there’s not much room, so I tried to time the motor using TDC marks on the crank pulley.
K series are interference engines, and i accidentally used the wrong timing marks to set the cam timing right. I was so sure the timing was bang on, but the car wouldn’t run for longer than 5 seconds. Realized when I went to adjust the VVT actuator that each cam was 4 teeth off that I’ve made an extremely expensive mistake. I haven’t pulled anything apart to inspect for damage, but I have a feeling some valves are damaged, and maybe even the pistons too.
Not really much of an informational post more so just a vent because I feel so stupid right now. To top it off, I pulled the chain off the head without locking my tensioner, causing it to over extend and be impossible to remove. I priced out an engine swap at $1900, which is money I don’t have as I’m a broke college student who didn’t prepare for this. Now I’m just wishing I got coilovers, and let an actual mechanic handle the engine portion. Definitely will not be attempting a job like this ever again.