Hello Phil:

Thanks for the insight. I have removed the timing gear and the thrust plate. The spacer ring is trapped (but quite free to rotate) behind the Woodruff key as we would expect, yes? I do not have a micrometer or any other real precision measurement equipment but the thrust plate sure looks flawless to me. I ran my fingernail radially from the hole to the perimeter and felt nothing - smooth as glass, both sides.

Everything looks copacetic in the timing gear case; no bits of anything, and a nice sheen of oil, indicating that the nozzle is functioning. I removed it and blew it out just to be safe.

The Woodruff key itself looks as though it has not budged, nor in a long time. Shayne had mentioned the possibility of it shifting rearward when installing the timing gear but I see no evidence of that.

I am really at a loss to explain what miht have caused the knocking.

Can anyone suggest any other tests or measurements I should do before I bolt this beast back together? I am going to do it on Sunday afternoon unless I hear a suggestion to the contrary. I suppose when I originally installed the new timing gear a couple of months ago I did not have things as snug as I should have, but I doubt it.

When I put that thrust plate back in, how tight do I torque those two bolts before bending up the lock tabs?

Cheers,

Jeff Pucillo