Hello Phil:

Okay, I got the beast apart yesterday, and here is what I found:

Very little.

I mistyped in my earlier e-mail that I had never removed the thrustplate. In fact, I had, and the back is spic-n-span. There is a small amount of wear on the front and as I noted yesterday I have already ordered a new thrust plate that will be arriving shortly. I will compare the two side by side, but that is not what concerns me.

Based on my understanding of your earlier post, the spacer ring should be 0.003" thicker than the thrust plate, but when I hold the thrust plate in position on the block the spacer ring is recessed 0.03-0.04" further back. The ring does not look to have been compromised in any way. I never removed the woodruff key so I never removed the spacer ring in my previous operation.

I grabbed the end of the cam and tried moving it laterally and longitudinally and it does not budge, which I take to be a good sign. Is it possible that I have a seal pushing out of the back of the block? Knowing about that risk, I was very careful not to hammer or apply undue pressure to the new gear when I assembled it the first time. Once I put the timing gear and the nut on the end of the cam will torquing them to spec "draw" the cam forward against the thrust plate until everyone is copacetic? Something does not look right here.

Sorry for the long e-mail and chain, but I have to believe this will help someone out there other than myself, and will help me to help others in the future.

Cheers,

Jeff Pucillo