Dot on cam sprocket
-
- Basic 850
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:57 pm
Dot on cam sprocket
998 with 266 cam regrind.
I'm trying to set up my distributor shaft and can't get the correct angle to the dizzy housing as per manual. (I'm checking I'm not one tooth out on chain)
Anyway I pulled the timing cover housing off to find that the dot on the cam sprocket seems to be 180 degrees away. I expect it to be adjacent the dot on Crank pulley when no 1 piston is TDC and no 4 valves are rocking (this should be when no1 is on compression stroke)
Any come across this scenario? . I'm really confused. Do cam sprockets ever get "dotted" 180 degrees out?
I'm trying to set up my distributor shaft and can't get the correct angle to the dizzy housing as per manual. (I'm checking I'm not one tooth out on chain)
Anyway I pulled the timing cover housing off to find that the dot on the cam sprocket seems to be 180 degrees away. I expect it to be adjacent the dot on Crank pulley when no 1 piston is TDC and no 4 valves are rocking (this should be when no1 is on compression stroke)
Any come across this scenario? . I'm really confused. Do cam sprockets ever get "dotted" 180 degrees out?
-
- 1275 Cooper S
- Posts: 2288
- Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:05 pm
- Location: Hiding From The Dog... NW Eng
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 7 times
Re: Dot on cam sprocket
Turn the engine over one full revolution - you’re not on TDC on cylinder one firing stroke.
I used to misunderstand the term ‘rocking’ and preferred to look for cyl 1 valves being ‘loose’.
I used to misunderstand the term ‘rocking’ and preferred to look for cyl 1 valves being ‘loose’.
-
- Basic 850
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:57 pm
Re: Dot on cam sprocket
When I do this no 1 intake valve is opening and exhaust closing. So this means I Was already on compression stroke at TDC previously.
- johnv
- 1275 Cooper S
- Posts: 971
- Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 12:01 pm
- Location: Surrey UK
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 5 times
Re: Dot on cam sprocket
You're not confusing the cam timing dots with piston tdc are you?
(sorry if that's too obvious, but I did it after a long day!)
(sorry if that's too obvious, but I did it after a long day!)
Mk2 1968 Cooper 998 TPL555F
Mk1 1965 Cooper 1275 BFC110C
Moke out of boxes and built NDV100F
Mk1 1965 Cooper 1275 BFC110C
Moke out of boxes and built NDV100F
- Andrew1967
- 1275 Cooper S
- Posts: 7927
- Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2010 6:35 pm
- Location: Usually in my garage on the east coast of Norfolk, UK
- Been thanked: 8 times
Re: Dot on cam sprocket
How far out is the distributor drive compared to the pictures shown in the manual ?
I've found that they never line up exactly as the pictures show.
I've found that they never line up exactly as the pictures show.
-
- 998 Cooper
- Posts: 730
- Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:30 pm
- Location: Portugal
Re: Dot on cam sprocket
Rocking means both inlet and exhaust of the same cylinder are a little open (in the overlap period).
Being n.1 the closest to the timing end, if you put piston 1 and 4 at TDC, 1 on firing stroke (both rockers 'loose') and 4 rocking, you should be able to get your dizzy spindle like this (the slots on the spindle more or less align with the dizzy bracket bolts).

Being n.1 the closest to the timing end, if you put piston 1 and 4 at TDC, 1 on firing stroke (both rockers 'loose') and 4 rocking, you should be able to get your dizzy spindle like this (the slots on the spindle more or less align with the dizzy bracket bolts).
- johnv
- 1275 Cooper S
- Posts: 971
- Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 12:01 pm
- Location: Surrey UK
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 5 times
Re: Dot on cam sprocket
Right.. But the sprocket dots won't be lined upricardo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:35 pm Rocking means both inlet and exhaust of the same cylinder are a little open (in the overlap period).
Being n.1 the closest to the timing end, if you put piston 1 and 4 at TDC, 1 on firing stroke (both rockers 'loose') and 4 rocking, you should be able to get your dizzy spindle like this (the slots on the spindle more or less align with the dizzy bracket bolts).
![]()
Mk2 1968 Cooper 998 TPL555F
Mk1 1965 Cooper 1275 BFC110C
Moke out of boxes and built NDV100F
Mk1 1965 Cooper 1275 BFC110C
Moke out of boxes and built NDV100F
-
- Basic 850
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:57 pm
-
- Basic 850
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:57 pm
Re: Dot on cam sprocket
Are you using a minispares duplex sprocket by any chance?johnv wrote: ↑Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:59 pmRight.. But the sprocket dots won't be lined upricardo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:35 pm Rocking means both inlet and exhaust of the same cylinder are a little open (in the overlap period).
Being n.1 the closest to the timing end, if you put piston 1 and 4 at TDC, 1 on firing stroke (both rockers 'loose') and 4 rocking, you should be able to get your dizzy spindle like this (the slots on the spindle more or less align with the dizzy bracket bolts).
![]()
According to the Haynes manual the dots should be adjacent to each other (lined up) when the distributor is just like your picture and no1 is on compression stroke.
I have done more hunting on the internet. On the MiniSpares forum I came across someone else who has the same issue. What they found is that the MiniSpares duplex cam sprocket has the dot 180 degrees out compared to the simplex sprocket.
I verified this with a spare camshaft and sprocket I have. On compression stroke with no4valves rocking and the dots line up.
-
- Basic 850
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:57 pm