Timing belts or trigger wheel, question regarding replacement

[Patrick]

I'm curious to see some responses.. Has anyone changed or re-installed a timing belt [ like after a trigger replacement,etc ] and failed to install a belt correctly, in that, got one off a tooth ??  What were the results ??

[3W-lonerider]

had one come into my shop one day..the customer tried changing the trigger wheel but could'nt get the bolt loose with a standard wrench..but in the process the right timing belt had jumped 2 teeth and he never caught it.
 rode it to my house from 500 miles away..i took it for a ride before performing any service to it..sounded like it was cam'd up. after i discovered why it sounded that way. i installed the trigger wheel and replaced the timing belts..no engine damage was done.
if you use a good impact gun. you should be fine. if your trying to hold the cam while getting the crank bolt loose with a socket or wrench..i believe your going to jump a few teeth on the belt in the process. as long as everything is timed back up on re-assembly..there should'nt be a problem.

[Patrick]

The reason I asked is to see if these engines really can run while out time without damage .. I've always been under the impression these weren't a clearance engine and couldn't do it without damage occurring.. I've not run into this problem as I make sure they are in time when I stick them together.. I've recently heard of a few of these engines running while off a tooth without problems and didn't believe it..

[gordonv]

What you are talking about is a functioning motor, with the timing out by 1t/x or 2t/x (t-tooth, x being the # of teeth in 360', and a tooth would be 360'/(1t/50t [just a guess])) Trying to word this correctly.

We would need to know the grind of the cam, degress after TDC when they start to open and then degress when they are closed. Then take the # of degress that a tooth or teeth represents and see if it would cause any interferance, knowing that while the valve starts to open the piston is already moving away, and before it closes all the way it's almost at the top.

This is all different than when a belt breaks, and the cam stays still, with some valves open and some closed, and the pistons still moving up/down. Then you get some interferrance.

[Patrick]

There have been a number of stories here in the distance past when aftermarket triggers were first being installed.. Some Fellas would reinstall the right belt a tooth or 2 off and end up bending right side valves upon start-up, some would even include pictures.. Now I hear of stories where the engines have run without damage in the same condition.. I've not heard of one of these engines breaking a belt..