Timing Chain Help
 

Just installed the chain housings, installed the cams, checked sprocket alignment and the reinstalled the sprockets with the woodruff keys in place and the chains on. Now the crank doesn't want to turn. Left had chain had partially fallen off its int. shaft sprocket and bound up. Removed the chain ramps and managed to loosen that up and get it back in line by gently rocking the crank pulley. Other side appears to be on its respective sprocket still but the crank still doesn't want to turn. There is a bit of movement but then it wants to spring back.

I haven't put the tensioners in place. I assume this is not normal. Any suggestions? Do I need to just spend more time looking into chain binding?

Chain is still bound up, keep fishing. Sometimes the chain gets back on the first set of teeth on the sprocket but not the second.

Sure you don't have the cams way out of time and are hitting valves into pistons? Definitely don't force it at this point.

None of the rockers are installed at the point so there shouldn't be any valve action going on.

Without the tensioners in place should the chains be able to spin the cams or is there too much slack in the system?

The chain is probably still stuck near the int. sprocket. Had the same thing recently. Took 15 minutes and some cursing to get the chain back on the internal sprocket.

Remove chain ramps, tilt the engine 90 degrees so that the left chain housing is pointing upwards. Make sure you have as much of the chain out of the chain housing 'hole' as possible, use both hands to pull both 'ends' of the chain. When you look inside the case through the chain housing, you then should see the chain wrapped around the interm.shaft only. Then you know there is no piece of chain 'behind' the shaft or the sprocket, you want to have a clean 'U'-shape around the shaft. Then you losen just as much chain through your hands to clear the sprocket and use the stiffness of the chain to 'pull' the chain over the sprocket. Then tie things up so the chain won't fall off again.

Hope this helps a bit.

Ah gotcha, for some reason I was under the impression you had already started timing cams. Certainly bound on the intermediate gears then as others have said. Follow their lead :)

Definitely had a kink in the chain initially but the spring back I was feeling was the push back from compressed air. I had sealed up the openings in the motor preparing for a move (installed the spark plugs) and with the valves shut due to no rockers being installed the crank wouldn't turn as there was no where for the air in the cylinders to go. Stupid oversight on my part. Just glad I figured it out.

Lol. good catch. Btdt