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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Cam gear

Hi,
Really quick question for you. I am rebuilding my midget 1500 engine and took the cam chain and gears off. When it came to putting them back I forgot which way round the gear on the crank goes. Does the longer side go to the inside or the other way round.

Bit of a rookie question I know but I only noticed as there is a timing mark on the spare cam gear I have.

Thanks.

Jon.
J White

Haven't done this on a 1500, but it's probably easiest to fit the gears without chain first and see if they line up.
Dave O'Neill 2

I'm not sure what you mean by 'longer side' with respect to the Cam pulley.

I THINK what you mean is: 'Which part of the timing chain is the long (slack) side?"

IF this is the case, then remember that crank (and therefore cam) rotate in a CLOCKWISE direction when viewed from the front. This being the case, then the 'short' part of the chain is on the outboard side (right viewed from the front) and the 'long' or 'slack' part of the chain is on the inboard side (left viewed from the front). This is also evidenced by the fact that the tensioner bears on the inboard part of the chain.
Deborah Evans

Having a quick look at the Moss website, the exploded diagram of the engine seems to show the larger offset towards the crank.

I don't have a late enough workshop manual to hand covering the 1500, but I'm guessing that there are some timing marks on the outside of the sprockets, so that should give you a clue.
Dave O'Neill 2

Doh!

I understand the Q now.

Dave is correct, with regard to the crank sprocket, the larger offset goes towards the crank with the lesser offset towards the timing cover. The 'shorter' offset face may should have a timing mark on it that you line up with the mark on the cam sprocket when the engine is at TDC.

Note: You need to check the fore/aft displacement between the cam sprocket and crank sprocket and shim the latter as required so the two are in exactly the same plane.

See: http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-GRID005537
Deborah Evans

This thread was discussed between 06/11/2011 and 07/11/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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