Triumph Repair: GT6 Tappets/Lifters removal, crank shaft, chain sprocket

Question
QUESTION: Hello Howard,

I am planning on changing out my camshaft in the next few days and also the lifters.  I was not planning on removing the head for the job but don't see how to get the lifters out.  Usually there is a service plate or a hole in the top of lifters for this purpose but I don't see it for the GT6 lifters???

Thanks,
Craig

ANSWER: Hi Craig,
The head has to come off to remove the lifters.
Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok... now I have the cam in, the head on and put the timing chain/sprocket on.  (While the head was off I shaved the head 30 thous.)  The problem came when I went to put the timing sprocket back on.  I had research this a bit before hand and found that the sprocket and gear should have marks on them to line them up (like every other car).  I didn't see that my sprocket had the marks that should have been there.  There was one small dimple on it and I could see one on the gear.  I put it back up as close as I could guess.  The car starts and runs but doesn't seem to pull well over 3500 rpms???  Any advice you can give me?

Thanks,
Craig

Answer
Craig,
Any time you go into any engine, you should have a service manual for that engine because there are many specs and odd things about an engine that need to be attended to.

As far as the cam timing you should have lined up the dimple out close to the teeth with the dot on the crank sprocket. A straight edge laid across the center of the cam shaft and crank shaft and both dots should line up on that line and pointed toward each other. BUT! if you noticed that there are 4 holes in the cam sprocket and only 2 bolt holes in the cam that are to be used. Also there is a second dot on the cam sprocket next to one of the 4 holes. This dot must be at about the 10:30 position and inside that hole in the sprocket you should see a dot on the end of the cam shaft.

This is how you should have timed the cam unless the cam or sprockets were aftermarket. If either were aftermarket you should have followed their instructions on timing the cam or used a degree wheel and split overlap in the cam if it was a stock street cam.

Also did you check the lateral alignment of the cam sprocket to the crank sprocket and adjust the crank sprocket by adding or subtracting shims from behind the crank sprocket? If you didn't do this, you can easily end up with a chain failure down the road.

Howard