N14 cam timing?? How important and how to?

What is the CPL number on the tag located on the left front corner of engine…?

I may have that number in the book in the shop….

 

The key that aligns the cam gear on the camshaft itself can be a straight key or an offset key.

If it’s an offset / step key, changing ends will dramatically change the timing.

That key has to be installed properly or your friend is just pissing in the wind and wasting his time.

I’m in WV, what part of KY is he in…?

 

Friend has a 1998 Freightliner classic with a N14 (525).

He ask me one day why it was cracking through the exhaust at high rpm, I told him I wasn’t sure but sound like a valve train problem.

Long story shortened up… he pulled the heads and found the exhaust valves worn almost completely through the valve seats.

I stopped by one day while dad was with me, dad glanced at the heads and made the comment… that engine is out of time.

As it turned out, dad was spot on!!!

Chad never told me the engine was a replacement engine from a salvage truck yard.

He bought a used engine, installed an in frame kit matching the original 525 horsepower engine, but…. the replacement engine was a low horsepower engine and had a different timing key.

When checking the cam timing, the dial indicators were in left field from where where they should be.

To fix the problem, we pulled the camshaft and had another retired friend press the gear off and install the correct key.

Few days later and that truck was back to making bank instead of breaking the bank…..

 

Where in KY?
I'm in Lexington and have the jig

The cam key isn't adjustable, there are several with different offsets. Quickserve will tell you which one to use. There's an arrow on them to keep track of which way it needs to go

not sure why the picture isn't loading, here's a link:
https://i.imgur.com/g6R1Q5J.jpg

 

Yeah, they definitely rush through the process.

 

Could you post the engine serial number? The Cummins manual says to measure the cam follower gaskets and replace with the same thickness. So the cam key is the only variable.

 

Located in Bloomfield Its my truck i dont have enough posts to message you