P1345 code assist. Questions. 1996 GMC K1500

[Road Trip]

Photos for sure don't worry about that. Hey I appreciate the advice. My pin tool set at work so I was waiting for monday. unless you know the exact size pin I need. All the random shafts I have here are either 1/4 or 1/8 inch. Maybe some nails and screws lol

My informed best guess is 3/16". (See attached.) FWIW I actually saw the 3/16" measurement in
a few places, so I'm fairly confident on this.

NOTE: If I had one available I'd measure it with a set of dial calipers and give you an answer
with a full 100% confidence. Maybe someone else following this thread can verify this size? And I don't
have this memorized because I just pick the punch that fits out of the kit?

Hope this helps --

 

[SUBURBAN5]

My informed best guess is 3/16". (See attached.) FWIW I actually saw the 3/16" measurement in
a few places, so I'm fairly confident on this.

NOTE: If I had one available I'd measure it with a set of dial calipers and give you an answer
with a full 100% confidence. Maybe someone else following this thread can verify this size? And I don't
have this memorized because I just pick the punch that fits out of the kit?

Hope this helps --

I'll see if I have anything around here close to that size. If I do I'll try the gear rotation tomorrow. If not I'll report Monday.
Theoretical if this happens to work, does that mean something in my engine is already worn out? and this is considered a bandaid?

 

[Road Trip]

I'll see if I have anything around here close to that size. If I do I'll try the gear rotation tomorrow. If not I'll report Monday.
Theoretical if this happens to work, does that mean something in my engine is already worn out? and this is considered a bandaid?

No, I wouldn't consider this a bandaid at all, especially if the truck has already delivered
quality compression test and leakdown test results for your mechanics.

Instead, I would simply consider this a *serious* tune up, returning the truck back to original
GM specifications. These old trucks just about refuse to quit running, but by doing so they
sometimes accumulate a lot of replacement parts, some of which are part of the problem instead
of part of the solution, if you know what I mean.

If it was my own chore truck, I would not hesitate to do what we're proposing here, and then
monitor the results. And if the engine approves via better behavior, then so do I. :0)

Remember, not very many mechanics were working at this level. And if they were, most of them
have retired by now, and are watching & laughing from the comfort of their mahogany speedboat.

Simplest possible scenario vibes being sent your way --

 

[SUBURBAN5]

No, I wouldn't consider this a bandaid at all, especially if the truck has already delivered
quality compression test and leakdown test results for your mechanics.

Instead, I would simply consider this a *serious* tune up, returning the truck back to original
GM specifications. These old trucks just about refuse to quit running, but by doing so they
sometimes accumulate a lot of parts, some of which are part of the problem instead of part
of the solution, if you know what I mean.

If it was my own chore truck, I would not hesitate to do what we're proposing here, and then
monitor the results. And if the engine approves via better behavior, then so do I. :0)

Remember, not very many mechanics were working at this level. And if they were, most of them
have retired by now, and are watching & laughing from the comfort of their mahogany speedboat.

Simplest possible scenario vibes being sent your way --

I agree. I'm not by any means having second thoughts. I'm just trying to understand what changed or worn to make the truck read -7.
I'm new to the "Mechanic world" but not new to this truck. Been with it for 25yrs and installed the new motor last year my self. I'll admit seems like quality of parts and gm has gone down big time but just wondering how offset went off.
As long as it reads 0 I'm happy. Just like, as long as there's no squeaks, pings, ticks, and popping lol. But since this motor is not gonna be replaced any time soon I'm just curious what I should be on "guard" for to have this engine run longer then the original did.
I guess I'm more or less worried about what the veterans/friends told me being stretched chain, sprocket worn, loose bolt or bolts allowing something to tweak since the motor new. Then you hear the "mexico" heads are garbage. Which doesn't make me have confidence on longevity lol.
Anyways my point is if this was your daily driver truck, what would you be monitoring symptom wise?

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Here's some before pics
I lined up the dimple with the factory white mark and then the non dimple side lined up
I'll post when I physically 180 the gear.
All these pics are before the swap

 

[SUBURBAN5]

After 180 swap

 

[Schurkey]

...the prevailing theory is that a twelve-year-old in China makes the gear and pops the dimple into it, and is putting the dimple 180 degrees out. Correctly, the dimple and the roll-pin holes line up with the valley between gear teeth. Incorrectly, the dimple and roll pin holes line up with the flat-topped peak of a gear tooth.

You must be registered for see images attach

Well, that shoots down the Chinese children theory.

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Son of a gun....
Got it thanks a million. From -7 to 0 degrees just by rotation the gear 180....

 

[SUBURBAN5]

You must be registered for see images attach

Well, that shoots down the Chinese children theory.

Not necessarily.
Let's just say the little kid dimpled the wrong side of the gear.lol
I can assure you from day 1 the cap was against the plenum to read 0. After several months it read -1 without anybody touching it. I couldn't adjust it more because it was maxed out. Now I have space to rotate the cap if it should "move" which seems correct because I rather have cushion read 0 then have it read 0 but be maxed out.

 

[Orpedcrow]

This thread makes me want to hook my scan tool and see what the cam retard is. I think I remember getting it “within spec” and just leaving it because it starts and runs fine.

Of course I also had a small debacle where I stabbed the distributor in 180 out, about 15 times. I was reading the manual upside down and I couldn’t get the oil pump drive shaft lined up so I was a tooth off in either direction or it wouldn’t even set completely.