There have been many questions about indexing the drive plate on LH 2.4 equipped B230 engines. The RPM sensor gets its signal from a slotted wheel riveted to the drive plate. For LH engines there are 58 slots with room for 60 slots, there being two hole voids. With the engine on number one cylinder TDC, the hole void should be just at the bottom of the starter opening.

In addition there is an arrow on the front of the drive plate which should point at the RPM sensor.

Your excellent photos just afforded me my first view of just exactly what that troublesome little crank angle sensor is measuring. Lucky so far, but some day I'll remember that image when it comes time to do a rear main seal.

Nice post!
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Nice picture. I have seen ring gears which don't have the arrow though (in fact there is one hanging on my garage wall). But lining the void up with the starter opening is a great technique. The way the bolt pattern is, if you get it off by one bolt you will be way off from the starter opening, so it really is fool-proof.

Now, if only there was such a fool-proof way of putting a driveshaft back together, after removing the universal joints and not marking the way it came apart...

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Matt L. -- Cary, NC -- '91 740 wagon

Early 740s with LH 2.2 probably don't have the arrow on the drive plate. Check out the pictures in my original (now ammended) post.

Every 740 drive shaft assembly which I have seen has an arrow on each shaft on either side of the sliding spline. Sometimes the arrows are covered by undercoating and grime, but they are there. If I was a little better with posting pictures, I would have two pictures which showed each drive shaft, but you are going to have to do with the one picture of my limited talent..

The other thing I would mention is, NEVER to trust the mark on the crank pulley to determine TDC, unless you have verified that it is correct before starting whatever job you're working on.



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Matt L. -- Cary, NC -- '91 740 wagon