It has been said there are no dumb questions.....well I think I may have one. I'm setting the valve timing on a 2000 500 magnum. I followed the somewhat instructions that were given in a manual which I will not name (nor buy that kind again). ANYway, when I have the piston at top dead centre and the rockers are loose, should the timing chain have two light coloured links coincide with the two dots on the cam shaft sprocket?

 

I can't help you with that- but I bet OPT (old Polaris tech) could...

shoot him a pm

 

If you have it torn down to where you can see the crank sprocket and cam sprocket,then yes you can use the plated links to line up the dots,BUT as soon as you turn the engine over the dots won't align back up with the chain. "If" you just have a it at tdc(changing out a cam,etc) and the flywheel T is aligned with the pointer on the cover,just have the cam sprocket alignment pin center of the head with the chain on. Not necessary to have the plated links align with the dots.