Crank and cam tdc. Trying to do it now. Please help

[lostatoll]

Hi. I have a post about my first timing belt change a couple posts down.

Right now I'm trying to put the belt on and I get both the cam and crank aligned perfect, with tension, but then I tighten down the tensioner bolts and rotate it once and the crank mark is like just the tiniest bit to the left. Like the left edge of the triangle indent. I'm uploading a picture now. But I don't want to be one tooth off. Am I? Cam is right on the mark, but the crank always moves about 1-2mm to the left of the triangle!

Any help is greatly appreciated. I only have this garage to work in for the rest of the day. Thanks guys.

[lostatoll]

Here's the image. I've put it on like 7 times now. This is the closest I can get. Cam mark is right on.

http://imgur.com/tglb4

Is it still off!?!?

Thanks!

[lostatoll]

See if I move the crank beyond the mark by a mm, and then back, the tiny bit of slack allows them both to be aligned perfectly. So confused.

[cabriodster87]

tighten tensioner, rotate crankshaft two complete revolutions loosen tensioner then re-tighten. it also helps to confirm mark positions before removal of old belt.

[cabriodster87]

Arrg sorry im just trying to help, its frustrating. im trying to quote from my repair manual.

[billybobjoseph]

Yeah it looks like its off by one tooth. What happens is when you get the belt on if the teeth of the belt are on the teeth of the gear and slip the wrong way. What I did was put one bolt loose on the tensioner.. Then I put the belt on this way it's loose and easy to work with. Once its under the crank and around the gear I aligned the belt teeth into the cam first then clockwise over the intermediate shaft. To align the belt with the crank I turned it ever so slightly backwards ( counter clockwise ) and pulled up on the left side of the belt at the same time. Once it seated I turned the crank clockwise back to align the mark. Then I put the spring and plunger on the water pump and tensioner and had a friend push on it so I could get the other bolt in.

[billybobjoseph]

I re read that and it wasn't very clear was it? lol sorry. I turned the crank backwards with a wrench just a tiny bit to seat the belt on the gear while pulling up on the belt on the left side ( passenger side ).

[lostatoll]

For real?! Are you sure it's one tooth off. We've put it on so many times and one tooth to the left or right make the alignment much worse.

[billybobjoseph]

yeah from that pic you showed if the cam mark is aligned at the same time I think its off. The mark on the crank should be in the exact middle of the v on the block. To align the cam I put my finger on the mark and look at the tooth its on, aligning it with the mark on the head.

[billybobjoseph]

Don't feel bad, took me 4 tries the first time with my car and I've done a ton of them on other cars and trucks.

[lostatoll]

Ffuuccckkkk! Why can't I just put both the crank and cam at tdc, and put the belt on!? Everytime I do I get the position above. Then I take the bottom bolt out of the tensioner again, move the belt on tooth in the proper direction, and it's way off! Anyone in oak park il that wants to help a novice?! Ugghh. Going on 16 hours now. Fun times.

[billybobjoseph]

You'll get it. Remember the crank turns clockwise and pulls the belt down on the driver's side of the car to turn the cam. That's the side that has to be tight. I put the tensioner on with only the bottom bolt ( one closest to the water pump ) holding it on. I barely threaded it in so the tensioner would wobble around really loose. That way I had lots of slack in the belt.

[lostatoll]

Yeah, we have slack. No problem getting the belt on and off. Its just that every time I reposition the belt there is always the tiniest bit of slack on the drivers side and that's what makes it off that small amount.

So I go back and preemptively set it one tooth ahead. That doesn't do it at all. I'm still trying.

[billybobjoseph]

yeah that's how it happens. The belt has to be on the cam then tight around the intermediate shaft. Just turn it by hand to get the belt to seat in it. Then get it to seat on the crank pulley. I also didn't put the plunger and spring on the tensioner until after I had it around the crank.

[jlevie]

Leave the tensioner loose and rotate the crank shaft twice. Stop when the crank mark lines up with the notch on the timing cover. Then check the cam mark. It will be on, or off a full tooth (or more). The crank turns at twice the cam speed. So if you look at the cam marks when turing the engine you can fool yourselft w/respect to timing.