Timing Belt Crank pulley moved

[adjmcloon]

Sorry, I meant to title that "Cam Pulley"

I was tightening up my cam pulley during my timing belt job, and the cam pulley moved about 3 teeth from TDC. The belt was not on at the time so I don't think the crank was affected. Can I simply rotate the cam pulley back around to TDC without the belt on and be good to go? Or do I need to put on the belt and rotate both the crank and cam pulley until they are lined up again?

[ForcedFirebird]

You should be fine to turn it back. 3 teeth is cutting it close for valve/piston contact.

When changing the cam seal on m20's, I take the belt off, rotate the crank clockwise 20 degrees. This puts all the pistons down far enough that if the cam rotates, the valves will never hit the pistons.

[adjmcloon]

So it actually went two teeth and stopped. It is now tightened to specs, but how do I get it to turn back around now?

[ForcedFirebird]

Should be able to grab it by hand and turn it.

[Jparkr]

You can grab it and turn it by hand if you are strong enough. If that doesn't work take the old belt, wrap it around the cam gear and use it like an oil filter wrench.

[adjmcloon]

Ok so I managed to actually reverse it back up the 2 teeth to TDC.