Urgent timing question

[Jackie chan]

Hey guys

On the lower timing cover there are marks that correspond to the notch on the outside of the crank pulley.

You know,

---10------T
I I I I I I I I I I I


Anyways, My cams are perfectly aligned and the crank is very close to TDC, However it is not perfect.

I am two notches to the right of the "T"

---10------T
I I I I I I I I I I I

---------------I----This is here my crankshaft is right now


Is this close enough, or do I have to tear it all down again.


If I do have to take it off again, what is the best way to keep the Crank at TDC

 

[whatusername]

have to tear it down again... there is no such thing as close enough... keeping the crank at tdc should be the easy part u set it and leave it its the cams that are harder.. its better when u have another person to help you u put the belt on the crank and run it up MAKE SURE NOT TO MOVE THE CRANK!!!!! the other person has 2 wrenches holding the cams in alignment and u slide the belt on the cams and the tensioner without letting anything move.Remeber to remove the spring on the tensioner before hand otherwise u will stretch it out n ruin it. after belt is on spin the engine clockwise 1 full rotation and recheck timing everything should line up perfectly if not do it again or ur car will not run good if at all

 

[north42g]

What a second...are you lined up without the timing covers in place....? The timing marks on the outside of the black plastic cover is not for lining up the t-belt. You must use the marks on the Block. Use this pic as a reference:
.

Line the Crankshaft(lower) slot to raised notch on block.
Line Camshafts notches Intake(I) and Exhaust(E) as shown in this Pic:


Be sure that Cylinder # 1 in at TDC of Compression Stroke.

Please ignore the Subaru Attachment, I loaded it by mistake and cant figure out how to get it off my post. sorry.

 

[north42g]

Hey guys

On the lower timing cover there are marks that correspond to the notch on the outside of the crank pulley.

You know,

---10------T
I I I I I I I I I I I


Anyways, My cams are perfectly aligned and the crank is very close to TDC, However it is not perfect.

I am two notches to the right of the "T"

---10------T
I I I I I I I I I I I

---------------I----This is here my crankshaft is right now


Is this close enough, or do I have to tear it all down again.


If I do have to take it off again, what is the best way to keep the Crank at TDC

Pull the crank-Pulley off, then the Plastic Timing Cover, Check your marks against the pics I posted in previous post. THEN, if it isn't lined up, I'll help you through it if needed. OK?

 

[Jackie chan]

Hey, thanks for your replies.

I do use the marks on the block. Those marks line up at the same time that the ones on the crank pulley do.
They just seem less accurate because I cant really see them, they are up behind the fender when at TDC.
I've found a pretty good routine and that is that I feel for the notch and the ridge on the crankshaft, once I find that they are really close I put the t belt on with the cam gears properly aligned, cut my cam "restraints", tighten the tensioner, crank her over twice check marks, all appears good, then i do it again just for good measure, then I throw the lower timing cover on and then slide on the pulley and check its marks so I can be totally sure.

 

[north42g]

You should be good then kid. All in all...break it all down, remove belt, reinstall belt without moving any sprockets and it is technically still " in time ". The trouble with this motor in getting the cams not to move when the old belt comes off.
you can do it this way if you've done a hundred and one times. But....the safest way is to follow your "routine" and line it all up and secure cams before the belt comes off.
Bottom line is: if you are all lined up against the block timing marks, and you're sure you're 100% lined up against the factory timing marks, (don't sweat the black plastic cover)...you're all set.

 

[north42g]

You should be good then kid. All in all...break it all down, remove belt, reinstall belt without moving any sprockets and it is technically still " in time ". The trouble with this motor in getting the cams not to move when the old belt comes off.
you can do it this way if you've done a hundred and one times. But....the safest way is to follow your "routine" and line it all up and secure cams before the belt comes off.
Bottom line is: if you are all lined up against the block timing marks, and you're sure you're 100% lined up against the factory timing marks, (don't sweat the black plastic cover)...you're all set.

 

[north42g]

did you get it all straightened out?

 

[Jackie chan]

Well, yes and no.

I did a head transplant, so that means new head gasket, lifters, valves, valve seals, etc.

Just started it for the first time like an hour ago. Lots o' smoke'n steam, but that cleared up, exhaust was a little steamy, but that cleared up to.
It started up really easy the first time and it idles great, and drives okay. I can tell that the timing is a tad off, It's really annoying, but I'll dig back in this weekend.
I think my tensioner is bad, because after it was all put back together, the belt wasn't very tight. Not loose, still a PITA to get on, but I manually tightened it with a hex key and then locked it down.

Timing marks all looked good at that point, but i'll have to check it again.
The car runs and drives, but is down on power, and idles a little lumpy.

Not bad tho.

 

[whatusername]

I think my tensioner is bad, because after it was all put back together, the belt wasn't very tight. Not loose, still a PITA to get on, but I manually tightened it with a hex key and then locked it down.

Jackie what do u mean by that? the tensioner puts tension on the belt via a spring there is no locking it down... are u sure the spring is there? did u remove the spring from 1 side before installing the belt? cuz if not the spring will stretch out and be no good. and if u dont have the spring that would be y ur t-belt is loose

 

[Jackie chan]

I think I stretched it out, didn't take off the spring when I put the belt on, I just turned it with an allen key and I think that is where I went wrong. I'm gunna replace the tensioner pretty quick here.

 

[whatusername]

u can just buy the spring u dont need the whole tensioner and when u get the new spring u will see it connects to the block and the tensioner hook it to tensioner tie a string or wire to the other side of spring install belt then use the string or wire to pull the other end of spring to the stud on the block and ur done

 

[Jackie chan]

Yeah, I already figured that out. There's a spring on amazon for like 5 bucks.

Thanks tho.

 

[pcb]

You may have to remove the tensioner pulley to get the spring on it. That's the way mine was anyway. Your tensioner may have a big enough hole that the spring will hook in without removing it.

 

[whatusername]

keep us posted on the outcome