legacycentral bbs

I got the timing belt on fine. But the left (driver's) side cam sprocket was giving me trouble.

I could line up the marks on the sprocket and the lower belt cover fine, but there was two ways to put the timing belt on. One way, the mark was closest to the other marks, but not perfect like on the crank and on the right cam. Moving it the other way, it was further away, but this was the only way the belt would go on. Literally, to put it on with the belt mark as close as possible, the belt would've needed to be STRETCHED. I have a crappy camera phone picture, taken from slighlty right but trust me, the mark on the sprocket and the mark on the belt cover is lined up.

yeah thats how it lines up. it's a little off but its supposd to be like that. Least that's how it is on my car.

Okay, great. Thanks!

I've always lined mine up perfectly, so I don't know if you'll have problems or what. Did you put it with the arrows pointing in the rotational direction?

Steve

Yeah. There was only like one arrow on my belt, but I had it pointing right (facing the engine from the front). Also I counted the number of teeth, they were correct, so the belt was on right.

Maybe it was just marked wrong. If the teeth count is right and the marks on the sprockets are lined up then I can't see an issue.

Steve

Yeah, its weird. I'd definitely say it was wrong, but there's literally NO WAY to get it on otherwise. Like, there isn't enough timing belt from the right cam to this cam in question. Pulling it tight there was just no way.

By the way, when all is said and done, how tight should the belt be, after the tensioner's pin is pulled?

I can't see the mark on the cam sprocket. But if the line on the belt is lined up EXACTLY with the mark on the cam sprocket, I think you're off...

The trick to this is to go by the tooth corresponding to the mark on the cam sprocket rather than the mark itself. If the tooth on the cam sprocket corresponding to the mark on it is lined up with the mark on the timing cover, then you got it.

Yeah, the mark on the cam sprocket is lined up with the belt cover. My question was about the mark on the timing belt itself.

I've found the tensioner seems weak when you first pull the pin, but if use a big screw driver or something to manually tension the belt a little further, the tensioner seems to come out a little more and it holds tight after.

Steve