well i managed to remove the timing belt and replace the pulleys (2) and dampener/tensioner BUT each time when I "finish" the timing belt is off by one half tooth on either a cam sprocket or the crank pulley


I have marked the cam sprockets and the crank shaft. They were already marked prior to me as well as the timing belt cover so the marks, all three, are spot on. Each time I get the belt on the crank pulley & cam sprockets (inteke or exhaust- it varies ) is off a slight bit on one. It's getting dark and my last attempt is HALF A TOOTH OFF on the intake sprocket.

I aligned the crank mark first to the mark on the block.(also checked to ensure #1 piston was at TDC). Crank is right on. THe exhaust sprocket is right on BUT the intake sprocket is one half tooth off. Not a whole tooth away but the mark is in a valley on the sprocket and the tooth immediately before it is aligned with the timng cover mark. BTW the cam sprocket mark is a half tooth clockwise away from the cover mark

So the relationship between the crank, exhaust sprocket and intake sprocket is half a tooth off on the intake sprocket. Half a tooth off...does this matter or is it "good enough". I haven't done a belt before so I'm unsure if this is okay or do I keep at it. When I strain to get the belt on the sprocket moves ever so slightly so when I check alignment somethings outa alignment.

It seems this should be okay but what do I know

What's your opinion? And have you done this before?

paul

Mine looked like it was a 1/2 tooth out when I did mine. The 'alignment' set-up is a bit dodgy if you ask me. Since a 1/2 tooth adjustment isn't possible you need to get as close as you can.

I rotated my engine by hand to make sure the valves did not interfere and started it. It ran fine, so I slapped it all back together and never looked in there again.

That was 15,000 miles ago.

It's all to the good.

I finally set up the alignment 1/2 tooth off CCW (or less) on the crank and "turned" the belt CW onto the intake sprocket while rotating the crank shaft 1/2 tooth back. This kept the right side belt VERY tight as I threaded the left side over, around and up on to the exhaust sprocket. Hand-cranked it DOZENS of times to be SURE nothing knocking. Put it all back together and I'm cruising down the highway of life.

Do not attempt w/o removing the plugs 1st. Anything else is crazy. I didn't need a cam "keeper inplace" tool. Cams are not that "loose" and you can set the alignment up using #1 piston @TDC and the crank pulley mark if it really gets off the mark.

Thanks to ALL who provided advice and assistance. These forums are GREAT. I like doing my own work but before forums I never had a place to go for help.

Nxt - front struts & CV's

paulfr

Did you make or buy a camshaft locking device that needs to be placed on the tranny side of the engine. It is the best way to do the T-Belt change and esp if your are doing your camshaft seals.

If you are sure you did not lose the top dead center position you could gently rotate the crankshaft in the normal direction of running a couple of times with the belt installed as it is. The error you have might be due to the belt not yet having settled in, so its tension is not yet really distributed all along its length.

By pulleys I assume you mean the idler and tensioner. If you didn't remove or rotate the cam sprockets or rotate the crankshaft without the belt you should not have problems. My bet is the belt will settle in the correct position. If it settles so you are a full tooth off on one or both sprockets you will then see how to adjust it.

I put mine on crankshaft first, then intake sprocket then exhaust then idler and tensioner. I had to hold the belt under very firm tension while routing it from crankshaft to intake sprocket, to avoid leaving an extra tooth in that space.