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I replaced my timing belt (and drive belt, water pump, thermostat and flushed the radiator) this weekend. However, even though it seemed to be exactly in the same spots when I put everything back together (timing marks wise), the car seems to be running a little off.
When I first start the car, it doesn't accelerate as quickly and smooth as it did before.
If I have to adjust the timing marks, do I have to remove the belt again? I'm not worried if thats the case.
However, how do I adjust the sprockets manually? Rotate them clockwise by hand and pray?
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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I still didn't get a start, but I did check for spark. Had none.
So I checked the distributor cap, and it was obviously scarred and needing to be replace (and the rotor too).
Could getting a new belt have exacerbated the distributor cap/rotor issue?
Also, funny story. As I was removing the air filter to get access to the distributor, I found out that some animal had been shoving moss into my inlet hose for the air filter. I don't know when, or how long, but I suspect it was relatively recent as the moss did not look old/dried out. It went from the air filter box TO the radiator.
No signs of animal scratches though, but it was obviously not normal.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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That will certainly slow down the air flow needed to run the engine with the throttle open!!!! That winter home could have been your sluggish problem.
Plug in a trickle charger to get the battery back up to snuff.
No, you can't hurt the cap/rotor by changing the Tbelt. But, you can hit the wires to the coil while removing the air cleaner box. Check them and verify that the coil is still working.
Remember the lawnmower syndrom? A cold engine start and shutdown before oil can be splashed on to the piston rings?
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My back feels better when I sit in a Volvo seat
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With the marks still lined up right, I tried to start it. Now it's acting weird, almost like it's slower, or something.
It won't start, and just tries to turn over.
I spun it by hand again, and the marks still line up. There was a weird rubbing sound for one rotation, but went away after I finished turning the motor over. And did not return any of the other times I turned it.
Although I don't think it was the case, I did check the battery, and it was registering just a hair under 12.4, which is just a hair low.
--
1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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I removed the plugs, and each one smelled strongly of gas. Hopefully I somehow flooded the engine (although I'm not sure how).
--
1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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So I re-checked the timing today, and after some tinkering, I got the three lines to match up. The two up top don't seem to stay in place after I spin it twice (I have the IPD crank stopping tool)..
Anyways, now the idle seems rough, and sounds like it's missing a plug.
--
1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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That's really weird. How can it change like that just by turning over.
You reset the tensioner when you did the belt, right?
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"Differences of opinions should be tolerated, but not if they're too different' - Sharon Craig
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I'm wondering if maybe the tensioner wasn't fully extended.
I'm letting it sit over night (I have a hockey game to go to tonight, so I don't want to go there knowing it's still screwy) and test it in the morning.
I re-timed it again, and turned it over (by socket) 4 times and it lined up fine.
I do have to ask, when you are manually turning the engine/camshafts, and checking the timing markings, do you stop turning WHEN the lines match up with the notches/etc, or is it supposed ot be when the compression cycle ends?
--
1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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That's why I like to pull the spark plugs. You stop at the timing marks. If you wait for the compression to release, then you have gone too far.
If it sounds like a plug is misfiring, check the plugs and see if one is wet. It is possible that the boot didn't seat properly or a plug wire is loose at the cap.
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My back feels better when I sit in a Volvo seat
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Thank you for the clarification. It's what I thought made sense, but I wanted to make sure.
I did check the plugs (at least, I made sure they were all down). If it still runs rough tomorrow, I'll remove each plug and check to see if they look bad/look down the holes.
I'm hoping that tomorrow when I start the car up, it runs smooth.
--
1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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Crank it over by hand and line up all 3 marks again. If one of the cams is off, then loosen the tensioner and reposition the cam to the proper mark after pulling off the belt.
Getting proper belt tension between the cams is HARD, but necessary. It doesn't matter if you move the cam a little bit left or right. The valve springs will not allow you to rotate the cam more than 90 degrees anyway, without a lot of pressure.
Removing the 5 spark plugs lets you rotate the engine easily.
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My back feels better when I sit in a Volvo seat
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Simply verify the 3 sets of timing marks are OK with #1 piston at Top Dead Center
Bill
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Are you sure they are supposed to line up at TDC?
I used to think the same thing, but was told that
the marks are for the timing belt alignment only
and do not necessarily correspond to TDC.
Granted it's not off by much, but it is not TDC.
Thoughts?
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"Differences of opinions should be tolerated, but not if they're too different' - Sharon Craig
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That's just leftover terminology from the good old days. Correct, it not TDC but about 20 degrees advanced.
These engines are not designed to be timed by anyone without a computer designed for the task. Timing is taken care of by the ECM, so long as the timing marks are close. IE, being one tooth off usually doesn't make that much difference.
Also correct about the crank timing mark. That is a real bugger to see and line up correctly. Nothing like my easy to see 120S engine.
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My back feels better when I sit in a Volvo seat
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Thanks for the info.
I still want to check it for my own well being. It could be entirely me over-reacting to how the car is running, but I want to be certain.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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I don't know how you can change the camshafts alignment without removing the belt.
You never loosened the center bolt on the camshaft gears, right?
And the tensioner is working properly?
Can you see the small marks on the crankshaft gear well enough to align them correctly?
I just got done with a camshaft seal / timing belt replacement on an '01 S40 which I think is similar, less the variable valve timing (VVT). So it should be pretty straightforward.
Just whatever you do, be sure to turn the engine over by hand a few revolutions after installing the timing belt. This is to make sure that you don't have a piston hitting a valve.
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"Differences of opinions should be tolerated, but not if they're too different' - Sharon Craig
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Thanks all.
I don't think the 850 is a TDC thing, since there are markings (the previous owner had painted them white, so I can see them) that line up with the timing belt cover.
I did spin it around by hand twice, and it spun fine (before i drove it). The marks lined up what I felt was good, but I think it must've been off enough to make a difference. It seems to just be a hair off, maybe half a tooth. not sure how.
So I'll re-adjust it/check it out this weekend.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.
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