You have to pull that pin before you can tell. Pull it. Rotate the motor six times then check protrusion of the tensioner. It’s go no go. If it’s within spec you’re done. Marks look right

With the timing dead on, once you pull the pin you'll be half a tooth off. Better to put the marks a little bit offset from each other and try again, otherwise looks great!

CrackedDSM said:

With the timing dead on, once you pull the pin you'll be half a tooth off. Better to put the marks a little bit offset from each other and try again, otherwise looks great!

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I'd like to hear more about this. I am in complete disagreement.

When I pull my pin, my tensioner stays where it was along with every timing mark.
Rotate six times back to all marks in time, wait 15 mins, pin should slide right back in. If not, rinse and repeat.......

Same.

pauleyman said:

I'd like to hear more about this. I am in complete disagreement.

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CrackedDSM said:

With the timing dead on, once you pull the pin you'll be half a tooth off. Better to put the marks a little bit offset from each other and try again, otherwise looks great!

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That's not been my experience. If you put the belt on correctly it doesn't move when you release the pin. If it does you messed up and get to do it over.

Rotated it about a dozen times let it sit over night and the pin still moves in and out freely thanks everyone for the help

Trust me when I say the first time is a little nerve racking if you haven’t done it. Then if you mess up you get really proficient at it.

Interesting. I have always had to leave the marks just a tiny bit offset because when I pull the pin the tension pulls them out just a bit. Are you guys using the timing kit that has the block to secure the cams or nah? Are you guys zip-tieing the belt down or preloading the belt somehow? I've never used the official timing kit or used anything to "hold" the belt tight, so maybe that's the disconnect? Idk.

pauleyman said:

I am in complete disagreement.

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I'm curious to know what semi-disagreeing would be. . Or anything other than complete disagreement.

I use binder clips to hold my belt. I start at the exhaust cam. over the intake & around the oil pump to crank with no slack. I try to keep all the slack on the tensioner pulley side, torque & rotate so the grenade pin slides in & out when done. Nothing special for tools & the old elbow torque wrench to pull the slack out with the tensioner pulley.

CrackedDSM said:

Interesting. I have always had to leave the marks just a tiny bit offset because when I pull the pin the tension pulls them out just a bit. Are you guys using the timing kit that has the block to secure the cams or nah? Are you guys zip-tieing the belt down or preloading the belt somehow? I've never used the official timing kit or used anything to "hold" the belt tight, so maybe that's the disconnect? Idk.




I'm curious to know what semi-disagreeing would be. . Or anything other than complete disagreement.

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Per post 11 you take all the slack out of the firewall side. I use binder clips also. Nothing moves. I think you may have slack on the firewall side and that's why you see what you do. The final step I use is typically just rotate the exhaust cam a few degrees (with belt on) and then rotate crank back to mark. This takes all slack out of the firewall side, lines up all the marks and you're ready to set tension. Since the belt is clipped to the cam sprockets it doesn't slip.
I've preached for years anybody doing this job shoudl never have to cross fingers, hope, wish etc. It's either right or it isn't and the mechanic should be 100% sure. It's so objective I don't see how anyobdy couldn't be. If it's wrong you just keep redoing it. My first attempt was a few hours. My second attempt a few minutes. I lost count after about 50 belts.

CrackedDSM said:

Are you guys using the timing kit that has the block to secure the cams or nah?

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Nope, just a couple of binder clips to keep the belt from falling off as I work around the sprockets. The trip from my perspective is to rotate each sprocket backward a little to make getting the belt on the teeth easier and then moving it forward to ti's correct location to make sure it tight. Once you reach the tensioner pulley you take up what slack is left but every thing else is already tight and can't move.

The 4G63 is easy once you get the hang of it, the 6G72 is a pain in the butt trying to get the belt tight between the two banks and around the water pump between them. If your not careful you can wind up with an extra tooth of slack there.