2G I think my crank timing is off?

eddyspaghetti · Aug 10, 2026

Hello, I drive a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX 7 bolt engine, my cams timing is correct but I wanted to know if my crank timing mark is off?

I manually cranked the engine 6 times before I took the timing belt off and this is where I ended up. What should I do next if its off? The timing belt is off right now, and since this is my first time doing this job, I'm not sure. Am I ok to taking off the cam lock and cranking the engine again? Or do I need to install and tighten the timing belt THEN manually crank the engine? If so how many more times? Any help would be much appreciated thank you

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DSMPT · Aug 12, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
Would this service manual work? Or do you know if a better service manual you can recommend?

Would work but I would recommend to have the factory service manuals from Mitsubishi. You can download it here (DSM Tech Articles -> Articles: Manuals & Documents) or many places in google. Also you should search in the forum, there are many good threads and write-ups.

eddyspaghetti · Aug 12, 2026

DSMPT said:
Would work but I would recommend to have the factory service manuals from Mitsubishi. You can download it here (DSM Tech Articles -> Articles: Manuals & Documents) or many places in google. Also you should search in the forum, there are many good threads and write-ups.

Ok, will do thank you again

pauleyman · Aug 12, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
I'm not exactly sure what you mean, is it possible for you to show me a photo of what exactly you mean? i have a brand new one, I might as well install the new one.
I've never installed one, is it pretty simple? Remove the bolt, take out balance shaft tensioner and install the new one? Thank you in advance

Post number 22 you post 3 pics. The first pic is like you have it. The second two are lip out. Lip out is correct. I was merely pointing out that your pics were different. Doesn't matter. Just install lip out.

eddyspaghetti said:
I'm not exactly sure what you mean, is it possible for you to show me a photo of what exactly you mean? i have a brand new one, I might as well install the new one.
I've never installed one, is it pretty simple? Remove the bolt, take out balance shaft tensioner and install the new one? Thank you in advance

Hold up. You didnt replace the balance shaft belt as part if this job? Always replace timing belt and balance belt as a set.

eddyspaghetti · Aug 12, 2026

pauleyman said:
Hold up. You didnt replace the balance shaft belt as part if this job? Always replace timing belt and balance belt as a set.

I just installed the balance shaft belt like 2 weeks ago, then I decided to go back and replace everything, water pump, new timing belt, serpentine belts, balance shaft tensioner, OEM hydraulic tensioner etc

pauleyman · Aug 12, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
I just installed the balance shaft belt like 2 weeks ago, then I decided to go back and replace everything, water pump, new timing belt, serpentine belts, balance shaft tensioner, OEM hydraulic tensioner etc

Ok. I thought it was weird that you said you had never done a balance shaft pulley. I guess you dont have to remove it but i always do. Honestly unless i know the history i do both belts, all pulleys and seals and a water pump.

steve · Aug 12, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
Would this service manual work? Or do you know if a better service manual you can recommend?

You can start with the one or more of these. https://www.dsmtuners.com/forum/articles-manuals-documents.262/

eddyspaghetti · Aug 12, 2026

pauleyman said:
Ok. I thought it was weird that you said you had never done a balance shaft pulley. I guess you dont have to remove it but i always do. Honestly unless i know the history i do both belts, all pulleys and seals and a water pump.

Hey there! So here's an update

I went ahead and flipped the balance shaft pulley, installed the OEM hydraulic timing belt tensioner, and tightened the timing belt pulley, everything is in its mark too here are some photos.
Sorry for the late reply, I've been walking all over town , I needed to buy groceries, had a backpack full of food and a cooling bag too

But anywho, now I take out the cam lock tool and torque the engine 6 times to see if it all lines up?

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eddyspaghetti · Aug 12, 2026

Another update, I went ahead and took the cam lock tool out, I rotated the crank 6 or 7 times, it might have been 6, all the marks lined up perfectly.
So now what would be the next step? Could I start putting everything back together?

pauleyman · Aug 12, 2026

Just for fun. How did you verify the rear balance shaft phase?

eddyspaghetti · Aug 12, 2026

pauleyman said:
Just for fun. How did you verify the rear balance shaft phase?

Hmm , I'm not sure I understand you're question, like, how do I match the marks?

Actually, I never checked

, well that's something I have to do tomorrow. Could you explain what I need to do and look for in order to verify the rear balance shaft phase?

pauleyman · Aug 12, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
Actually, I never checked , well that's something I have to do tomorrow. Could you explain what I need to do and look for in order to verify the rear balance shaft phase?

This is why you need a factory manual. There is a bolt on the backside of the block just above the balance shaft. Yiu insert a screwdriver into it. When all the marks are lined up, all 5 of them, should go in. If it doesnt you have to take it apart and retime. Each full rotation of the oil pump sprocket rotates the balance shaft into one of 3 positions. Only the one that allows the screwdriver to pass is correct.

eddyspaghetti · Aug 13, 2026

pauleyman said:
This is why you need a factory manual. There is a bolt on the backside of the block just above the balance shaft. Yiu insert a screwdriver into it. When all the marks are lined up, all 5 of them, should go in. If it doesnt you have to take it apart and retime. Each full rotation of the oil pump sprocket rotates the balance shaft into one of 3 positions. Only the one that allows the screwdriver to pass is correct.

Understood, as soon as I get enough money, I will be purchasing one ASAP.
Ok , I'll be reading what you just wrote till I understand it fully.
When you say , the bolt behind the rear balance shaft, I take it out and insert the screw driver?also, if it's wrong, you said
"take apart and re time" are you taking about the timing belt and cams? Or

DSMPT · Aug 13, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
Hey there! So here's an update I went ahead and flipped the balance shaft pulley, installed the OEM hydraulic timing belt tensioner, and tightened the timing belt pulley, everything is in its mark too here are some photos.
Sorry for the late reply, I've been walking all over town , I needed to buy groceries, had a backpack full of food and a cooling bag too
But anywho, now I take out the cam lock tool and torque the engine 6 times to see if it all lines up?

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You rotated the tensioner pulley to put the tension in wrong direction (clockwise). Your tensioner pulley is 2g which should go counterclockwise.

eddyspaghetti said:
Understood, as soon as I get enough money, I will be purchasing one ASAP.

No need to buy the FSM unless you want the paper book version. As I mentioned earlier that you can download PDF versions in here this forum (just click the link that Steve put above) or you can find them many places in the internet.
The FSM look like the screenshots below. It would tell you all what you need to know. You can see that what Paul told you above is shown in the 1st page of Timing belt installation below.

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eddyspaghetti · Aug 13, 2026

DSMPT said:
You rotated the tensioner pulley to put the tension in wrong direction (clockwise). Your tensioner pulley is 2g which should go counterclockwise.

No need to buy the FSM unless you want the paper book version. As I mentioned earlier that you can download PDF versions in here this forum (just click the link that Steve put above) or you can find them many places in the internet.
The FSM look like the screenshots below. It would tell you all what you need to know. You can see that what Paul told you above is shown in the 1st page of Timing belt installation below.
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Thank you so much for this info, I really really appreciate this, I'm just genuinely trying to learn about my car. I'll update y'all tomorrow when I continue to work in this, thank you again

steve · Aug 13, 2026

With all that oil and dirt I don't think that balance shaft belt is going to last very long.

pauleyman · Aug 13, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
Thank you so much for this info, I really really appreciate this, I'm just genuinely trying to learn about my car. I'll update y'all tomorrow when I continue to work in this, thank you again

Hiroshi is right. Your tbelt tension pulley is also incorrect. 1g and 2g are different. If memory serves the pulley may rub on something if tensioned the wrong way.

steve · Aug 13, 2026

pauleyman said:
If memory serves the pulley may rub on something if tensioned the wrong way.

It rubs on the water pump if you tension it like a 6-bolt. According to the FSM overhaul manual it's a 6-bolt vs 7-bolt issue not 1G vs 2G.

pauleyman · Aug 13, 2026

steve said:
It rubs on the water pump if you tension it like a 6-bolt. According to the FSM overhaul manual it's a 6-bolt vs 7-bolt issue not 1G vs 2G.

thanks for the correction, I couldn't remember. That's why even now I look at the service manual sometimes.

steve · Aug 13, 2026

I couldn't remember 100% so I looked it up to make sure what I thought I remembered was correct. I find myself doing that a lot more often as the years go by.

eddyspaghetti · Aug 13, 2026

Hello y'all, went ahead and set the timing belt tensioner counter clockwise

I'm having trouble finding the cylinder block plug to check the oil pump timing, it seems pretty tight in here behind the engine, doesn't seem like there's room for a screwdriver. I'm looking at the diagram but still can't find it, I've been googling photos but won't come up, does someone have any photos by any chance?
I found a video on YouTube but it's for the Evo 8, it wouldn't be in the same location?

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eddyspaghetti · Aug 13, 2026

Well since I cant find the screw, I saw an Evo 8 video of how to identify if it's in the right position, the sprocket is fighting me to turn passed the left of its mark and passed the right of the mark, it doesn't fight me when I want to line it up with its mark, seems like it's in the right position?

pauleyman · Aug 13, 2026

eddyspaghetti said:
Well since I cant find the screw, I saw an Evo 8 video of how to identify if it's in the right position, the sprocket is fighting me to turn passed the left of its mark and passed the right of the mark, it doesn't fight me when I want to line it up with its mark, seems like it's in the right position?

I don't think you understand. Each spin is a full rotation and lined up on the mark. The shaft is geared behind the pump. That's why its only in phase once every three rotations. You always check with the mark lined up. What do you mean fighting you? You mean with a screwdriver installed?

eddyspaghetti · Aug 13, 2026

pauleyman said:
I don't think you understand. Each spin is a full rotation and lined up on the mark. The shaft is geared behind the pump. That's why its only in phase once every three rotations. You always check with the mark lined up. What do you mean fighting you? You mean with a screwdriver installed?

Ok, so all 5 marks are lined up, when I mean "fighting" I could spin it left or right if I really wanted to but it's a little bit stiff is what I mean, I haven't been able to put the screw driver in because I can find the plug to do so, I've been googling and YouTubing, and can't seem to find it

pauleyman · Aug 13, 2026

I'll elaborate further. You know what the shafts looks like It's a counterweight? The shaft is geared to oil pump sprocket. Each time you turn that sprocket all the way around the shaft spins 1/3 of a turn. So....Once in every 3 turns its in the correct position which is weight at the bottom. That's why you can have all the marks lined up and it's still wrong. There are other ways to check but the factory way is the screwdriver method I mentioned. When the weight isn't at the bottom it blocks the hole and you can't insert the screwdriver. That's how you know.

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eddyspaghetti · Aug 13, 2026

pauleyman said:
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Thank you

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2G I think my crank timing is off?

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