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

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

DSMPT · Aug 13, 2026

pauleyman said:
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 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.

6 Bolt and 1G 7 Bolt : Tension clockwise.
Because the 1g arm is shorter. So rotating the pulley counterclockwise will cause rubbing on arm's pivot sleeve.

2G 7 Bolt : Tension counterclockwise.
Because the 2g arm is longer, the pulley will rub on the water pump when rotating clockwise to tension from neutral position.

eddyspaghetti · Aug 13, 2026

pauleyman said:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

I see now, it's under the 3rd cylinder on the fire wall side like the manual you sent me said, thank you again

steve · Aug 14, 2026

DSMPT said:
6 Bolt and 1G 7 Bolt : Tension clockwise.
Because the 1g arm is shorter. So rotating the pulley counterclockwise will cause rubbing on arm's pivot sleeve.
2G 7 Bolt : Tension counterclockwise.
Because the 2g arm is longer, the pulley will rub on the water pump when rotating clockwise to tension from neutral position.

Thank you, my mistake. The Overhaul FSM isn't helpful here and I didn't look far enough in the 1993 and up section.
Here's the 4G6 90-92 page that shows the clockwise rotation to tension.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Then in the 1993- page it first shows adjusting counter-clockwise followed a few pages later clockwise without much I could see to explain why and when. I also didn't note the deflection on the torque wrench which would be a good trick in step 11/12 and should have raised a red flag. Note these steps are two pages apart in the manual. The ManualCD doesn't include the engine in the 92 and up section but I should have looked at my hardcopy 92-94 version it's slightly less confusing. It still shows both directions but clearly shows tensioning in the clockwise direction.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

DSMPT · Aug 14, 2026

steve said:
Thank you, my mistake. The Overhaul FSM isn't helpful here and I didn't look far enough in the 1993 and up section.
Here's the 4G6 90-92 page that shows the clockwise rotation to tension.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Then in the 1993- page it first shows adjusting counter-clockwise followed a few pages later clockwise without much I could see to explain why and when. I also didn't note the deflection on the torque wrench which would be a good trick in step 11/12 and should have raised a red flag. Note these steps are two pages apart in the manual. The ManualCD doesn't include the engine in the 92 and up section but I should have looked at my hardcopy 92-94 version it's slightly less confusing. It still shows both directions but clearly shows tensioning in the clockwise direction.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

I know those FSMs have really made us confused!! I guess even who made those FSMs around those years when they switched from 6 bolt to 7 bolt were confused. I was also like ??? at the beginning. Then I realized that actually some FSMs have misprints and/or mixed up between 6 bolt/7 bolt and 1g/2g. I have found some more in other Mitsubishi car FSMs, too.

For instance, the 1st screenshot from the '93 FSM, if you realize that actually the illustration shows the 2g 7 bolt tensioner arm and pulley with the 2g tension counterclockwise direction, which is correct for 2g, but it is not correct for 1g 7 bolt. 1g 7 bolt use the 1g tensioner arm and 1g pulley, the same as 6 bolt.
The 2nd '93 screenshot's tension direction is correct as 1g 7 bolt, but the 3rd illustration is showing it's 6 bolt.

This screenshot, too. It's taken from a PDF 2g 7 bolt 4g6 manual that I downloaded from somewhere. We can see that the illustrations show 6 bolt/1g components, even the crank timing mark, but it shows the tension direction arrow in 2g way counterclockwise, which is not possible. The page before/after shows that it's totally 2g 7 bolt with 3 piece separated timing cover.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

pauleyman · Aug 14, 2026

DSMPT said:
I know those FSMs have really made us confused!! I guess even who made those FSMs around those years when they switched from 6 bolt to 7 bolt were confused. I was also like ??? at the beginning. Then I realized that actually some FSMs have misprints and/or mixed up between 6 bolt/7 bolt and 1g/2g. I have found some more in other Mitsubishi car FSMs, too.

For instance, the 1st screenshot from the '93 FSM, if you realize that actually the illustration shows the 2g 7 bolt tensioner arm and pulley with the 2g tension counterclockwise direction, which is correct for 2g, but it is not correct for 1g 7 bolt. 1g 7 bolt use the 1g tensioner arm and 1g pulley, the same as 6 bolt.
The 2nd '93 screenshot's tension direction is correct as 1g 7 bolt, but the 3rd illustration is showing it's 6 bolt.

This screenshot, too. It's taken from a PDF 2g 7 bolt 4g6 manual that I downloaded from somewhere. We can see that the illustrations show 6 bolt/1g components, even the crank timing mark, but it shows the tension direction arrow in 2g way counterclockwise, which is not possible. The page before/after shows that it's totally 2g 7 bolt with 3 piece separated timing cover.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Without question. I occasionally found a tsb to correct bad info in the service manuals but not that one. I have some hand written corrections in some of mine. Input shaft bearing preload vs endplay comes to mind. Old factory w5m33 rebuild manual was wrong. Its right in the model year service manual.

eddyspaghetti · Aug 14, 2026

Hey fellas, so I found the bolt , took it out and stuck in the Philips screw driver and this is what it looks like.
Oil pump sprocket is in its phase now, right? Or do y'all see something I don't?

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

The Central Hub for DSM Community and Information

2G I think my crank timing is off?

eddyspaghetti

Attachments

DSMPT

eddyspaghetti

steve

Attachments

DSMPT

Attachments

pauleyman

eddyspaghetti

Attachments

Similar threads

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds