10+ Hours & Timing Marks Don't Align, Please Help!

[dsmrob007]

Hey Everyone,

Please help...been working to realign the timing marks on the engine while replacing the auto tensioner. A year ago all the timing components were replaced after the timing belt snapped..ie: new valves, arp head bolts, new timing - balancer belts, water pump...everything

So i noticed a tapping sound sound and found the timing belt had too much slack between the cam sprockets and it turned out to be the auto tensioner gave out. Car is driveable but definitely don't want to bend valves again.

Anyway, up until now ive followed all the threads about the timing belt replacing process as well as the VFAQs and I've not bee able to realign the timing marks even though they were aligned from the beginning...here's what I've tried and no luck:

1. Align timing marks with pins at the 12 oclock position
Tried to offset exhaust timing mark one tooth clockwise to make up for the ccw
movement when tightening tensioner.

2. Fasten belt to sprockets and route through idler pulley and oil pulley
then through crank sprocket and on through tensioner pulley..

But, up until now ive not been able to align all the timing marks...been at it for 10+ hours...

If the crank and oil sprokets are aligned the two cam sprockets are always off one tooth..if the cam sprokets are aligned then the crank and oil timing marks are not aligned...think the spring on the exhaust cam always pushes the timing marks off-time.

This is after having torqued the tensioner and having gone through the entire FVAQ process step by step...I've not yet released the pin on the auto tensioner...

PLEASE HELP...want to get this car running again...what is going on?

Thank you

 

[knochgoon24]

Can you get some pictures?

 

[stevestevesteve]

yeah pics would be best for this kind of situation. :]

 

[DSM1G90]

The real thing you have to do is to take a pair of wrenches, put them on each sprocket pulley to hold them securely on their respective timing marks after you roll that one sprocket where it needs to be, then lace the belt over the sprockets and secure the belt down on the sprockets with bulldog clips, clothespins, or similar (even two pairs of small visegrips set to barely pinch works wonders as well), then you can release the wrenches.

With this, the upper part of the belt is already in time to where you have to get the lower half aligned up.

The real big issue is to get that auto tensioner spacing within the tensioner limits to the adjuster pulley and that itself can take time..even with the right tools. This is where you get the belt and sprockets in full alignment.

VFAQ has this all spelled out - just have patience to work with it. It took me a few times to get mine in, but once I got that autotensioner set to specs, the rest just fell into place and I was dead on on all marks.

Good luck - DSM

 

[ba109296]

The timing belt should not move when you tighten the adjuster. You need to make sure you have ZERO slack on the right side of the timing belt. Then the pulley is used to snug it up...not tighten the belt until it moves. You need to tighten it just a little and while you do this check to see if you can pull the pin out of the tensioner easily. If you can pull it in and put it back in very easily this is as tight as you need to go!

I used the bottom right pulley to tighten the right side of the timing belt. Just off set it a little so that when you turn it clockwise it tightens and then aligns perfectly. As long as you have the slack on the front side of the timing belt and tighten the pulley correctly you should have ZERO issue.
It does take time and patients though...

 

[HIGHPSI4]

Also, take your 17mm wrenches and pull each gear 1/2 tooth towards each other. That means the exhaust is 1/2 tooth cw and the intake is 1/2 tooth ccw. This will allow the cam gears to line up correctly after everything is rotated.

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Don't forget to put a 1/4" extension in the hole in the back of the block to check rear balance shaft positioning. Otherwise you'll be asking us later why your engine vibrates so badly.

 

[DSM1G90]

Don't forget to put a 1/4" extension in the hole in the back of the block to check rear balance shaft positioning. Otherwise you'll be asking us later why your engine vibrates so badly.

I like the trick that VFAQ puts on this one: (if the Balance shafts are still in place - and this trick also works for the 4G37 motor)

1- Roll the oil pump sprocket mark to the 12:00 position.
2- If the sprocket rolls clockwise when you release it, it's 180* out of phase with the front BS sprocket and redo the sprocket roll and stop at the 12:00 position.
3- If the sprocket rolls anti-clockwise when you release it, it's in correct phase with the front BS sprocket. Just put the sprocket mark on the oil pump cover and continue belt installation.

Sure beats hunting for that plug bolt and shoving the screwdriver in that hole...

-DSM

 

[Empyrials]

I like the trick that VFAQ puts on this one: (if the Balance shafts are still in place - and this trick also works for the 4G37 motor)

1- Roll the oil pump sprocket mark to the 12:00 position.
2- If the sprocket rolls clockwise when you release it, it's 180* out of phase with the front BS sprocket and redo the sprocket roll and stop at the 12:00 position.
3- If the sprocket rolls anti-clockwise when you release it, it's in correct phase with the front BS sprocket. Just put the sprocket mark on the oil pump cover and continue belt installation.

Sure beats hunting for that plug bolt and shoving the screwdriver in that hole...

-DSM

wow makes since and it would of been very helpful before i had eliminated the BS

 

[dsmrob007]

Thanks Everyone,

I really appreciate your help. Ill take some pictures and take some time to work on it
and follow up as soon as possible.

Once the car is running ill let you all in on the fix.