420A Camshaft dowel position 420a

[russell99]

Hi,

I recently broke the timing belt on my 99 GS (420a, I believe). I just got the head back from the machine shop and am putting everything back together, but I'm not sure which timing mark on the cam sprockets to use. Should the cam dowels both be up, both down, or one each? My Hayne's manual doesn't say, and I have found all three answers (both up, both down, one each) trying to find it online. Thank you for any help.

 

[Devil Doc Moose]

these are the steps out of the Mitsubishi Service Manual for a 420A timing belt install. Recently put a Gates belt on my car have no timing issues and not slapping any valves. Hope this helps you man.

INSTALLATION
(1) Install camshaft seal into cylinder head using Special
Tool MD998713 until flush with the head.
NOTE
Shaft seal lip surface must be free of varnish, cfrh’or
nicks. Polish with 400 grit paper if necessary.
(2) Install rear timing belt cover.
Tighten fasteners to 9.6 Nm (6.9 ftlbs.).
(3) Install support bracket.
(4) Install camshaft sprockets and tighten attaching ,bofts to,
101 Nm (73 ftlbs.).
(5) Install idler pulley.
(6) Install tensioner arm bracket.
(7) Install timing belt tensioner .
(8) Install tensioner pulley.
(9) Set crankshaft sprocket to TDC by aligning the sprocket
with the arrow on the oil pump housing
(lO)Set camshafts timing marks together by aligning .notches
on sprockets.
(ll)Move crankshaft to l/2 notch before TDC.
(12)lnstall timtng belt. Starting at the crankshaft, go around
the water pump sprocket, ‘idler pulley, camshaftsprockets
and then around the tensioner pulley. ,:
(13)Move crankshaft sprocket to TDC’ to..take up belt slack.
Install tensioner to block but do not tighten fasteners.
(14)Using a torque wrench on the tensioner ~ pulley, apply
28 Nm (20 ftlbs.) of torque to tensioner.
(15)With torque being applied to the tensioner pulley move
the tensioner up against the tensioner pulley bracket,and
tighten fasteners to 31 Nm (22 ft.tbs.). ‘.
(16)Pull tensioner plunger pin, Pretension is , correct when
pin can be removed and installed.
(17)Rotate crankshaft 2 revolutions and check the alignment
of the timing marks.
(18)lnstall front timing belt cover.
(19)Valve Timing Check; (timing belt cover installed), remove
the inspection cover on timing belt cover. With number
one cylinder at TDC, the timing marks on the camshaft
sprocket should be aligned together. If marks are not
aligned correctly, perform procedure again.
(20)lnstall engine mount bracket
Tighten bolts to 41 Nm (30 ftlbs.).
(2l)lnstall crankshaft damper using MB995035 ;
Using Special Tools MB990767 and MD998719 to hold
damper, tighten crankshaft bolt to 62 Nm (45 ft.lbs.).

 

[russell99]

Thanks for the reply. The question I have is regarding step 10 above - "Set camshafts timing marks together by aligning .notches
on sprockets." Each sprocket has 2 timing marks, 180 off from each other. Which one do I use? It seems like I have a 50/50 chance of getting it right, unless I know which way the dowels should be facing...

 

[Devil Doc Moose]

do you have stock cam gears on it? Mine say 609 on one side and 2.0L FRONT on the other side of the stock cam gears and only have one alignment mark right by the 609

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[russell99]

Yes, they are stock, and they have the "2.0 FRONT" writing on them, but there are two timing marks (not paint, but cut notches) on each.

 

[92AWDHX40]

http://vfaq.com/mods/timingbelt-2G-NT.html

 

[russell99]

I appreciate the responses; however, I still don't know which marks to use. I understand that the timing marks need to face each other, but the problem is that there are two marks on each cam sprocket.

 

[russell99]

I just wanted to update this for anyone else who may end up with the same question. Most of what I have heard and read said to put both dowels facing up. I tried that, and it would not start. After ruling out several other causes, I decided to try it with the intake dowel down, and the exhaust dowel up. It fired right up.

 

[DKSTREET1990]

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[dustyboner]

i just want to point out that the OP had to have the gears on backwards since the 2.0 side only has one notch while the 2.4 side has 2 notches.
When the 2.0 side is facing out the dowel pins will always be clocked right when the timing marks are aligned.

 

[mcubed45]

The stock 420a gears only have 1 notch on each. Those aren't the stock gears.

 

[1995TalonMT]

Just realized this post was started back in 2014.. anyway here are two pictures I took when I replaced the timing belt on my 420A. Hopefully this might help out in the future. Take Care.

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