gates timing belt issue?

[H4G64T]

ive installed 2 of these belts this past weekend on a 1995 esi and 1998 eclipse gs, both with 420a engines. every time i line up the cams and crankshaft timing marks, the belt wont line up on the teeth of the crankshaft sprocket. when i go 1/2 a notch before the crank timing mark(to later be adjusted to take the slack), it all lines up, but theres no slack in the line. is there something different with the gates racing timing belts than stock?

 

[rideyamaha287]

dude im having the same problem ive been wondering the same thing i just lined it up as close as i could get it. damn good thing im not the only one

 

[sestepney]

^^So was your tdc mark a tooth before the mark or after? I'm having this problem too. Im curious as to how off can it be before major problems occur? I also having to loosen one idler pulley just to get the belt on without adjusting the tensioner! HELP

 

[g4ebguy90]

Put up some pics if you can guys.

 

[DSM1G90]

The adjuster has to be just right and the marks will then align up .. take your time with it.

 

[sestepney]

Here are some pics of my timing marks. Does this seem like a good alignment? I marked with a sharpie where the crank is when the piston is at the top of the cylinder.

 

[DSM1G90]

Wooo..let's talk about WAY off here !

Crank sprocket arrow mark aligns up directly with the arrow on the casing and the cam sprocket marks need to face each other directly.

Do it over until you get it right - no 2nd guesses allowed.

-DSM

 

[sestepney]

I did it over and got it like a mm before the mark. Something about these gates belts, the teeth aren't like the OEM belts!

 

[DSM1G90]

Where you got the belt, did you specify the one for the 420A motor to the clerk?

You might have got one for the 4G63 which is longer in the length of the belt even though the teeth are in the same pitch.

4G63 has 153 teeth

420A has 150 teeth

Best dbl check on this issue.

EDIT: it looks like you got a mechanical tensioner on that block instead of the hydraulic one - which is a whole different animal to get the belt adjusted correctly. Below is a quote from a site that I found on how to use the mechanical tensioner with links for pictures:

http://aseclub.net/forums/index.php?/topic/122181-how-to-install-a-mechanical-timing-belt-tensioner-in-a-420a/

What number is on that Gates belt anywhos - a T246RB (420A), or a T167RB (4G63T)?

Good luck-DSM

 

[sestepney]

I got it off eBay with the tensioner and it's the T246RB.

 

[richi]

ok guy so timing is done and on point turned out to be the plastic piece was holding my cams in place wasnt letting me line up the cams so followed chilton instructions and retorqued everything thanks for the help

 

[ThunderChild]

this is the second T-belt thread in the past week that had the plastic cam holding tools causing all the problems with aligment of belts. just to say, equipment and tools can fail you, trust nothing but your own hands and eyeballs on critical components.

 

[Dfw_Dsm]

also in a 4yr old thread. glad you got it figured out though.