1G Having trouble setting timing with adjustable cam gears.

[gavingsx]

I am trying to set the timing on my 90 eclipse gsx. I have Tomei cam gears. As most of you know the timing marks on gears are different then stock. The one in the valley is slightly off to one side. If i set the cams using the marks on the gears the crank seems to line up. If i use a lock tool which puts the marks off from each other, the way the stock cams would be the crank pulley seems to be off like half a tooth. I have search and have not found a definitive answer. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Ill grab some more photos with the mount out of the way when i go to lunch. Took these quickly before i went to work.

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[steve]

What are you adjusting?

The marks on the sprockets should be in the center of both the tooth and the valley and initially your adjustments on the sprockets should be set to 0*. Unless you have a way to measure the cams to spec and then you would adjust the sprockets to the proper degree for the cams at TDC. The marks on the sprockets should line up with the top of the mating line between the cylinder head and the rocker cover.

I'd be happen with either alignment of the crank mark as long as the piston was at TDC.

 

[gavingsx]

Im not adjusting anything, just turning the crank to line up the timing marks, or lining up where the stock timing mark should be. on the Tomei cams the mark is not exactly in the valley. Ill post up some picture in a bit that show it better. In the top two picture the cam lock tool will slide right in but the crank mark seems to be off a bit. Going a tooth in either direction makes it worse.

 

[steve]

Im not adjusting anything, just turning the crank to line up the timing marks.

OK

The Tomei cams the mark is not exactly in the valley.

I saw, that why I mentioned the mark was in the wrong spot.
The Cam Lock is correct in how it positions the two.

 

[gavingsx]

I just went and reset it all. Seems to be dead on now. Not sure what I was doing. What happened is the oil pump nut came off and covered my belt in oil so I had do disassemble and clean everything. Should have paid more attention to where the marks were before. I had a machine shop assemble the motor for me so I didn't set it the first time.

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[DSMPT]

As most of you know the timing marks on gears are different then stock.

It's the same as stock gear. It's just the line is much thinner than stock. And it's not important in this case. You are not degreeing cams, you are setting the timing belt, so what you should see is the tooth position, not the line position.

I just went and reset it all. Seems to be dead on now. Not sure what I was doing.

Assuming the adjustable cam gears were set at zero degree and the dowel positions were at 12 o'clock. Probably nothing was wrong, you were just confused.
The first attempt by the machine shop and 2nd attempt by you were actually the same. It's just the point that you were seeing is different. You felt something was a little bit off, because you locked the cam gear "tooth" by a lock tool but you were seeing the line on the tooth. And also with a cam gear lock tool being set, if you have machined the block/head surface before or if the timing belt is slightly stretched or cam gears teeth are worn , the crank mark would be slightly off. The crank position gets slightly advanced position, which means cams got slightly retarded.
The point is if you have the cam gear lock tool, you won't be able to set the cam position improperly, in case if you do, the dowel pin position would obviously be off from 12 o'clock. The only possibility is you set the crank timing mark improperly, but if you set it 1 tooth off, the timing mark on the crank plate would be 15 degree off, you can easily see it.

 

[gavingsx]

I really appreciate both of your help. I assumed the cam lock tool is correct since that is how the stock cam gears are just wasn’t positive. Dsmpt u said assuming the cam gears are at 0. The machine shop did degree the cams and the exhaust is 4 degrees advanced I believe. Is that something I need to take into consideration when setting the belt? I wouldn’t think so because the marks are on the ring of the cam gear.

 

[DSMPT]

The machine shop did degree the cams and the exhaust is 4 degrees advanced I believe. Is that something I need to take into consideration when setting the belt?

No, you don't need to take any consideration. Degreeing cam (Slide the cam gear hub) has noting to do with setting the timing belt. It's just when you set the belt properly, the dowel pin would be off the same amount you slide the cam gear hub. So in your case, you would see that the dowel pin is 4 degree off towards right side.
If that would make you confused, you should ignore the dowel pin position and should see 12th tooth instead, the tooth that has the center zero degree line on most of adjustable cam gear (Except HKS purple cam gear. HKS cam gear has it one tooth off). That tooth is the one always at 12 o'clock even after degreeing the cams.