question about cam timing

[Cdc1221]

ok guys so I had set my cam timing over the weekend and had everything together. I crunk it up and couldn't get it to idle at all. if I gave it a little pedal it would run, but surge like crazy, and wouldn't pick over 4500 rpm. so I get out today and decide to recheck timing for the hell of it, and it looked like the exhaust cam was about a half tooth advanced, so I pulled it all back apart and for some reason I cant seem to get the marks to line up like theyre supposed to in relation to the belt. if I line all the marks up with a straightedge, the belt wont go on correctly. If I push the ex cam forward enough for the belt to go on both sprockets with tension in between, it looks like it did the first time I timed it. is this correct and I have something else going on, or is it wrong. im stumped. I got the timing right in my gst first try, but this one is being a pita

 

[bryanwheat]

Turn the exhaust cam clockwise one more tooth.

 

[Cdc1221]

that's how I originally had it. it just seemed like the ex cam was rotated too far clockwise, and if I rotate it back one tooth, it seems like it is too far counterclockwise. but with a straightedge across all four marks, the belt goes on the ex cam, but the teeth on the belt sit on the teeth of the intake cam. idk, maybe I had it right and am just overthinking it. just read a post yesterday talking about cam timing causing bad idle surge

 

[Selling4G63TParts]

Turn the exhaust cam clockwise one more tooth.

but if its a half a tooth off wont advancing the exhaust cam a full tooth still be off?

 

[bryanwheat]

but if its a half a tooth off wont advancing the exhaust cam a full tooth still be off?

No, it can't be a half tooth off, it only appears that way, BECAUSE the cam marks are lined up, BUT lined up in the wrong position. There are 3 positions that you can have them where the marks in the middle will line up, 2 of them are wrong and a tooth off either way on either cam gear. This will make the crank gear appear to be off by 1/2 a tooth when lined up wrong.

 

[Cdc1221]

so I had it right to begin with then, because with the crank at the timing mark, both cam timing marks would line up, but looked like this kinda \ / instead of -- -- like I was thinking. obviously not that drastic. im not THAT stupid. so I guess I just have something else going on in which im not aware. something told me I should have went ahead and installed my boost gauge so I'd have some idea of what kind of vacuum I was pulling. oh well, I don't think the tension was 100% anyway. thanks for the help bryan, and sorry to waste your time

 

[92AWDHX40]

We all learn i learned my timing lesson but got it figured out before i did some damage.