GVR-4 Timing belt 2g 7bolt swap install questions

[Lucas03es]

First of all, my motor in my galant is from a '97 gsx, don't ask me why it is though. Since it is a seven bolt, when tightening the timing belt tensioner (I opted out of buying the tools), does anybody have any tricks they could tell me in how to get that tensioner tightened?

Also, I had the timing marks dead on, but the belt wouldn't llow them to be like that, so I advanced the exhaust cam one tooth as vfaq suggests. Is that correct? How do I know 100% sure the timing is dead on, as I have heard the timing marks sometimes just don't ever line up?

 

[AjWit]

Okay... there should be a hydraulic tensioner (rod) pushing on your tensioner pulley to make the required tension on the belt. hydraulic tensioner, which im hoping you de-pressed the rod in it and stuck a small pin or allen key in there to hold it back while you installed the pulley and timing belt. Now pull the pin allowing the rod to come out and contact the pulley, you should have proper tension in about 15 mins. Then ensure that you tighten down the tensioner pulley. Finally, you needs to turn the whole system from the crank about 6 revolutions, checking that your timing marks still line up...
I think i covered most/all of it, anyone care to add some more?

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Only this: when you set up the tensioner pulley on a 2g 7bolt you'll need to rotate it quite far to get enough tension because when you tighten to bolt it often loosens the tension you just finished setting.

 

[kingjust]

First of all, my motor in my galant is from a '97 gsx, don't ask me why it is though. Since it is a seven bolt, when tightening the timing belt tensioner (I opted out of buying the tools), does anybody have any tricks they could tell me in how to get that tensioner tightened?

Also, I had the timing marks dead on, but the belt wouldn't llow them to be like that, so I advanced the exhaust cam one tooth as vfaq suggests. Is that correct? How do I know 100% sure the timing is dead on, as I have heard the timing marks sometimes just don't ever line up?

For the tensioner pulley, get a set of 'small' curved needle nose pliers, they will fit in the holes to torque the pulley on the belt. Or, i've done this with a buddy, when you do torque the pulley if you have a friend with some type of then crow bar they can wedge it in securing the pulley as you tighten the bolt. Secondly, keep your cam gear aligned, but when your about to do the tensioner, make sure all of the slack is there and no where else. Not on the idler pulley, nor the oil pump gear. Why... because as you turn the tensioner pulley, it will rotate the crank gear about a tooth, maybe a tooth and a half. So keep that in mind when do the timing marks for the crank. Make sure it's about 1/4 or an inch before the timing mark then do your tensioner pulley. After that, remove the pin for the hydraulic tensioner and let it sit for 10/15 min. Then take a 22mm socket and ratchet and rotate the assembly one whole cycle (that should be about 4 rotations of the crank. If the marks line up pretty close to perfect, put it back together, prime the motor by starting the car with out plugs and fuel, put that back together and give it a whirl. If it idles like butter and your vacuum is between 17-22 inhg at operating temp, take a spin to the ABC store and congradulate yourself with some Jack and Coke!

KJ

 

[TSIMonsteR]

What I did with the tensioner pulley was use vice grips and an allen wrench.

I clamped the vice grips onto the allen wrench and stuck it in the hole to the right. I pushed the pulley up clockwise until the holes were at the 11 and 1 o'clock positions (based on the manual I had showing this to be the correct position) and tightened the middle bolt while holding the tensioner in place with the vice/allen.

I then pulled the pin on the auto tensioner and let it set for 15-20 minutes. Came back and measured the clearance on the tensioner according to the vfaq/manual and it was correct.

 

[Lucas03es]

What if the timing marks on everything just wont line up correctly? Im just pretty worried about this, becasue the guy I bought it from wrecked all of the intake valves by not having the timing right, and I have spent some cash getting everything I need.

 

[kingjust]

What if the timing marks on everything just wont line up correctly? Im just pretty worried about this, becasue the guy I bought it from wrecked all of the intake valves by not having the timing right, and I have spent some cash getting everything I need.

Listen... for some reason, when I did mine last week, the crank mark was like 2 mm off. A couple of days later, checking something, I checked again and everything was lined up. It's strange, but if you follow the advice I told you, about the crank sprocket not being perfectly timed but a tooth or so before the mark, when you tension it, you should be good.

KJ

 

[Lucas03es]

Okay, I have everything on, I am waiting for the tensioner to adjust for about 15 more minutes, I turned the crank twice, and the oil pump sprocket was off. I turned it a few more times, I think 5 or 6 total, and it seems to be one tooth off. Should it be like that?

 

[gsxtasy]

No it shouldn't be a tooth off. You should be able to get it all lined up, pretty much the only thing that would throw it off is if your head was decked a bit, then just your cam gears would be a bit off.

 

[TomTom93536]

There are two sets of marks on our cam gears make shure you reading the right ones. To have done this correctly you should have marked the marks on the cam gears at tdc. Take your number 1 spark plug out and set it to tdc the best you cant then look at which cam gear marks line up.

 

[kingjust]

Okay, I have everything on, I am waiting for the tensioner to adjust for about 15 more minutes, I turned the crank twice, and the oil pump sprocket was off. I turned it a few more times, I think 5 or 6 total, and it seems to be one tooth off. Should it be like that?

If you don't have balance shafts don't worry about it (if you said you do sorry, gold fish memory). If you do, then yeah, it's wrong. Remember when I told you to be sure that the only slack you shold have, or belt gathering, is near or around the crank and tensioner pulley right. Well, make sure that happens so that your oil pump is timed correctly. Try again, you'll get it.

KJ

 

[Lucas03es]

I think it should be right. It is not one tooth off, it is more like half a tooth or less. The cams are dead on as is the crank, just the oil pump is off by just a tad.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

I think it should be right. It is not one tooth off, it is more like half a tooth or less. The cams are dead on as is the crank, just the oil pump is off by just a tad.

I had the same thing. I didn't give it a second thought. Everything is in perfect time. YMMV.

 

[kingjust]

I think it should be right. It is not one tooth off, it is more like half a tooth or less. The cams are dead on as is the crank, just the oil pump is off by just a tad.

Awesome!