420A Timing Belt and Mechanical Tensioner Questions?

[dmnall]

I installed a new timing belt, water pump, mechanical tensioner and had everything lined up but than after running, rough idle, would not run properly, checked the timing again and it was off. Now when trying to follow the guides from the timing belt , chilton manual, fsm, and the vfaq, after tearing the car apart again, remove the timing belt, realign the cams again, put the crank to the notch before tdc and even tried to reinstall the timing belt with the crank at tdc. I have given up last night, I cannot get keep the crank, nor the cams from actually going off a tooth to a tooth and a half. With the mechanical tensioner do I still need to do the notch before tdc when installing the belt? Plus if I leave the crank at TDC, damn crank will move 1 - 2 notches after tdc, it just has been way too frustrating.. My car has been down for over a week while trying to do the belt myself and my daughter's grandfather. My first timing belt, however, I can say building 350s are a hell of a lot easier versus this 420a...

Cheers,
Charlie

 

[wrencher]

Ensure camshaft and crankshaft timing marks are aligned. Rotate crankshaft pulley sprocket 1/2 tooth counterclockwise from TDC location.
Install timing belt starting from crankshaft pulley sprocket, go around water pump sprocket, idler pulley, camshaft sprockets, and then around tensioner pulley. Move crankshaft sprocket to TDC to take up belt slack. Install & properly set up tensioner.
Rotate crankshaft clockwise 2 revolutions. Check alignment of camshaft and crankshaft timing marks. If timing marks do not align, remove timing belt and realign timing marks.

 

[bryanwheat]

Keep the tension on the tensioner side while installing the belt. Roll the crank back one tooth and then when you install the belt roll it back to the timing mark and that will take out the slack in the idler side. It also helps to use some big paper clips to hold the belt on the cam pulleys.

 

[dmnall]

Ensure camshaft and crankshaft timing marks are aligned. Rotate crankshaft pulley sprocket 1/2 tooth counterclockwise from TDC location.
Install timing belt starting from crankshaft pulley sprocket, go around water pump sprocket, idler pulley, camshaft sprockets, and then around tensioner pulley. Move crankshaft sprocket to TDC to take up belt slack. Install & properly set up tensioner.
Rotate crankshaft clockwise 2 revolutions. Check alignment of camshaft and crankshaft timing marks. If timing marks do not align, remove timing belt and realign timing marks.

There must be something I am doing wrong that I do not know about because going around the Tensioner keeps getting me off timing by1/2 - 1 tooth off. The crank will sometimes move when slipping on to the mechanical tensioner. This is one of those times that I am beginning to hate this damned car because seems no matter what I do, the timing goes off and I have to move the cams back over and over. Is the mechanical tensioner causing the entire problem?

Keep the tension on the tensioner side while installing the belt. Roll the crank back one tooth and then when you install the belt roll it back to the timing mark and that will take out the slack in the idler side. It also helps to use some big paper clips to hold the belt on the cam pulleys.

I tried this and still the same it keeps getting off by a tooth and if I try to pull the belt on to the tensioner and either the intake cam moves, the exhaust cam moves or the crank moves. I just cannot see why this pos keeps doing this, I am about to go and replace the hydraulic tensioner roller and put the hydraulic tensioner back on but I would prefer to use the mechanical though. So what could the problem be?


Some updates, I was doing everything properly and it looks like the Gates T246 timing belt is the issue. I had a mobile mechanic come out and hell even paid him $ 200 to get another set of eyes to look at it and the new belts will take the timing off a tooth and with the old Chrysler/Gates belt it goes on with proper timing marks. So my thoughts are now I need to get a different belt but should I order from Parts Dinosaur or just go through a mitsubishi dealer?

Cheers,
Charlie

 

[dmnall]

Another Update: Got an OE Chrysler Belt and installed it yesterday, I did not have to move the Crank at all, just followed the Chrysler/Litens mechanical tensioner Timing Belt Install guide, the timing marks all stayed dead on, fired it up before to test it, ran great. I drove it to work after finishing it up today. There had to be something wrong with that T246 belt because the 4667611 Chrysler/Gates belt, was easier to get on to the tensioner, and yes if you don't keep the slack on the tensioner side, the cams will go off by a 1/2 to a full tooth off. Not too bad of a job. Just took a lot of time because of the gates T246 belt did not want to go on at all...

HTH,
Charlie

 

[92AWDHX40]

Good glad you got that right, did my first one years ago, first major problem with my dsm, got mine right the first try. Since then ive reworked dsms from wiring, paint, engines everything. Good job.

 

[dmnall]

Thank you, after discovering that it was the belt it was not that bad of a job . Now the next thing is deciding which head unit I am going install in this car because if I have to remove the stock stereo for the serial number, I might as well replace it with a nice aftermarket system

Cheers,
Charlie