timing marks dont line up?!?!??

[exzercist]

well i have a 98 gst and i was putting in a cometic stell hg and arp studs, so i decided im gonna change the timing belt and balance shaft belt. i line up all the marks and kept them at the same spot until i was ready to put the new ones on. i have the manual so i followed procedure. but when i go to put tension on the tensioner pulley the two little holes on the pulley that should be on the left slide toward the bottom. as its doing this it turns the crank gear so that the teeth on the blet can mate with the other teeth. i tried to put the crank gear two teeth back but the belt lines up instantly and when i go to tighten the pully its already tight and the teeth are together so then my timing marks are about 1/4 inch off. so i tried to advance it one tooth adn same thing but its a 1/4 past the marks. i do one tooth backwards and the pulley then pulls the crank gear and then they line up. my marks on the gears are about 1/8 inch off the before the marks that are on the block. so then i just kept it like that pulled the pin on the automatic explosive and i lefted it at that. my car runs but around 2k rpms it kinda hesitates but goes away at high speeds. i also run leaner now. i was hoping the crank and cam positioning sensor would fix it but im guessing not. i thought it maybe was becasue i took the old stretched out belt off and now the new one has a different pitch for the teeth. has anyone had this prob? if anyone has had this prob or know any tips that might help to make the marks line up easier please post. becasue for my assurance i want my marks as close as possible.

 

[WhiteCloud]

Use some small C clamps or other clips to hold the timing belt teeth in line with the cam sprockets where you want. Use an open ended wrench to line up the cam sprocket timing marks. You probably have already done this, but make sure you don't have cam timing off 180*...the little pegs near the center of the cam sprockets should both be facing upward and the timing marks should be aligned. Just follow the vfaq.

Otherwise, with those cam marks aligned and C-clamped to the timing belt, you should easily be able to align the belt around the oil pump and crank sprockets. Just keep those marks lined up, and when you go back up top, your cam marks will still be aligned.

You'll get all the tension you need as soon as you get the tensioner pulley tightened down and the auto tensioner "grenade" installed back on there. Good luck, sorry you'll have to end up timing it again!

 

[exzercist]

thanks ive done all that and they the cams lined up but not the other marks!??! but ill try it again its no big deal doin the timg is easy when except in my case gettin the marks to line up. one quick ques do you just put pressue on the pulley with ur hand then tighten the pulley to the torq spec. then after thats tight take the pin or allen key or whatever out of the automatic tensioner. because the the belt that is around the oil and crank sprockets is loose in the middle. will that all tighten up when the pin is pulled and then you rotate everything 6 times? casue i was putting pressure on the pulley with a long flathead and that was movin the pulley way in and thats when it turned the crank sprocket. well ill try tues to retime it and let you know how it goes. but post as soon as possible.

 

[kpt4321]

You can't just push on it, you need to put pressure on it with something like a screwdriver like you mentioned.

There shouldn't be slack between any of the gears.

You usually need to start wih everything NOT lined up, so that when you tension everything it gets pulled into place.

 

[exzercist]

oh yeah i forgot to mention that the head was shaved .004" and i used a cometic steel hg. is the cometic the same thickness? this would throw off the orignal marks. so i would i compensate for it. cause i think thats the problem.

 

[exzercist]

i retimed my car today and all the marks lined right up first try! I don't know what happened but before i messed with it for an hour before. oh well im just glad everything lined up and is running like it use to thanks for all the help.

 

[SmokeyGST]

THe first 3 times i did my timing belt i was off a tooth till i found out this trick. get a small mirror or reflective surface and angle it so you can get a strait view of the motor. Its the only way i could follow the mark back to the head every other time they would be a little off.