Timing Belt Change Question

[TexasProton]

Thank you all for all your tips and replies. I think I found out what I did wrong. You see all along I thought the timing mark for the crankshaft was to the passenger side (where there is a painted dot on the oil pump cover at about the 9 clock position). I just learned that the timing mark was actually at the 3 clock position. Unfortunately, I missed the notes on first marking the old belt before removing it! The question is: Since I have not rotated the crankshaft yet, is it too late to put the old belt and tensioner back and try to line up the pulleys again? Or am I left with the only option of trying to reestablish the timing from scratch? It is amazing how one tiny assumption can destroy two weekends...And counting!!

[TexasProton]

Note:
I just inspected my old timing belt, and I still could see the two solid and one dotted lines on it...Is there still hope for me?

[jasonm621]

Thank you all for all your tips and replies. I think I found out what I did wrong. You see all along I thought the timing mark for the crankshaft was to the passenger side (where there is a painted dot on the oil pump cover at about the 9 clock position). I just learned that the timing mark was actually at the 3 clock position. Unfortunately, I missed the notes on first marking the old belt before removing it! The question is: Since I have not rotated the crankshaft yet, is it too late to put the old belt and tensioner back and try to line up the pulleys again? Or am I left with the only option of trying to reestablish the timing from scratch? It is amazing how one tiny assumption can destroy two weekends...And counting!!

If i remember correctly I lined the notch on the crankshaft with the green dot on the passenger side of the engine which was the opposite of what the manual said. It gave me a scare when i did mine but everything worked out! Stand by: Picture to come...

[jasonm621]

If i remember correctly I lined the notch on the crankshaft with the green dot on the passenger side of the engine which was the opposite of what the manual said. It gave me a scare when i did mine but everything worked out! Stand by: Picture to come...

Ok here is the scoop! There is a notch on the camshaft timing pulley. That notch is at the 9 o' clock and should line up to a green dot. There is also a little tick on the opposite side of that notch which should be painted with the same green paint (It may be hardly visible, very little paint) That tick is what lines up with the line on the engine at the 3 o' clock position. Picture attached. Hope it answers some questions...

[Lfen]

Same here, the Notch on the green dot (passenger side) and line to line on drivers side, exactly as these pics but opposite manual, but worked for me. If you try lining it up the way the manual shows it won't work, found at the hard way

[TexasProton]

You guys are the best...Man, I would've never figured all of this out on my own. The question remains...Do yall think it will be safe to put my old belt back (along with the idle pulley, tension pulley and tensioner...to revert things back to the original pre-belt removal condition) and try to line up the timing marks, or has that ship already sailed?

I really appreciate all your help

[tom4bren]

IMHO, that ship has already sailed.

Get the crank aligned properly & see where your cams are set at. If it's off a tooth, then you should adjust accordingly.

Like it was already stated, it is a non-interference engine so you won't damage your valves by turning the engine with the new belt installed.

[jasonm621]

You guys are the best...Man, I would've never figured all of this out on my own. The question remains...Do yall think it will be safe to put my old belt back (along with the idle pulley, tension pulley and tensioner...to revert things back to the original pre-belt removal condition) and try to line up the timing marks, or has that ship already sailed?

I really appreciate all your help

As tom4bren said that ship has already sailed. I dont think you'll be getting any information by putting the belt and pulleys back on. In fact it may just make you more confused.
What I would do is: Align the crankshaft pulley as shown above and follow the links and videos as if your timing is lost. The belt didn't break while the engine is running but your timing is technically just as lost as if it had... Im guessing following the instructions and getting the camshaft pulleys to "spring" to the correct position will be about a 30 min. investment of your time. To put your pulleys back on only to take them off will probably take twice that and your not guaranteed you'll receive any information by doing it, so I wouldn't bother...
If you need pictures of where my camshafts sprung to to confirm your position is correct just say the word and I'll load them up!
We'll get that engine purring again!

[TexasProton]

Thank you both for the great info, and I totally agree. please go ahead and load the pictures...The more info I have the better I'll feel about it. So This step will require removing the head covers in order to make sure the cam pulleys are at the correct marks? I'll read all the info and will post a summery of what I'll be doing before I do it...Just to make sure I do it right!

Many thanks

[tom4bren]

No need to pull the valve covers. The marks we're talking about are the one's located on the belt pulleys (the one's you were trying to get aligned to start with). I don't thing there is anything under the valve covers that is going to help you with the alignment.

[jasonm621]

Do not quote me but if i remember correctly there is only one spot where the camshafts spring to the reference marks. The passenger side reference mark and timing mark are the same and didnt need to be moved once set, but the drivers side needed to be rotated clockwise (looking at the front of the engine) another 90 degrees to get to the timing mark after being sprung to the reference mark.
When I get home tonight i'll load those pics and watch the videos to confirm what im saying is valid... remember I never lost timing on my engine so i wasnt spinning the cam shafts around after the belt was removed. I just remember the drivers side cam shaft snapping counter clockwise 90 degrees once the tensioner was removed...

[jasonm621]

No need to pull the valve covers. The marks we're talking about are the one's located on the belt pulleys (the one's you were trying to get aligned to start with). I don't thing there is anything under the valve covers that is going to help you with the alignment.

I remember reading about dots on the camshaft gears lining up under the valve cover but like i said before i think each of the camshafts spring into only one position. So im pretty sure removing the valve cover is NOT necessary...

[tom4bren]

I still have the valve covers off on Boy's Ebony. Lemme know if you need me to take some pix.

[Lfen]

Definitely do not need to take your valve covers off. The line up marks are on the end of the head not the top. They are right above the camshaft gear. Once you start you will c its not that difficult. Like stated above, line crank pulley up first then camshafts according to the instructions

[PK]

Hmmmm - I am not so sure the ship has sailed yet.

If you are 100% positive that the crankshaft hasn't moved, and neither of the camshafts moved when the belt released, then there still is hope.
Remember we are talking about a toothed belt here, so if you very carefully turn the crankshaft XXnumber of teeth to line up the marks, and then turn each camshaft the same XX number of teeth, you still should be correct.
If you go this route I would remove all the spark plugs so that you are not fighting compression as you turn the crankshaft. You will still be fighting the valve springs as you turn the camshafts, but that is easier.
I know that I wrote down the number of teeth on the belt to go crank mark - left cam mark - right cam mark, but I threw it away when I was finished.
Perhaps someone more diligent than me still has that info??

PK