HELP! I messed up (timing belt)

[Johnnie]

I took apart my 96 3.4 and it was awhile before I got back to it. in the mean time my old water pump and timing belt got thrown out. when I tried to put the new stuff back on the belt wont fit, with the tensioner retracted its just a scosch too short to reinstall, with out the old water pump or belt I have no way of determining if the belt is too short or if the pulley on the water pump is too large of a diameter, does anyone know if specs are available for belt length or does anyone know the diameter of the water pump pulley wheel. is it possible that with a new belt they are that tight? can the tensioner be backed off somehow? I have the retraction pin installed into it
if anyone has any thoughts it would be appreciated

 

[02SE]

They are fairly tight. Make sure all the timing marks are lined up, and then just gradually work it onto the timing belt pulleys.

 

[TheDurk]

You can loosen the mounting bolt of the top idler pulley so that it tilts up a tad, slip the belt on, and tighten it back up.

I found the black paper clip thingys helped to keep the belt on the cam pulleys while I pushed it on to the others.

 

[Johnnie]

that did it I was going crazy trying to stretch that belt what seemed like a few thousands of an inch, if it was a much tighter fit you could almost get rid of the tensioner thanks