timing belt HELP please.

jreask

jreask

Member
I have a leaking water pump so I decided to do the TB of course, while in there. The camshaft marks were about the same until I took the belt off. Now as you can see in the picture, the one on the drivers side has down farther and the passenger side has raised up some. Can you guys tell me where I go from here? I tried to turn the crank with the bolt in it clockwise to get the marks at the top when the belt was still on. IT was extremely hard to turn so I let it be.

Here is the pic of how it sets now.

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DO NOT USE THE BOLTS TO TURN CRANKS!!!! Be a man and grab the pulleys and rotate by hand, yes it will be hard to rotate but put some muscle in it and it will go.
 
Before you remove the belts even if you are sure you have the correct timing marks aligned, it is better to use a correction fluid to make the cam positions with the engine. Remember this next time when you try to replace the belt....

Cam shafts won't rotate if you had the NO:1 piston at TDC. I think you pull the belts when the crank shaft is 360 degrees off (No: 1 piston at the exhaust stroke).

Get the drivers side cam mark to the top (12 O clock mark) by rotating it clockwise (according to your picture, you have to turn it about 250 degrees clockwise). Passenger side cam mark about 300 degrees clock wise (according to your picture).

I hope your crank marker is at "0" mark. Get the water pump and everything else done. Put the belt and adjust it to the right deflection.

Turn the crank pulley 720 degrees (two full turns) clock wise with a TOOL (DO NOT USE THE STARTER TO TURN THE ENGINE) . If you feel it spin freely, you might have the timing right. IF it won't spin, bring everything to the timing marks. Remove the belt. Turn the drivers and passenger side cams 360 degrees to bring back to the correct mark. Put the belt back on and spin the crank again with hand to see whether it spins freely

You will have to remove the AC compressor (don't disconnect the AC lines) and the bracket to access the hydraulic tensioner bolts.
 
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nissanh said:
Before you remove the belts even if you are sure you have the correct timing marks aligned, it is better to use a correction fluid to make the cam positions with the engine. Remember this next time when you try to replace the belt....

Cam shafts won't rotate if you had the NO:1 piston at TDC. I think you pull the belts when the crank shaft is 360 degrees off (No: 1 piston at the exhaust stroke).

Get the drivers side cam mark to the top (12 O clock mark) by rotating it clockwise (according to your picture, you have to turn it about 250 degrees clockwise). Passenger side cam mark about 300 degrees clock wise (according to your picture).

I hope your crank marker is at "0" mark. Get the water pump and everything else done. Put the belt and adjust it to the right deflection.

Turn the crank pulley 720 degrees (two full turns) clock wise with a TOOL (DO NOT USE THE STARTER TO TURN THE ENGINE) . If you feel it spin freely, you might have the timing right. IF it won't spin, bring everything to the timing marks. Remove the belt. Turn the drivers and passenger side cams 360 degrees to bring back to the correct mark. Put the belt back on and spin the crank again with hand to see whether it spins freely

You will have to remove the AC compressor (don't disconnect the AC lines) and the bracket to access the hydraulic tensioner bolts.
Click to expand...


THE crank pulley dimple is at the 9 oclock position. That's where it was when I started the job. Last time I did a timing belt, the crank was at 12 oclock and the cams were also at 12 oclock, Can you tell me what to do now?\

\Thanks

Joe
 
I think you didn't get the the timing marks to the match locations before pulling the belt out. Then sudden turning of cam shaft is normal with the removal of timing belt. Cam shaft is loaded with the valve spring tension, hence it will turn.

As you know a 4 stock engine has two cycles that's 720 degrees turn. We need to find the TDC on the first piston (crank dimple at 12 o clock). First piston comes to the top twice, one at the compression (crank dimple at 12 o clock) and one at the exhaust stroke (after 360 turn, again at 12 O clock). We have to bring the first piston to TDC at COMPRESSION.

We might have to wait what others say about this. They might know how to locate the TDC compression stroke. Once we figure this out, we should be able to fix everything else easily.

IS this is your daily driver?
 
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Thanks for the help. Last time I did a TB I did not have any problems. This IS my daily driver.

I just don't want to screw something up.
 
I think you're fine. Pull the spark plugs. Take it out of gear if you have a manual. Put a wire or something in the spark plug hole to make sure the front driver side, #1 cylinder is up. Make sure the rear mark on the timing gear points up and matches the mark back there. The mark in the front of it is about three o'clock and matches up with the mark on the new belt.

I don't know why you would put the belt on and then take it off again.
 
Problem is at tdc no 1 piston cab be compression or exhaust. Assuming it is at compression (check the dimple on the crank at 12 O clock), after bringing the two cams to the match marks go ahead and put the belt on. Turn the engine 720 degrees by a tool + hand. If it spins free, you can put the battery and try to start. if it start, you are done. Don't let the engine to run more than 5 seconds. Without coolant, you will ruin the water pump seal.

If it won't start, bring the crank dimple to 12 O clock mark. If the cam marks are also matching with the engine, pull the belt out. Now turn the crank another 360 degrees clock wise and put the belt back on (make sure the cam marks are also matching). Turn the engine 720 degrees by hand/tool. If it spins free, try to start with the battery. It should start now.
 
nissanh said:
Problem is at tdc no 1 piston cab be compression or exhaust. Assuming it is at compression (check the dimple on the crank at 12 O clock), after bringing the two cams to the match marks go ahead and put the belt on. Turn the engine 720 degrees by a tool + hand. If it spins free, you can put the battery and try to start. if it start, you are done. Don't let the engine to run more than 5 seconds. Without coolant, you will ruin the water pump seal.

If it won't start, bring the crank dimple to 12 O clock mark. If the cam marks are also matching with the engine, pull the belt out. Now turn the crank another 360 degrees clock wise and put the belt back on (make sure the cam marks are also matching). Turn the engine 720 degrees by hand/tool. If it spins free, try to start with the battery. It should start now.
Click to expand...

Thanks again. I will have time to finish it Thursday afternoon. I will report back then.
Have a great Christmas.
 
I read the FSM and it states to put the crank bolt in and then turn the crank clockwise to TDC. I did that and it worked fine. THe FSM then says to turn the cam pulleys align with the timing marks on the #3 timing cover. The driver side pulley sprung right to the center of the mark. The passenger side springs past the center mark at about the 2 oclock position. I can keep it in place (center) but it wants to spring past 12 oclock. Is it OK to install the belt like this? It seems like the passenger side is just not right. Anyone know? Should both sides spring into place at center of the marks?

Thanks in advance.
 
Did you turn the drivers side cam clock wise?
How many degrees did you turn the drivers side cam shaft? little less than 3/4 of a full circle?
 
nissanh said:
Did you turn the drivers side cam clock wise?
How many degrees did you turn the drivers side cam shaft? little less than 3/4 of a full circle?
Click to expand...
Yes, I turned them both clockwise. I turned the drivers side about 3/4 of a turn. WHen the pass side sprung past the mark, I turned it again the it's now sitting on the mark, but will spring past easily. I don't think that's normal.
 
No its just the valve springs. Make sure both cans and crank are at tdc. Instead of putting the bolt in for the crank, I'd just slide the crank pulley on over woodruff key and turn it that way. It's ok to put the belt on. It will help line up everything
 
So... set the crank to TDC, align the driver side with the #3 timing cover notch and try to hold the passenger side on the notch and install the belt? I hope it runs after I get it back together. Thanks for your help..

Joe
 
My concern is when you do the T-belt, you don't have to hold any cam by hand. Both cams will stay perfectly still and lined up with the notch on the rear timing belt cover.

Before you try to start with the starter, always turn the crank by hand full 2 cycles to make sure nothing is hitting anything. Always better to be safe than sorry.
 
nissanh said:
My concern is when you do the T-belt, you don't have to hold any cam by hand. Both cams will stay perfectly still and lined up with the notch on the rear timing belt cover.

Before you try to start with the starter, always turn the crank by hand full 2 cycles to make sure nothing is hitting anything. Always better to be safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

That is my concern. I have always just had to line the belt up, never had to hold any of the cams in place. The cams usually just park at the center of the timing mark.
 
This is what I would do if I am in your situation.

Go and buy a compression tester $20 at harbor freight.

Remove the spark plug number 1 (passenger side bank closest to the radiator). Attach the compression tester. turn the crank by hand. You will get a compression reading at TDC compression and at the same time the dimple on the crank will match the 12 O clock mark. This confirms you are at TDC compression and not the exhaust stroke.

Now you have to worry only about the passenger side cam. If it won't stay still with the match marks, turn it one full round clock wise and see whether this time the cam mark stay still with the mark on the rear timing cover. If it do, put the T-belt on. Turn the engine two full rounds by HAND. If it spins freely, attach the battery and try to start the truck.
 
I had the same problem with my pass side spring over the mark, with the driver side flush. So than I lined up my crank (should be a mark and a punch mark) after that I was able to align my pass side flush without any tension.

My belt had marks on it that aligned with the marks on the crank and pulleys so that made it easy, than I rotated it a handful of times until the cranks somewhat matched just to make sure

Hope that helps a little, I didn't make my belt either when I took it off
 
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