Seriously is there any skill in getting the timing belt on just right? I remember fucking around with this thing for at least a couple hours to get it right last time, and this time it looks like it'll be the same. Put the crank sprocket 1/2 a tooth BTDC put the belt on, putting the belt on turns the sprocket a little. Put tension on the tensioner pulley and the crank sprocket goes just past TDC. Put it a bit more than a 1/2 a tooth BTDC and the sprocket doesn't move when the belt goes on but now putting tension on the tensioner pulley doesn't move the sprocket all the way to TDC. FUCK!


Sorry just venting.

/Rant

1) When you go to put the belt on, start on the exhaust cam, work around the forward idler pulley.

2) Line up the cam gears and put the timing belt over the intake gear. This way, the timing is set properly between the cams.

3) Hand your buddy an beer and tell him to hold the timing belt on the intake cam gear while you head to the crank pulley.

4) Have your buddy with the beer verify the timing marks are still aligned while you slip the timing belt around the front of the crankshaft pulley.

5) Loop the timing belt around the tensioner pulley.

6) Hand tighten the tensioner to the block while maintaining pressure on the rear of the timing belt. This will make sure all the slack is where it needs to be, on the back side of the block.

7) Torque everything down to spec.

8) Retrieve your own beer and bask in your greatness as you have just set your timing properly.

EDIT: Changed Subject Title.

Originally posted by freelancefool
1) When you go to put the belt on, start on the exhaust cam, work around the forward idler pulley. 2) Line up the cam gears and put the timing belt over the intake gear. This way, the timing is set properly between the cams. 3) Hand your buddy an beer and tell him to hold the timing belt on the intake cam gear while you head to the crank pulley. 4) Have your buddy with the beer verify the timing marks are still aligned while you slip the timing belt around the front of the crankshaft pulley. 5) Loop the timing belt around the tensioner pulley. 6) Hand tighten the tensioner to the block while maintaining pressure on the rear of the timing belt. This will make sure all the slack is where it needs to be, on the back side of the block. 7) Torque everything down to spec. 8) Retrieve your own beer and bask in your greatness as you have just set your timing properly. EDIT: Changed Subject Title.

I'm gonna have to try that. I've been using the method from Corbin's engine build write-up. Start on the crank sprocket, then the water pump, idler pulley, cam gears and finally onto the tensioner pulley.

You can do it like that too. When I did mine, I didn't have anyone who could help me. I found that once I timed things out, there was enough tension between the cam gears to hold the belt tight and mostly in place.

That allowed me to do it myself. ;)

I set cam gears first, then I put a quick clamp on the gears to hold the belt in place (sorry freelance, I got no friends :shrug ).

Or you could just bring it up here and I'll do it for ya......

This will sound crazy, but if I line up the cam gears first, and have the crank 1/2 notch before TDC, and then set the tension, the intake cam will always turn out of wack by one tooth, while the exhaust cam and the crank are perfectly in sync.

What I do is set the exhaust cam to where it should be, and then move the intake cam off by one tooth (can't remember if it's clockwise or counterclockwise.) Then I'll do the rest of the crank/tension part as usual. Finish by double checking everything after 2 full crank rotations, and again with 4 full crank rotations.

One thing I've learned about doing the timing belt - even if you do things EXACTLY as stated in the VFAQ or elsewhere, something will be off by one tooth. It can drive you nuts, but I owe it to the fact that you are trying to line up things with no tension on the belt - so that little bit of slack will mess with the alignments of everything when tension is actually applied. So my recipe is to do it once, see which gear is off by a tooth, and then do it one more time by adjusting that one gear by that amount. I just always expect to do it twice, but that only adds a couple minutes to the whole routine.

I ended up doing the same method as freelance and it always works. the method in corbin's writeup is the same as the chiltons and FSM, never got that to work, it always pulled someting out of whack.

At first I felt as though my first reply to this thread might have made me come off as an ass. Which I probably am, but I thought it was a funny way to outline everything. Glad it's getting positive feedback.

Let us know what way works best for you since there are a couple different steps added to this thread now. It's always nice to have alternative methods in case things don't work for you the first time.

Points for both freelance and EZ for some good tips. And well Mark, if I could I would have already given you about 100 points :P

I used EZ's method and although it took more than two times, it was still much less of a hassle than the alternative way. I didn't even get mad while doing it.

That's awesome you got the timing set. It's a bitch while the motor is still in the car. Outside the car it take 5 minutes tops. It's ridiculously easy.

So, you running Island now? Or maybe the 6th at E-town (brackets)? I will probably be there on the 6th.

MB

Originally posted by bullettdsm
So, you running Island now? Or maybe the 6th at E-town (brackets)? I will probably be there on the 6th. MB

Not sure, I was gonna go with Bruce on Friday but they are closed Friday and Saturday. As for e-town on the 6th probably not I've got plans that weekend. I've gotta figure something out.

Originally posted by freelancefool
That's awesome you got the timing set. It's a bitch while the motor is still in the car. Outside the car it take 5 minutes tops. It's ridiculously easy.

It took you 5 min? that's with a beer break right? :7

Pretty much. We had been drinking for a while when we put that on.

Actually, when we were installing the motor/tranny, front suspension we had been drinking for a while then too. I'm surprised that nothing has come loose now.

Finally. Got a lot accomplished this weekend. Finished putting the car back together yesterday also finished installing my black door panels, gave the car a bath fixed my wiring for my wideband, and began messing with the wideband a bit today. I've also driven the car about 60 miles or so and all seems good.

When I first started it up the car was pouring antifreeze out of what looked like the back of the motor and I almost shit a brick until I realized I just didn't tighten one of the hose clamps on the water lines. (Apparently forgetting to tighten things is a running trend with me) Only problems I've seen are my radiator cap looked as if it was leaking a bit, and I have a small exhaust leak between the wastegate and the dumptube which is an easy fix.

Oh and while I was out messing with the wideband today, I noticed a squeak every time I hit the gas and have no idea wtf it is so I called it a day. Not sure when I'll get to inspect it but hopefully it's not a big deal.

Final problem, boost builds SLOWWWWWWW! Not sure if it's the turbo or I have a huge boost leak. I really should have looked over every centimeter of all the couplers before putting it back together and I forgot. In 2nd, 4psi at almost 3800rpm and in 3rd 4psi at 3300 and 5psi not until almost 3700 :wary :bash :wallbash :puke

I'd guess that squeak is a nasty boost leak. get out the dishsoap and water and start spraying a solution over the whole intake system. you'll know when you find it, the foam of bubbles is usually hard to miss :7