Okay - I am getting ready to do my timing belt, head gasket, water pump (120K)

A bunch of questions - first I would be getting the following parts for it:
Timing Belt $119.44
Water Pump $122.67
Water Pump Gasket $10.30
Timing belt Pulley $51.76
Timing belt tensioner (now is this optional?) $139.46
Head Gasket $52.47

Still need intake and exhaust gaskets I know - should I just get the upper engine kit - there is a lot of stuff in there which I don't really need.

$356.64 - this is the total without the tensioner

I have an extra head that was ported and polished with a 3 angle valve job - the cams are not installed right now - I guess it is difficult to properly torque them while installed (the machine shop left them out)

Now the question:
If I torque the head down, and reinstall the cams - how can I be sure that my timing will be set correctly - align the marks on the cams so they are perfectly horizontal, and then rotate the crank until that mark lines up? - I have heard too many stories of people's timing belt be one tooth off - I am scared - so please tell me what to do.

Lastly - how can you tell the difference between an intake and an exhaust cam - I haven't picked up the head yet so I want to know what to look for.

Thank you so much. Also - since these cars have electronic timing - wouldn't the car automatically compensate?? Thanks again.

well first off i hope this isn't the first timing belt if u have the 120k u said. ok well if u are going to put a different head on you'll need new head studs and new gasket, intake and depending on condition the exhaust too. the reason the cam's aren't in is because you can't bolt the head on with the cams in. once the head and cams are on you line it up like you said, two cam gears line up, put on the belt, match the crank marks up and pull the tensioner open. use a wrench to turn the engine over a few times to make sure that its lined up properly.

as far as the shit u need yeah, u got it but its a little pricy, u don;t have to get all the shit from satan, i got my belt for 50 bucks from auto zone and i have around 300hp, it works fine.

as far as being off a tooth incase you don;t catch it, one tooth won;t hurt anything. it will run shitty and throw a code when you start it up first time. just reset the timing. good luck.

mark

also just buy a full gasket set at the dealer the upper one costs about 150, thats like the cam seals and, valve cover, exhuast manifold, intake, etc....

well first of all you don't need to pull the manifolds to pull the head so that could cut down your gasket costs. but if you have 120k miles then you could prolly use the change anyway. as far as the cams are you talking about the gears or the actuall cam shafts? I would prolly take it back to the machine shop and have them put them in then you just align the timing marks to TDC before you put it on the block and go from there. (you will be able to see if the valves are shut or not. I've never had any head work done but I don't see why they couldn't put the cams in. they may even do it for free if they just forgot to do it the first time.) now as far as parts go to a store for the water pump it should come with a gasket already. I think I paied $50 at advance auto parts and get the T-belt from them too. I would switch out the head to the other one as long as you can get the cams done. The other thing is I don't see how you could install the cams while the head is on the block without messing something up but I don't know for sure because I have never done anything with the cams. I just did my HG and all I did was pull the AFX, the timing cover, PS pump pulley, motor mount and the down pipe. then I pulled the valve cover and unbolted the head and then just pulled it off changed the gasket and re assembled it. sorry so long guy's.

dude u can't put the head on the car with the cams in, if u have ever done it u'd know the studs or bolts are underneath them, thats why i said that earlier. and with the timing belt off its impossible to mess anything up by bolting the head on.

mark

Where would you buy them from? Cost - thanks.

Still need to know how to find out which is intake and which is exhaust cam.

Intake cam is on the back side exaust cam is on the front side.
now if you do have the machine shop do your cams put the head bolts in there before mounting the cams.

Dsmmark: I did pull the head and put it back on with the cams still in place. With a wabble extention you loosen the bolts and they will slide up enough to come out of the block to you can pull the head. You can't replace the bolts with studs unless you take out the cams that is true. But I did it and darkone has done it and I'm sure many others have changed the HG or pulled the head with them installed.

http://www.vfaq.com/mods/timingbelt-2G-NT.html

head bolts- 70 bucks... they could be warped also dont forget fluids your going to have to drain them