I was trying to put my timing belt on last night, and the damn thing was very tight! I put it on around the crank pulley like the write ups and haynes manual says, following the routing directions and everything, but I just can't get it over either the cam gear or tensioner pulley (Haynes says to put it over cam gears last, writeups say tensioner pulley last). I have the crank gear at 1/2 tooth before TDC. I had the head resurfaced, which ended up being shaved a lot from warpage, and I thought I would have extra slack in the belt, not being really tight. Any suggestions or input?
TIA

Originally posted by oMInOUs97RS
Any suggestions or input?

You're doing something wrong. The belt should not be tight at all. Yes, it will get a bit snug, but it will always go over the gears. Make sure your tensioner pulley/bracket is bolted-up right. That is pretty much the only part of the entire process that moves in any manner to put tension on the belt. All the other gears and pulleys are fixed and do not move.

The Driggs man is right. Also, as I remember the Service Manual, you are supposed to put the belt on first and then install the tensioner. If you have it on when trying to place the belt, it won't happen. Try it that way.

Originally posted by RickyMeeses
The Driggs man is right. Also, as I remember the Service Manual, you are supposed to put the belt on first and then install the tensioner. If you have it on when trying to place the belt, it won't happen. Try it that way.

Exactly. The tensioner pulley and bracket can be installed, but you don't put the actual tensioner in until you have the belt routed and 20ft-lbs on the tensioner pulley against the belt. :thumbsup

Originally posted by DR1665

Originally posted by RickyMeeses The Driggs man is right. Also, as I remember the Service Manual, you are supposed to put the belt on first and then install the tensioner. If you have it on when trying to place the belt, it won't happen. Try it that way.

Exactly. The tensioner pulley and bracket can be installed, but you don't put the actual tensioner in until you have the belt routed and 20ft-lbs on the tensioner pulley against the belt. :thumbsup

Hey Brian? YOu done that a few times before?!? :+

That's exactly what it was! Stupid Haynes manual... never should have looked at it, should have just done what the write ups said... oh well, hindsight is always 20/20. Thanks guys!