Yeah but I was told that the cams don't both point up 100% so you need to worry more about the hash marks on the edge of the sprocket (horizontal highlighted line) and make sure they are level with each other and the top of the head while at #1 TDC.

Anyone have a picture of their cams at TDC for reference?


EDIT: found this thread that may help. Don't have time to read through now, gotta close up at work.

 

Wow, I'm an idiot. It has clearly jumped a tooth. (I blame my stupidity on working 70 hours a week XD ) Anyway, this whole time I was so concentrated on lining up the cam gears I forgot to look down and check the crankshaft. Lined up the cam gear hash marks then looked down...crank was about 3/4" away from TDC.


I moved the crank pulley to the TDC mark and just to make sure I put a long piece of a bush out of the front yard in the spark plug hole just so I could get a visual on the piston's travel.

Pictures:

Crank set to TDC:


Large piece of grass @ highest point confirms TDC:



Hash marks are now off 1 tooth:




Now seeing how the exhaust cam gear is still level with the head at TDC and the intake gear is sloped off, I'm assuming the belt jumped a tooth on the intake cam, correct?

 

helms will give you the procedure for lining everything up and installing / tensioning the belt.

 

yeah only problem is I'm 2,000 miles from home where all my tools are... and Abilene, Texas isn't familiar with automotive technology.

Oh and I appreciate all the help guys, thanks!

 

line the crank up, get that intake cam back in the upright position, get the belt back on it. now take a flat blade screw driver and pry up on the tensioner lever that is connected to the tensioner where the spring is to take the slack out of the belt. make it taught but not overly tight and tighten your tensioner bolt. If the belt whines your to tight and losen it up just a little. thats the best way to tighten the belt.

 

yepyep, I'm going to try to loosen the tensioner and attempt to slip the belt back over the cam gear at the right tooth then retighten.

 

It's a simple three step process

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRu5ojRDNqA

 

Went to sears today and bought a bunch of tools so i can git r done.

I think i'm going to pick up a new timing belt and water pump though. The ones in my car only have 20k on them but I figure if the belt jumped a tooth it probably stretched and I should replace it, and If i'm in there, I might as well warranty out the water pump and replace it for free.

 

Hope fixing the mechanical timing of the engine helps ya and solves this.

How on earth did you think that was timed up 100% and not off a tooth though? lol