bandit67

Guys, just aquired a 95 that cranks and idles fine but loses power on the slightest of hills. They had replaced the headgasket a few weeks earler and I suspected the belt was replaced incorrectly. Placed #1 piston at top dead center and found cam gear to be off by one or two notches. The manual gives many steps to do for belt replacement which I do not need to do. They had installed a new belt then. Can I just pop out the belt tension plug , loosen the bolt and get enough slack in the belt to slip it over the cam gear for proper alighnment? Would it be better to remove the cam gear from the cam and try to slip it back on right for correct alighnment? I don't think I need to remove everything down to the crank pulley just to move a notch or two. Any words of wisdom from those who have been there and done that......thanks..

Jackal6042

Here ya go...

Set the #1 piston to TDC.

Loosen the tensioner bolt 1/2 a turn. Press down on the tensioner arm and tighten it back up. This will keep tension off the belt for now.

Remove belt from cam gear but be sure to hold the belt up so there is no slack near the crank gear.

Turn the cam so it too is set to TDC and slide the timing belt back on.

Loosen the tensioner bolt again 1/2 turn then rotate the crank COUNTERCLOCKWISE until the cam gear moves three teeth.

Retorque tensioner bolt.

Turn the crank until the #1 cylinder is back at TDC and check to make sure you got the belt on the cam gear right (i.e. its at TDC as well). If its still off then try again, you may have allowed slack to exist between the belt and crank gear.