this is on a 95 SOHC non-vtech 4 cyl. the car starts up fine, and runs fine, but it is really bogged down off the line and the engine makes a very throughty sound when i get on it.

i figured that the timing is off, but which way? is it retarded or advanced a tooth? i also was wondering if there is anychance of getting it where it needs to be without tearing it all apart again?

anyfeed back would be awesome
Danny

 

Before you put the timing covers back on, & all the external drive belts & stuff;... that would have been a really good time to double check the timing marks.

It seems like you might be able to push down the tensioner & slip the belt over a tooth if you need to. I've never done this, so I'm not really sure.

But it's pretty easy to take off the upper timing cover & just check the timing.

 

Listen to Jim. And recheck which marks you used to align the belt sprockets. Seems the one on the crank sprocket (even with woodruff key) lines up with a cast-in-place pointer, and the Cam Sprocket; whose two marks line up horizontally with the top surface of the head.

P

 

Yeah supposedly you can mess with the tension without taking off the timing belt cover...but I wouldn't trust it. Not to mention you've got to be able to see your timing marks. While you're in there make sure the balance shaft belt is in timed correctly, you gotta stick the screwdriver in the slot and make sure the balance shaft clears it...but hopefully I'm preaching to the choir.

Definitely make sure that you got the balance shaft seal retainer. There was a recall because they'd pop out, you should have a cheap little piece of sheet metal covering the seal. And you replaced your water pump too right?!?

Another major time saver is to just take the entire drivers side engine mount off, including the metal bracket that bolts into the engine. This lets you slide the cover right up without dicking with it, that was always the most frustrating part of the whole job for me. And when you correct it make sure you put the crank sprocket and all back on loosely and then start it up to make sure you've got your timing marks correct, only then put the cover, belts, and crap back on.

 

This guy is probably kicking himself about now with all this "by the way" stuff.

 

first off hook up a timing lite and see where you are at.. if you cannot see the mark or it is way off u got t-belt timing off ,,,,,,,,,,,,,remove upper t-belt cover, remove valve cover as well it will make it easier ,, put car on top dead center where the white mark on the crank pulley lines up with the mark on the lower t-belt cover, look at the camshaft , there are 2 nothches , they should line up even with the head ,,up mark pointing up,, if they do not line up , timing is off,,,,,,,
If u need to reset cam timing , assuming balancer belt is on time ,here is a little trick and u dont have to loosen up the adjuster, but follow this, step by step,, ,,
first off make sure you are at top dead center .and cam pulley (up) mark faces upward
since the upper cover is off, put a rag in there to keep anything from falling inside lower cover
Loosen up the 12mm bolt at the cam pulley while belt is still on,
slip the timing belt off the cam pulley
make sure you are still at top dead at the bottom white mark lined up with mark on lower cover,,
while belt is off, turn camshaft so the notches line up with the head
remove the cam pulley and careful about removing the woodruf key .
now hre comes the trick,,,,,,,,
slip the timing belt on the cam pulley and put it in the camshaft make sure that the pulley and cam openings line up,,once it is in put the woodruf key in,,u might have to slightly turn the can pulley to insert the key..
Once key is in reinstall the 12mm bolt and tighten it
if u had the belt tension adjusted properly the first time that is all u need to do to reset cam timing ..
double chk all the aligtnments and put all back together ..
It sounds harder than what it is ,,,,

 

well i actually did just take the top cover off, i didnt realize that the cam shaft timing marks are on the cam side of the gear. i guess the ones on the other side were diff, but they are realy hard to line up from the angle i saw them at so that is where the problem was.

after i took it apart is saw it was off, so i maked the timing belt one tooth back and the cam gear one tooth forward then loosened the belt and turned it to where they lined up then i reset the tension.

thanks for the help
Danny

 

You know you're supposed to turn it over I think its 4 times to make sure all the marks are in the right spot...right?

And no the timing marks are on the drivers side of the cam sprocket, there may be something on the pass side but not that I know of. Line them up flush against the head. What the hell kind of crappy *** manual are you using by the way? Get a Helms before you commit suicide!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Schmitey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And no the timing marks are on the drivers side of the cam sprocket, there may be something on the pass side but not that I know of.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I could have swore there are marks on both sides of the cam gear. I haven't looked in over a year though so I'm having trouble remembering.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Schmitey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You know you're supposed to turn it over I think its 4 times to make sure all the marks are in the right spot...right?

And no the timing marks are on the drivers side of the cam sprocket, there may be something on the pass side but not that I know of. Line them up flush against the head. What the hell kind of crappy *** manual are you using by the way? Get a Helms before you commit suicide!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

you don't have to spin it 4 times or anytimes, just make sure the mark line up at t-belt cover and the up mark is up oin the camshaft pulley,,you could even spin it a 1/4 turn , forward or backwards to line things up

As for the marks you are right there are no marks visable if you look at pulley from driver side .. the only marks ( 2 ) are visible on the back side of the pulley

 

Dammit desert you caught me. Yeah the helms doesn't say that but a couple other manuals I've had do. I figure as much time as it takes to get back in there it can't hurt. It may have something to do with the balance shafts on some cars too, after the 4 turns you check them again.

Anyways...I would bet he won't make that mistake again!