am in the midst of replacing timing and balance belts and tensioners...everything ok until I turned crankshaft counterclockwise to move the requisite 'three teeth on the camshaft pulley' to tension the belts.... WITHOUT removing the rear balance shaft locking bolt.

go ahead and say it...what a bleedin' idiot!!!

...so I removed the locking bolt and rotated the crank several times...brought it back to TDC; crank alignment marks good, cam alignment marks good, front balance shaft NOT.
I buttoned it up and am going home for the day-sometimes the smartest thing you can do is walk away for a while-but I would like to know if anyone else has pulled this bonehead rookie move and what damage resulted, if any.
Would very much like to hear any suggestions and/or advice regarding next steps to take, please!

man, I'm losing it! my car is a 93 accord wagon...

 

Noob here ... but I did that very thing 2 or 3 times on my 92 Accord EX recently before I realized why my "tensioning" didn't seem to be going as it should. I think the tensioners would provide enough give that you didn't do anything of consequence to the timing belt. Pop the belts back off, reset the front balance shaft, get your marks lined up and I'd think you'd be good to go.

But it might be good to hear confirmation from the titans.

 

thanks for the words, waciii! -I'm off to try it again-but if any of the 'titans' would care to comment. please , say on!