Since I have installed a new head gasket in my 1995 Civic with the 1.5L non v-tech engine I cannot get the timing belt to align. It seems like I am off by a half a tooth. And the ignition timing will not set properly, its like I cannot turn the distributer enough... I have spent MANY hours working on this, any thoughts?

 

are you sure you have it at top dead center when slipping the belt on

 

Yes, I am fairly positive I do. The arrow lines up with the notch in the gear on the crank. But when I line up the cam gear, the belt seems to be a half tooth off!

 

Set the crank and cam to TDC, install the belt, don't try to get all the slack out of the belt on the front side, you'll never get the timing right if you do. Follow the proceedure in the service manual, as I recall it's loosen the tensioner pulley bolt, crank engine over 6 times, with engine at TDC crank crank pully counter clockwise until 3 teeth have come up on the cam pulley, tighten tensioner adjusting bolt.

Btw when setting the ignition timing remember to jump the service connector under the dash.

 

So do you put the belt over the tensioner last when installing it?

 

 

The last step in the installation of the timing belt is placing it over the cam. An on this last step, make sure there is minimal belt slack on the left side as you face the cam and crank.

 

Thats where the problem comes in.... When I am placing the belt over the cam gear, and it has minimal slack, it seems to be about a half a tooth off... So to get the belt to fit in with the gear, it comes out off..I guess I just need to keep playing with it.