hey HT.
finally got my b16a2 yesterday, and also got a Gates racing timing belt.
i was wondering if it is possible to put a timing belt on with the motor out of the car.

also the head has adj. cam gears...

which marks on the cam gears would i need to go by to make sure they are correct and at tdc along with the rest of the motor.

 

Yes, it is very possible and way easier to do out of the car.

The cam gears should have a mark for the real 0 mechanical timing, and you should be able to also see an offset timing mark where the gears are actually set, which is the offset mark from real mechanical zero. The real zero mark is what you want to use, NOT the offset mark if that makes sense.

An easy way to tell is, with the old belt still on, put the crank at TDC and you should see the cams be dead nuts on the zero degree mark with respect to each other. Then to check it one more time, undo the #1 sparkplug and stick a long screwdriver that does not have removable tips into the cylinder to verify the piston is at the top of its motion. you can even "feel out" TDC by slowly rotating a degree or 2 to find the absolute piston top.

most aftermarket cam gears will have some indicator that they are at TDC, so take a look on the manufacturer website and see what they mention to be the markings. if all else fails, the crank pointer and the screwdriver method should work just fine, if used in conjunction.

good luck.

 

ah thanks you cleared alot up.
i see the adjustable timing marks and a mark at the top of the cam gear itself with like a "0".

also the motor does not have a timing belt on it. but i will do the long screwdriver tactic, and see what i accomplish.

since i do not have access to air tools, what is an easy way to remove the crank pulley and take the timing belt cover off?

 

you can also drop 5mm bolts through the spray bars into the holes in the cams that were put there by the factory for timing them. arrow on oil pump and line mark on crank belt pulley.

 

You may have to mess with the cams to get the engine to spin as you rotate the crank. you have a puzzle on your hands as getting the bottom to line up with the top if it is off is tricky with no belt on. The easiest way, if you have a torque wrench and some patience, is to loosen the cam caps all the way until all the valves are firmly seated. that way you don't hit the valves with the crank.

The easiest way to remove the crank pulley is to use the "Crank pulley tool" with the longest breaker bar you have, or a pipe from a floor jack. The pulley tool fits in the hex shape of the pulley and will keep it still while you crank on it with the breaker bar.