Im doing my timing on my b18a1 and Im running into an issue. Im trying to line up the cams using the up arrows pointing up and the marks on the cams. Im leveling the marks with the surface of the head and lining them up with each other. My problem is I cant get the cams to stay aligned. They keep snapping back to where the valve springs are holding them. What am I doing wrong? Even when I hold them in place by hand they end up being off when I put the timing belt on.

 

This can be frustrating without a cam gear holding fixture. Most part store will loan them for free with a refundable deposit.
It slips between the two gears and holds securly while timing the belt.

 

Getting timing correct could but a PITA most of the time. I use the 5mm pin punches for the cams to stay in TDC, but sometimes timing is still off, so i would have to redo it.. You can use the 5mm pin punches (got it from sears) or the cam gear holders like tyler said. i've seen those for rent at oreilly's and autozone.

 

I've heard about the using a punch method but I thought that was only for b16 and gsr motors. I havnt seen anything that would like a spot to put in a punch and hold the cams anywhere around the cams on a b18a1. I'm gonna try to find a cam holder and see if I can get one loaned. Thank you guys so much and I'm glad I'm not the only one with this pain!