Hello everyone! I’m in the process of doing a timing belt and water pump on my ‘99 EX, D16Y8. Before I took the crankshaft pulley off, I tried to line up TDC, and the notches in the pulley weren’t matching the cam gear’s TDC marks.








I figured maybe the pulley was missing the key and wasn’t aligned with the crank properly, so I left it at the head’s TDC, then went ahead and pulled off the pulley.

Well, the crank gear is off by the same amount, as shown in this picture





The previous owner told me that it’s never had a timing belt change, which seems like a lie now seeing this.

The engine was running perfectly fine before this for about 1k miles, no strange noises or misfires. How should I proceed? Take the belt off and set both head and crank to TDC marks and then put the new belt on? I’m lost right now lol.

 

It looks like it's off 1 tooth on the crank. Chances are the belt was changed, the car is 22 years old. The only times I've seen belts go out a tooth that wasn't installer error was due to cheap Ebay timing belt tensioners.

I'd get a new belt and tensioner just cuz of unknown history, line it up like you said and turn the key.

 

Alright so I did the extra long extension in the spark plug tube trick while turning the crank to see when the piston is all the way up, and it hits TDC when the crankshaft gear mark lines up with the arrow on the oil pump.

But at that point, the cam is exactly one tooth off, so I think you’re right about it being off by a tooth, but it looks like it’s the cam that’s off.



I went ahead and took everything off with the crank marks at TDC. I have an OEM belt, tensioner, spring, and water pump, along with the head gasket I’m doing as well so hopefully it’ll stay lined up when I get everything back together.

I also got the head off as well, and it looks like exhaust valves on #2 are poking out past the head surface a little bit, is that normal?

 

It looks good, totally normal. It’s because the camshaft is still in the head, just the position of the cam. The #2 piston is also at the bottom, all good.

 

1. LINE UP THE CRANK PULLEY TO TDC.
2. Loosen up the belt tensioner, remove the timing belt and then adjust the cam gear to TDC.
3. Re-attach timing belt, tighten belt tensioner and rotate the motor one completion revolution CCW
4. Crank pulley should be back to TDC as well as the cam gear.

ALWAYS....ALWAYS line up the crank pulley, then the cam gear....NOT the other way around.

 

 

Luckily I was able to confirm true TDC was in line with the crank marks before I took off the belt, so you were right on the money!

What’s the best way to adjust the head to TDC? I have it off right now, should I turn the pulley CCW to TDC before it goes back on the block? (to avoid valves hitting pistons while spinning the cam?)

 

Okay, awesome, thank you!!

 

Turn the crankshaft just slightly off from TDC... adjust the cam gear to line up your TDC marks at the head, then turn the crankshaft back to TDC. The CCW direction only matters once you have the belt on.