I'm having a really wierd problem with getting the new timing belt on. When the cam and crank are at tdc, the belt doesn't line up. The teeth on the belt end up hitting the teeth on the intake cam. It goes on correctly only if the tooth is off like 1-1.5 either at the crank or cams. It's a Goodyear Gatorback belt. Any help?

 

What engine is this on?

Did you compare the size of the old timing belt to the new one when you removed it?

 

H22. They seem to be the same size.

 

Do you have the Factory Service manual?

Are both the intake and exhaust cams properly timed?

are you following the belt installation procedure?

 

Yea, yea, yea to all those.

I'm wondering if there's a minute problem with the belt, thickness or length that doesn't show up visually. Goodyear is a pretty prominent belt maker though, just wondering if I should go to the dealer and spend $80 on an OEM belt.

 

thats pretty typical. you may think the crank and/or cams are at TDC by lining the dots/marks up but they may not truly be there. put a pin or thin punch in the cam bridge and into the hole in the cams and see what that does for you.

 

There is probably valve spring tension on one of the cams, you have to turn it

and hold it while installing the belt. What I did on my b18c5 is I left the cam caps

loose untill the belt was on then tightened them.