Soo, car wouldnt start but lifted the valve cover and found my timing belt was loose. Tried starting it a few times thinking the problem was elsewhere, timing most likely messed up and probly bent a valve. Next step is to replace the belt and tensioner i assume, and compression test after.

My question is, how do I get the cams and crank back to tdc? I understand the timing belt replacement thread. Please help

98 integra
stock ls

 

the crank pulley has 4 marks.....lll and another l the last is tdc u align to ur cover...then makesure piston 1 is a tdc align both camgears...put belt in this order..oil pump-tensioner-water pump-exhaust cam then intake cam last...

after that torque tensioner bolt to 30ftlbs pin engine a full rotation then losen the tensioner bolt 1/2 a turn then spin engine 3 cam gear teeth and then torque the bolt to 30ftlbs again ...thats how u get the right tension...

 

How do I make piston 1 tdc? And how do I spin the engine? Sorry this is my first time.

 

You use a 19mm socket on the crank pulley bolt and turn left. It won't come off, it'll just turn the engine over.

You said you understood the timing belt thread ... but obviously not.

 

take the distributor cap off and spin the engine from the crank pulley counterclockwise till the rotor in the distributor points to piston 1 spark plug wire which is one of the points on the cap then look on the crank and follow cibao2ner description cam gear pulleys should be or near tdc but if not then you need to align them where both words UP are pointing up and the to lines on the side of the gear are aligned in a straight line (parallel) to the head usually the again follow cibao2ner description on how to route timing belt but the only thing i do different is that i don't tighten the tensioner bolt first i rotate the engine 1 full rotation then tighten the tensioner bolt doesn't really matter both will come to the same results

 

please stop giving wrong advice. no point in taking off dist cap and aligning to #1, if the timing off then it wont line up, when all you need to do is spin the crank

if you want to see if your timing is on physically. turn crank till you reach the single | mark on the pulley, aligned with the "arrow" on the timing belt cover, to see if your cams are on, both cam gear are facing "Up" and the two marks on each cam gear should be aligned. if its off, losen tension bolts, slip off belt, align correctly, put back on belt, spin crank honda says 3 teeth but i like to spin it 1/2 turn on the pulley, tighten tension bolt. then for electronic timing get a timing light, warm up engine, shine timing light, should be on the 3 ||| mark, if not turn the dist, till it does, tighten dist, everything should be correctly timed.

 

well you need tdc on the compression stroke of cylinder #1 and just spining a crank to those 4 markings doesn't cut it because the crank spins two revolutions for every 12 of the cam, so using the rotor within the cap helps get you there it has nothing todo with timing, after he does that he has to put the crank at tdc via your statement then he has to look if his cams are aligned properly and if it is not then he has to correct it

so for your information the crank spins two revolution for every revolution of the cams, you dont have to get mad or agree with me but mechanical timing is my thing

 

and dont make me pull out the book

you are partly right about the three teeth crank turn but with out being a ***** i will tell you the correct way todo it. after everything is mechanically on timing you spin the crank three teeth worth on the cam sprocket then tighten the tensioner bolt then you spin the whole engine over two revolutions checking to see if there is anything binding,hitting, or just not turning smoothly and if the marks are still on timing and if so your good togo, if not you have to start all over again till you get it right so before you start acting like a know it all read the book first cause i said thats how i do it

 

if your just spinning the crank, it doesnt matter what stroke its on.

if you think the crank spins 2 revolution for ever 12 of the cam then idk what to say, but i think you meant 1 revolution of the cam hopefully

im just saying its better advice and alot easier and faster to just spin the motor to "up" on the cam gear then it is to take off the dist cap and look at the rotor then have to put the cap back on,

 

ok, the cam gears are not aligned properly with the "ups" so how do i re-align them?

 

pull off belt, put the crank and the cam gear to tdc.