on 01 CRV.

I liked up the timing belt sprocket line with the arrow so the crank is at TDC. However when i put the pulley on, i noticed the white line, on the pulley is not lined up w/ the plastic pointer on time belt cover. the pointer used to set timing.

So I always thought the white line on the crank pulley was TDC? I guess it is not?

 

Thats something that only factory does to pinpoint location on parts. As long as your timing belt sprocket matches up with the oil pump housing and their both at TDC you should be good.

 

yes make sure #1 is at TDC and cam marks line up. at that point the motor has no choice were crank point is at. the timing will be dead on (provided nothing was dicked with as far deck height and pulleys)

 

yup.

 

Well since I have the timing belt off. I need to set it, and I used the crank sprocket line and arrow for the crank TDC. I then used the two lines on the cam pulleys to line up while the "top" was upward. Now with all that perfectly lined up, if a slip the pulley on the crank with the keyway the white line on the crank pulley is not perfectly lined up with the pointer. It is about 8 degrees off. So either the pull spun on the dampener or something else is amiss. The head was replaced and was clean up when new valves were put in but i didn't have it decked.

 

the pulley is held together with rubber, they do go bad from time to time.

 

Well I ended up buying a exhaust gas check for the radiator. I wouldn't say it was a strong positive but when the NAPA Autoparts guys said they would warrenty my head gasket i decided to blow another weekend and swap the head gasket.

Well it runs much better now. BUT... it makes some clicking lifter sounds. I went to set the timing and when it was cold the timing looked to be close to TDC. After it warmed up and fans went on, put the service clip, i can't even find the timing lines. None of them are in visual range, the TDC nor the red mark. But the car still idles, a little low, but still idles fairly smoothly. I can run the A/C and doesn't die, it is idling around 500 hot not the 750 I would have expected.

I suppose it is possible that i didn't put the timing belt on right, but i did check it three times, rotated the crank like twenty times, and when the line on the crank sprocket was lined up w/ with the arrow on the block, the cams sprockets both had top on it, and the little lines pointing to each other. I've done a number of timing belt changes in my life.

Other than a timing belt or a magically defective timing light what else would cause the the timing lines to disappear? You can't put the distributor in 180 degrees out can you?