Timing Belt Help

[Major Lazy]

I am doing Tbelts on a 87 RX and have a question. This is my first time so I am using a variety of resources (HTKYSA, Miles Fox's website and Haynes). It seems that all are in agreement that when the flywheel and bell housing timing marks 0 degrees line up (Most of the references say that there are 3 flywheel marks, but I have more than that from -20 to 0 to +20 degrees in 2 degree increments), the mark on the passenger cam sprocket should line up with the notch in the belt cover. My car is about 5 notches off of that. The Rotor looks very close to pointing to #1 when the flywheel is at 0 deg. Both cam sprockets appear to be about he same amount off. Of course the drivers sprocket is 180 out of the passengers. Before I take the belts off i want to make sure I know how they need to go back on so the question is: Where should the cam sprocket marks be when the engine is at 0 TDC? Are the sprockets actually 5 teeth off of TDC?

 

The car ran fine when garaged except for the head gasket being blown as indicated by loss of coolant progressively worse until one day it suddenly had no power and the #3 cylinder was full of coolant.

 

Thanks

 

The board came back just in time for me!

[mikeshoup]

Timing belts are not lined up to 0 TDC.

 

Rotate the flywheel, some distance to the left of the TDC marks are three little marks. They may be tough to see, grab a flashlight and some white out for when you do find them. You line it up to the middle of the three marks.

 

Once you line that up, driver's side cam gets lined up with the notch in the timing cover (or if you remove the covers like me, the seam for the valve cover).

 

Rotate the engine 360 degrees, lining up again to the center of the three marks. Line up the passenger's side cam with the notch in the timing cover. Driver's side should point down now.

 

Rotate the engine a couple times to double check everything is lined up.

 

EDIT: http://www.economysuperstar.com/milesfox/gallery/rxbuild/cranktiming.jpg

Take a look at that. That came from miles fox's websites. That's what you line up to.

Edited December 1, 2008 by mikeshoup

[somick]

Timing belts are not lined up to 0 TDC.

 

Rotate the flywheel, some distance to the left of the TDC marks are three little marks.

In other words: when looking at the engine from the front, rotate crankshaft clockwise and you will see three lines. It is abot three-four inches to the left. The middle line is your timing mark.

<br><br>Good luck,<br>Sam

[heartless]

do NOT use the degree markings!! as noted, there are three marks further around the flywheel - and yes, they can be hard to see - they look almost like scratches to the untrained eye - short, long, short - line up with the center long line

[Gloyale]

Turn the crank 90 degrees clockwise from 0 TDC and you will see the 3 little timing marks.

[Caboobaroo]

If you need a hand, I can help out on Wednseday if need be. I can do it in about a half hour form start to finish and I can also help step you through it so you can do it right everytime afterwards:-p

[Major Lazy]

Wow,

 

Thanks for all the help, I guess I just needed to be able to read

It was all right there I just did not understand.

 

Thx for the offer Cab, but I am actually doing the head gaskets so the TB was just the first stumbling block. If thats all it was I would be done by now. I may have more questions posted if any other 'hooked on phonics' issues come up.

 

Thanks to all who answered.

 

ML