timing belt alignment question

volvo noob · Post by **volvo noob** » 16 Sep 2012, 10:39

I am really confused at this point. I have searched on this forum quite a bit between yesterday and today and I found lots of really great write ups on replacing the timing belt. The problem is that I have not found any pics showing the exact marks and how they need to line up. I am not sure which marks need to be lined up and where. I think that I have the crankshaft lined up but only one of the cam gears is lined up. Here are some pics of the crank and cams. Can someone please tell me what I need to look at and how I need to line it up?

This cam gear does not seem to line up. I think that it may have jumped a tooth in the process of turning over the motor by hand.

I think that this cam is lined up correctly but I am just not sure.

This pic is showing the notch on the backside of the crank pulley and right now it is lined up with the notch on the block.

This pic is showing the two notches on the backside of the crank gear on the teeth of the gear lined up with the notch on the block.

Post by **erikv11** » 16 Sep 2012, 11:23

Pic 4 shows that the crank is on the mark. That's where you want it.

I agree with your interp of pics one and two - it looks like the cams are not in time. Your intake cam is in the right place but the exhaust cam is off by several teeth.

If you are in the middle of the timing belt job, you need to
(1) don't crank the engine!
(2) loosen the tensioner, put both cams in time (i.e., fix the exhaust cam, the intake looks correct in the pic but make sure the mark is perfectly aligned in the notch).

Post by **erikv11** » 16 Sep 2012, 11:25

Here's a thread with good pictures of the timing marks:

Timing mark alignment and adjustment

Post by **rspi** » 16 Sep 2012, 14:21

If you remove the tensioner and pull the belt, you may be able to turn that exhaust cam counter clock wise and get it on time. This pic shows the timing marks on, #10 marks.

Did you say that it was all lined up when you put the belt on and while turning it by hand you noticed that it's now off? That exhaust cam is off by about 4 teeth that would cause valve/piston collision.

Post by **Pauloil** » 16 Sep 2012, 19:55

i would move the crank a bit to put the mark in the MIDDLE!!! then intake will be spot on, and you can fix exhaust, and pray.
Also, when you do this, the exhaust cam will only be 2 teeth off.

volvo noob · Post by **volvo noob** » 16 Sep 2012, 21:07

well what has happened is i did something that i know i shouldnt have done and that was to turn the engine over using a tool that turns the cam. when i did that it jumped, what i thought was just one tooth. the strange thing is that i have been able to turn this engine over by hand a full revolution and no contact with the valves. that is why i thought that the amount of teeth that the exhaust cam is off was really strange and also why i posted this question in the first place. i have not yet removed the belt but i am planning on replacing cam seals and the timing belt this week so i will make sure that it is all lined up before i try to start it. thanks for all of the help here and the pointing in the right direction. if i have any other issues with this i will post em up.