Help with Timing Belt Alignment

[Siula Grande]

I'm installing a new Subaru timing belt, (the old belt broke, so I have
no existing reference for the question to follow...), and although the
belt alignment marks are close to where the sprockets should be (12
o'clock single tick on intake and double ticks facing each other), by
aligning the belt mark(s) with the cam sprocket tick(s), the cams are
slightly off of 12:00 o'clock, thus the marks don't quite line up with
the cover notch(es), nor do the double ticks on the sprockets quite line
up now, since the intake cam sproket is now not quite vertical, with
respect to the alignment marks. Goes for both sets of cams. This slight
misalignment is not caused by slack or sag anywhere, the belt is as
tight as it should be prior to the tensioner being sprung.

My question is: given this conflict, which indication, 1) belt marks or
2) cover notch/double tick alignment w/ lower cam, should I be using to
align the cam sprockets?

Note: The crank alignment is dead on, belt mark/sensor notch/gear tooth
tick are all in alignment.

(Now, I only tried the belt one way, with the label text legible, I
could flip it, but I am assuming since it is very close to lining up,
this is the only way it could go, as the path is not symetrical wrt each
set of cams)

 

[Henry Paul]

I assume from the post that you have a dual-cam engine. I changed my dad's
belt on his 1.8. The cam marks were dead on, but the belt marks were no
where near it.


The sprocket marks and cover marks determine the engine timing. The belt
marks are just for reference apparently as this engine ran fine with the
belt in a different location. Go to www.endwrench.com and look for the
article on the 2.5 dual cam timing belt procedure. I think that article
gives a tooth count so you know how much belt to have on each side of the
crank shaft.

Be VERY careful with the sprockets as I believe most if not all of the
dual-cam engines are interference engines. Meaning turning the cams with the
belt off can cause valve/piston damage.

 

[albob]

I'm installing a new Subaru timing belt, (the old belt broke, so I have
no existing reference for the question to follow...), and although the
belt alignment marks are close to where the sprockets should be (12
o'clock single tick on intake and double ticks facing each other), by
aligning the belt mark(s) with the cam sprocket tick(s), the cams are
slightly off of 12:00 o'clock, thus the marks don't quite line up with
the cover notch(es), nor do the double ticks on the sprockets quite line
up now, since the intake cam sproket is now not quite vertical, with
respect to the alignment marks. Goes for both sets of cams. This slight
misalignment is not caused by slack or sag anywhere, the belt is as
tight as it should be prior to the tensioner being sprung.

My question is: given this conflict, which indication, 1) belt marks or
2) cover notch/double tick alignment w/ lower cam, should I be using to
align the cam sprockets?

Note: The crank alignment is dead on, belt mark/sensor notch/gear tooth
tick are all in alignment.

(Now, I only tried the belt one way, with the label text legible, I
could flip it, but I am assuming since it is very close to lining up,
this is the only way it could go, as the path is not symetrical wrt each
set of cams)

I haven't done this job myself, but this site may be of some help
to you --

www.ryanmacdonald.com/car/howto/belt/belt.html

alan