# Timing belt alignment... do the tabs always end horizontal at TDC?



## ReevesL (Jul 6, 2017)

Hi folks,

I have just replaced the timing belt on my 2.7T but am a bit worried that I may be off by a tooth or two. I locked the crank at TDC and held the camshafts in place with a lock bar during the process. After I was done, however, I hand-turned the engine to double-check my work and when I return to TDC the two cam lock tabs are not in a perfect line.

I can put the lock bar back on, but I have to turn the passenger-side cam a degree or two in order to click it into place. Is that uncommon or do I need to pull the belt and try again?

Thanks,
Reeves


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## o2bad455 (Aug 22, 2003)

The pulley spins relative to the cam when the large bolt is slightly loosened so the pulley's interference fit can be released. The tabs do need to be horizontal per the lock bar, which holds the cams at TDC, but each cam pulley is adjustable when its respective bolt is slightly loosened without removing the timing belt. It sounds like you might have set everything before the timing belt tensioner took up the slack, so you probably just need to re-adjust the pulley that's not lining up after a couple of crank rotations. Shouldn't be any need to remove the belt again. Can all be at the currently misaligned pulley. Set crank at TDC, loosen problem pulley bolt slightly and be sure to release friction fit, use lock bar to make horizontal, slip into other pulley to lock both cams at TDC, and re-tighten cam bolt. Test by hand-rotating engine a couple of times, and if all lines up again with lock bar, good to go.


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