# If timing belt off by a tooth, will it run ok?



## fungus57 (Feb 6, 2002)

My timing belt tensioner pulley was making a nasty squeal for a minute on really cold mornings, so I just replaced it. Of course the sharpie marks I made on the belt rubbed off so I'm not 100% sure that I have the belt back on correctly. Put it back together just to test it, and it idles and drives fine. 

However, my car is bone stock with 190k miles, and slow as molasses on a good day. Because I this, I'm wondering if I would even notice if it was off by a tooth or two in either direction? Would it just lose some power, or be noticeably rough?

I know I should check the timing, just don't have access to my shop manual at the moment. 

Any thoughts?


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

you'd definitely be able to tell if you went off a tooth. assuming your bottom timing belt cover is still on, the easiest way to verify would be to bump the car in gear until you see the tdc line line up in the flywheel housing. then check that the cam gear dot on the engine-side is lined up with the valve cover.


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## fungus57 (Feb 6, 2002)

Well I tried that, with the mark on the cam gear level with the valve cover, the tdc mark on the flywheel was too far counterclockwise, as if it was adjusted to like 8* after tdc. Weird. So either my car runs ok with severely retarded timing, or something else is wrong.

Of course I tried to quick adjust it and ended up messing the whole thing up, and now its too cold and dark to finish the job. Maybe Santa will do it for me overnight?


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

its CAKE to time an 8v.. takes a half hour to change the timing belt and retime it..


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## fungus57 (Feb 6, 2002)

When I get some daylight tomorrow, I'm assuming this is the process:

1. Align TDC circle on flywheel to arrow on trans.
2. Double check distributor, rotor should point to a mark for TDC there as well, correct? (Or 3* BTDC or whatever)
3. Pull spark plug#1, align mark on back of cam gear to valve cover when #1 is at TDC.
4. Put on belt and adjust tensioner.

Is that it?


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

why would you have to pull #1 spark plug? is it too hard to take the timing plug out of the trans and look at the flywheel to tell when TDC is reached?

i like pulling the lower timing cover too, to make sure that the intermediate shaft sprocket is for sure in the right spot.. its pretty easy to get the im shaft off a tooth.

other than that, yea, basically make sure everything is lined up with its TDC mark, then throw the belt on and tension it up (lightly)


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## fungus57 (Feb 6, 2002)

Pulling #1 plug was just to double check everything. Here is where I am at:

1. TDC mark on flywheel aligned with trans housing notch.2
2. Cam gear mark level with valve cover. 
3. The rotor is about 45* too far past where it should be!

How do I fix the rotor position? Can I just spin the intermediate gear or something? I guess I have to pull the lower cover to do that, right? Didn't feel like taking the other belts off.


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## fungus57 (Feb 6, 2002)

Well I was able to re-set everything, just spun the intermediate by hand to line the rotor up 1/8" to the right of the mark. Got it back together, and it runs, but its pretty rough. Might have the intermediate off by a tooth. Thanks for the help so far guys.


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## fungus57 (Feb 6, 2002)

Well, I let it idle for a while, and took it out for a spin, it feels great now. The timing belt cover is rattling but I'll fix that another day. Thanks again everyone! :thumbup:


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

setting the ignition timing is pretty crude without a gun. not sure what car you have though, but these motors tend to like a bit of advance


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

my car is equipped with CIS-E, and 11:1 compression, and it likes the timing at about 22* advanced. it runs best on premium. if i get regular on accident, i know it, takes 2-3x times as many cranks to start it, and has less total power. 

never had much problem with pinging, because my car also has a knock sensing ignition system.


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