Crankshaft is one tooth shy of north when camshaft is aligned with head;

[batever]

Hi,

Just changed my timing and balancer belts for the first time, and I have a question:

after tensioning the belts, the crankshaft is about one tooth's worth shy (as seen on the balance shaft sprocket) of true north when the camshaft is aligned perfectly with a straigtedge to to engine head.


is this a problem? since the camshaft is slightly advanced of the crankshaft, the valves will start upening a tiny bit sooner than ideally, right? but I don't feel any interference right now rotating the engine thru the cylinders, and I can feel the input and exhause valve lash spacing at the top of each cylinder's compression stroke with 0.010 gauge valve gauge.

It ended up like this because when I tried tensioning the timing belt starting with both the crankshaft at true north and the camshaft at true north & aligned with the head, it ended up so that the crankshaft ended up 1.5 to 2 balance shaft sprockets' teeth past north. So I moved the crankshaft so it was slightly shy of north, put the timing belt on, etc, and tensioned, and I ended up with the crankshaft about 1 tooth shy of north.

Is it worth taking the belts off and doing it again, and is it really possible to get the crankshaft and camshaft perfectly aligned?? Since this is my first time I want to be sure. before starting it up and before finishing the valve adjustments.

The car isn't all the way together yet so it wouldn't 't be a super hassle to go back. just a little bit of a hassle.

thanks.

[wed3k]

you have to compensate for the tensioning so bring the cam gear away so when you tighhten the tensioning it'll be perfect. it takes a couple tries to get it right.

[batever]

you have to compensate for the tensioning so bring the cam gear away so when you tighhten the tensioning it'll be perfect. it takes a couple tries to get it right.

So I should aim to get it to line up perfect after tensioning is what I am gathering.

when you say "bring the camshaft gear away" I am assuming you mean take the timing belt off, roll the camshaft gear the tooth or two I need, and replace the belt.

ok, so basically, take the balance shaft belt off again, slip the timing belt off and adjust the camshaft pulley and replace and retension the timing belt, and then check for perfect alignment on the crankshaft and camshaft pulleys.

Is the belt easier to adjust at the camshaft pulley or at the crankshaft pulley? The camshaft pulley is so big I have trouble leaving that part for last when slipping the belt on for some reason, so I've been doing it at the bottom on the crankshaft pulley. Although I'd rather be able to slip the belt on with the camshaft part last.

If you have any tips other than pushing the timing belt adjuster arm all the way down and locking it there, I would appreciate them. Otherwise I'll just try to feel it out.

thanks for your response.

[wed3k]

i like moving the cam pulley and it's only about a tooth's worth of compensation for the belt.