TDC on cylinder #1 ? for timing part of 60k

[Bizzy]

thinking that my front of the 60k was going to easy I wanted to make sure that I wasn't gonna screw anything up. I needed to take the intake off anyway to insall my prestone flush valve, so while there I pulled the plugs to check the gap and look for any oil. So just for ***** and giggles I looked down #1 and saw that it wasn't at the top, so I turned the wheel round and round till the cylinder was at the top as far as I could tell. (12in 3/8th extention stoped going up, started going back down)
Then I looked at the little dot on the crank, and that was lined up just right. but then to my dismay the dots on the cam sprokets and lines on the belt were no-where near where they should be. I know that on a 4-stroke engine that the piston moves 2 times for each combustion cycle.

So I look at this and I say is there any way I screwed up when putting the timing belt on? Before I put the belt on I lined up the cams and crank based on the little dots and marks in the respective spots. Then I put the belt on as per the marks/lines. But after moving the cylinders around via the tire I feared that I messed up and had the timing off cause nothing lined up after a few rotations. Though it was quite fun turning the engine around with my hands, I couldn't get the marks on the belt to line back up with the dots on the respective sprockets, all while lining up with the block/timing cover marks.

Did I do something wrong, or do I just make the cams point at the lines on the cover (~12 o'clock) and the crank at the mark on the block (~4 o'clock), then put the belt on and tension it up? I have Mark's video and he didn't say anything specific about it, more just line up the marks in the places and then just put on the belt.

I think I'm just tired from the 2 days of power outages and having to wait to finish this up that I'm just questioning everything that I've done. Someone please tell me that I'm doing things right, and that I should stop doubting myself.

 

[masho95]

Don't worry it sounds like you did everything right!!! As long as the crank mark and the cam sprocket marks lined up when you put the belt on and tensioned it you are all set. In fact it doesn't matter if you line the belt up or not when you put it on, it's just to help make sure the crank sprocket and cam sprocket are lined up. Because even if you line up the belt with all the marks as soon as you rotate the engine one revolution the marks on the belt will never line up again with the cams and crank. Sounds like you successfully completed a timing belt change. Congratulations!! Once the belt is one rotate the crank until it aligns with it's mark. Check the cam marks if they are opposite of where they should be rotate the crank again until it lines up again and check the cams. This time (if they didn't line up the first time) they should be aligned. If they aren't you got a problem. But it sounds like you did it right... don't fret. Good job!

 

[projectSHO89]

When #1 cylinder was at TDC as indicated by your extension, the camshaft marks should have been either at 6 or 12 o'clock and the timing index on the crank should have pointed to the "0" mark in the lower timing cover. Once the belt has been installed and the engine has been rotated, the white marks on the belt are irrelevant and should be ignored.

If the timing index was not at 0 TDC, make sure you had the extension in the #1 cylinder (that's the one closest to the glovebox).

You indicated that the cams were not at 12 oclock as you expected them to be. Where were they and were they synchronized? They should rotate in unison.

Steve

 

[sdpatt]

projectSHO89, you took the words right off of my fingertips.