Timing Belt Alignment

[Dr.Evil]

I am near completion (finally) of my new motor. While installing the timing belt, I ran into a problem. I aligned all three timing marks as outlined in the manual. I thought I would take it through one complete cycle to make sure no valves hit the pistons and everything was moving properly. So after one complete loop, the upper two marks do not line up with the dots on the pullies. I have turned it by hand 8 revolutions (my palms ar blistered from pulling on the damper) and still have not gotten the marks to line back up. Whats the deal? The belt did not slip. how many times does it have to go around for it to be set, or does it ever line back up after installing it? Please help ASAP as I would like to get this thing ready to drop in this weekend.

 

[marvsho17]

I always understood it to be that the marks would only line up the first time you put on the belt.

Buy some strap wrenches, only 3.00 bucks from harbor freight. I tell you this only after I ripped up my hands by turning the crank and sprockets by hand.

 

[Slo-Sho]

If you're working on the V6 purebread then you have a non-interference motor. The valves will not hit the rotating mass. Forget the marks on the belt. As long as the cams are TDC and the crank is TDC, the rest is gravy. The crank gear has a dimple and is TDC at about 5 o'clock.

 

[Dr.Evil]

If you're working on the V6 purebread then you have a non-interference motor. The valves will not hit the rotating mass. Forget the marks on the belt. As long as the cams are TDC and the crank is TDC, the rest is gravy. The crank gear has a dimple and is TDC at about 5 o'clock.

I have higher lift cams and slightly shaved heads, so I figured there was a slim possiablity that the valves would touch. So forget about the marks assuming I had all three lined up when initally installing the belt?

Also, I has hearing some noise from the right head timing chain hitting the upper piece when tension was released. Is this normal?

 

[Slo-Sho]

The cam gears will go TDC everytime the crank does, regardless of what the belt indicates. I don't recall off hand what the piston to valve clearance is.