I need help.. I have been fighting with the timing belt on a 97 626 for to long. I had a valve job done and put all back together, that went rather smooth until I put the timing belt on. I have had it on and off more times than I can count over the last few weeks. I get it lined up and all looks good, spin the engine by hand and make sure my marks are still lined up, still good. Spin it with the starter, still lined up. So now I think all is good, but I am WRONG. Somehow the marks are off a lot, not just one tooth but what appears to be a quarter of a cam gear. I put a new belt on, the number was the same as the old one so I am sure I have the correct belt.

Did I get a bad belt, that I should maybe try another or is there something else that I am missing? This is getting really frustrating.

I was told the car had Gremlins and I need help to get rid of them


Thanks, Kerwin

 

The only two things that I can think of is that the tension is not being set properly on the belt, or the cam is too tight and locking up and causing to belt to slip over it while cranking fast. Are all the caps on the cams torqued properly?

 

I will have to check the torque on the cam holders, but I did to what the manual says. They seemed a little hard to turn but I thought that was normal for the work I had done to the head. What is the torque spec for these? I know I had the tensioner pulley not set correctly prior but thought I had that fixed as well. It will have to be done again so I will pay close attention when I put it together again.
Is it possible that the belt is damaged from being on and off so many times?

Thanks, Kerwin

 

The torque spec on those caps are 100-125 inch-lbs.

I would replace the tensioner assy if you suspect something is wrong with it. Make sure it is installed correctly and the spring is in good condition.

The belt cannot be damaged from repeated assembly. As long as the teeth are still good and do not look like they have rips on them.

Here is a pic of timing belt alignment that I have to make sure yours looks the same.

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