If you click on this picture, you'll be able to see the cam timing marks. Note
that the crank keyway is pointing straight up.

Image of timing belt - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

To position the cams turn the crankshaft ~15 degrees beyond TDC and then turn the cams to line them up. I turned them with a strap wrench on the cam pulley. Then reset the crankshaft with the keyway straight up. There is also a pointer on the lower timing cover that lines up with a mark on the crank pulley. Then install the belt.

The front (left) cam should stay put. The back(right) cam could move, though I didn't have that problem. The pulley goes on the left cam last, so I guess you could hold it and get the belt on it. I didn't have that problem.

 

To position the cams turn the crankshaft ~15 degrees beyond TDC and then turn the cams to line them up.

Then reset the crankshaft with the keyway straight up.

is it better to advance **counter-clockwise** or retard **clockwise** the crank when doing this?

The back(right) cam could move, though I didn't have that problem.

so that's why the FSM doesn't mention the left bank's cam gear then... right. and you're meaning the back (left) right?

The pulley goes on the left cam last, so I guess you could hold it and get the belt on it.

why's it go on last? just easier to put that one on last cuz of the tensioner? was thinking that if i did the rear ( left ) cam first, then moved crank back, then did the crank, then front ( right ) cam, then released the tensioner, make sure it's still lined up, then released the right cam.... what do you think?

and you meant 'belt' instead of 'pulley' right?

 

I meant to say:

The belt goes on the left cam last, so I guess you could hold it and get the belt on it.

 

Corrected again:

The belt goes on the back (right) cam last..

 

i wish i had a clearer picture of the marks. do the backing plates to the cam gears have marks?
nevermind... i went through your pics and saw the close ups.


and you're saying that the keyhole is directly north/south on the crank... but the timing mark on the pulley that lines up with the pointer on the timing cover, isn't north/south?

and for this i'll just set the motor to TDC before i pull the pulley.

 

qoute: "The manual says to advance it 15 deg beyond TDC."

ah, i don't know where i got the idea it was advance instead of retard.

qoute: "Due to the design of the gears the back pulley is easier to do last. Also you want no slack between the crank gear and the front cam pulley. So normally you put the belt on the crank then front cam pulley, under the water pump and then on the tensioner and finally on the back cam pulley."

that makes sense.

thank you very much for the help.

now i just have to hope i don't have to do it twice in a row cuz i bent some valves earlier.

*shakes off his engine-internals DIY cobwebs*

 

I've changed more than one belt on these cars and never had a problem. just set it to top dead center and change the belt. Don't mess with all of that plus or minus 15 degree crap.
The only reason you would do that is if you had the heads off and didn't know where the cams were and are setting them up for the first time.

 

Agreed. The 15 deg. beyond TDC is used when you are assembling an engine, because in that crank position it is possible to turn the cams without piston valve interference.

 

^exactly what Jazfe and stephen said. For me I find it as simple as lining up the crank up removing the belt and making sure nothing moved when I put the new one on. Simple as that really

 

^BUMP^

specified: how much freeplay should the belt have between the drive cam *the right (front) one* and the crank? is it so tight it doesn't move? or can it move by quarter of an inch or so?

this tells me how far i have to move the cam around and have someone hold it while i put the other cam on.

 

^^bump^^

 

What I've always done is to set both cams and the crankshaft at the timing marks and put the belt on starting at the crankshaft pulley then the front cam,
pulley, then under the water pump, and then over the tensioner and back cam.
The tensioner has to be pushed over to maximum stretch of the spring and held there by the adjustment bolt. It might be necessary to turn the back cam very slightly to line the teeth up with the belt. I've not had any problem with the cams moving. I do always remove all the spark plugs so there is no compression. The important thing is you want any slack in the belt to be at the tensioner. Once the belt is in place, you are supposed to loosen the tensioner adjustment bolt and turn the engine in the direction of normal rotation to take the slack out of the belt, then tighten the adjuster bolt. After that turn the crankshaft two rotations to line up the timing marks again and if they still line up all is fine. The timing marks may be very slightly off but as long as it isn't a full tooth off it's OK.

The timing marks are shown in the picture I posted earlier.