timing belt replacement

[86esprits3]

Okay-I read all the other posts. I read my manual -on cd rom. I put my timing belt on, but I am not 100 percent sure it is right. The manual is just not that thorough!

The car is a 1986 HCI Turbo-USA.

With crankshaft 90 degrees BTDC:

I put ALL 3 sprockets on with the colored dots facing the front of the car. All sprockets have a raised dimple on one side only, and they all face towards front of car. The intake cam sprocket has the red dot closest to IN facing forward. The exhaust cam sprocket has the blue dot closest to OUT facing forward. As per manual.

BUT, nowhere does it say how the heck you put on the aux/distributor sprocket! Mine has a green dot, so I put the green dot closest to IN facing forward. (again, raised dimple faces forward)

I aligned the 2 cam sprockets so that the colored dots are aligned at closest point as per manual. Then I aligned the green dot from aux/distributor sprocket to be towards bottom and aligned with center of crankshaft as per manual.

Crankshaft was brought to TDC, and belt was put on and tensioned. I rotated the engine 10 times. At TDC, the belt tension was 95. At 120 degrees ATDC, belt tension was 100. At 240 degrees ATDC, the belt tension was 90. Whats up with the varying tension? I used the designated burroughs gauge. I guess its okay??

Also-the manual tells you nothing about what spark plug tower corresponds with what cylinder. Where is cylinder number one at as viewed from the top of the rotor??

My main concern is if the aux/distributor sprocket is on correctly. I know someone told me they are reversible, but actually they are not! It is imperative they go on the right way. The inner hub is keyed, and the alignment is drastically changed if the sprocket is pulled off and flipped over. Does anyone know how it goes on?????

I have read that the stock sprockets are green dot. I have red and blue for US emmisions. I have heard that you could swap these out for green. I did an experiment. I aligned all of my sprockets exactly. A green, red, and blue. All keyways and outer teeth edges aligned perfectly. The difference between blue, green, and red dots are not even a tooth apart. They are literally a few millimeters. Again-I am confused and dont see a difference between these.

All I know is that when the crankshaft pulley is at TDC, I can put a string through the center of the camshafts, and the colored dots fall on the string perfectly. Also, if I put a string on the center of the crank and aux/distributor shaft, the green dot falls in alignment between them.

I would appreciate any input

THANKS!!

Edited August 13, 2007 by markd

[Jeff T]

You Wrote: Also-the manual tells you nothing about what spark plug tower corresponds with what cylinder. Where is cylinder number one at as viewed from the top of the rotor??

The # 1 Cylinder is closest to the front of the car. Look at the shop manual as to where to plug the wires are related to the distributor cap, and where the cap is after it is installed.

You wrote: My main concern is if the aux/distributor sprocket is on correctly. I know someone told me they are reversible, but actually they are not! It is imperative they go on the right way. The inner hub is keyed, and the alignment is drastically changed if the sprocket is pulled off and flipped over. Does anyone know how it goes on?????

The most important thing is where the rotor is pointed in relation to the # 1 cylinder when you are at Top Dead center. The orientation of the keyed Cam Sproket is secondary. It's important to note when you tension the belt... that the aux/distributor pulley will rotate slighly because it has no resistence. This can effect the position of the rotor slightly at TDC (pointing at #1 on the distributor cap). You can adjust slightly with timing (rotating the distributor), but the closer you get the better. Because you only get about 1/2 turn out of the distibutor before the clamps for the cap hit the engine block.

So check the plug wires and make sure they are installed correctly on the distributor cap.

Make sure that the rotor is pointing to the #1 plug wire on the distributor cap when cap is installed.

Hope this helps.

[86esprits3]

I am sorry-I know where cylinder one is, I dont know where the rotor should be at TDC. That is one of the problems-WHERE is the #1 plug wire on the distributor cap? How can I make sure the plug wires are installed correctly on the cap? The manual does not tell you this anywhere that I can see.

Thanks for the info.

[Jeff T]

Mark- The #1 plug wire should be just to the left of the upper clamp on the distributor cap...or on the distributor the #1 position is directly opposite of the wires (coming off the distributor housing).

Check out Section EMD page 8 in the service manual.

[86esprits3]

Mark- The #1 plug wire should be just to the left of the upper clamp on the distributor cap...or on the distributor the #1 position is directly opposite of the wires (coming off the distributor housing).

Check out Section EMD page 8 in the service manual.

Thanks Jeff!

I could have sworn that I was through every page in that manual! Very helpful!

thanks again