Timing Belt tricks?

[demonsvx]

I replaced the timing belt on my 2.2 Legacy but cant seem to get everything to line up right. I get close but it still is one tooth off and it wont idle. Does anybody have any advice? Thanks Damian:)

[mbtoloczko]

As the crank rotates, the timing marks only line up in one out of something like 80 revolutions of the crank. If you lined up all the timing marks when you put on the belt, and the belt hasn't slipped, then you've done it right.

[thundering02]

Perhaps the trouble when installing it...then a couple of good wrenches and a freind or two can help(only helps if the cams are turning)

[Hocrest]

I replaced the timing belt on my 2.2 Legacy but cant seem to get everything to line up right. I get close but it still is one tooth off and it wont idle. Does anybody have any advice? Thanks Damian:)

Where is it off a tooth?

Mychailo is right about the about the printed lines on the belt hardly ever lining up, but the notches/marks on the pulley's should still line up every revolution. well every second anyway;
- Install and alternating revolutions afterwards = Cam-top, Crank-top, Cam-top
- alternate revolutions = Cam-bottom, Crank-top, Cam-Bottom

If the pully marks are all at the top, but the one mark is off by a tooth, loosen the tensioner and turn the cam into the proper position while the belt is on, then retighten the tensioner.

When I say "loosen the tensioner";
- Get a prybar to hold the tensioner in position
- loosen the bolts holding the tensioner
- use the pry bar to slowly compress the tensioner while still on the engine
- stick a pin in the whole to "lock" the tensioner and tighten the bolts to hold the tensioner out of the way.

[huck369]

I bet you're using th ewrong mark on the crank pulley?

What year is it?

The early EJ22 had a dot on the crank pulley... THIS IS NOT THE TIMING MARK...

The timing mark on the crank pully is a slash in the middle of one of the tongs at the pack of the pulley, that the Crank Position Sensor reads off of...

MANY people make this mistake, as the dot looks like it would be the timing mark, but it isn't.

Hope this gets you back on the road...