Engine timing belt replacement
 

If the crankshaft indicator is lined up with its mark then is it always at top dead center compression stroke for cylinder 1?

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

Top dead center is top dead center, its the cams position that decides if its the exhaust or compression stroke. Just align the marks on the crank and both cams and you will be fine.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

I hope you don't mind a slight hijack but I'm in the same boat and I have some questions on this same exact topic.

Please refer to the pics of the two camshafts and notice that only two out of the three marks are lined up. The mark on the back cover and the mark on the timing belt line up. FSM shows three marks have to line up: on the belt, on the camshaft pulley and on the back cover. For the life of me I can't get all three to line up, only two marks line up for each camshaft. What am I doing wrong, if anything? :confused:

left camshaft

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...X/100_2399.jpg

right camshaft
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...X/100_2400.jpg

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

Noooo dont worry about the marks on the belt, all you have to align is the marks on the crankshaft gear and the cams. In your pics, the cams need to be set to the right marks. There is a notch on each cam gear, looks like on yours they are highlighted white, THOSE are what need to be aligned to the back timing cover marks, dont pay attention to the arrows on the cams. As long as you install the belt with the crankshaft gear top dead center at the mark, and both cam gears set with the notches at their marks, then the engine is timed.

You can download the service manual for the car below, in my signature. Open the .pdf that reads 3.3 engine, and it will give you more info on the matter.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

ok, will do.

I'll reinstall everything per FSM, with the arrows on the camshaft pulleys pointing up and all the belt lines lined up.

Thanks.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

:confused::confused: Do not pay attention to the arrows on the cams, nor the lines on the belt. Align the GROOVES highlighted white on the cams to the timing marks, and the crankshaft, THEN the engine is timed. The belt lines and the arrows DONT matter, so ignore them.............
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/p...t_headdesk.jpg

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

LOL, you realize that you're telling me something that doesn't jive with your pdf shop manuals?

copy/paste:

4) Turn crankshaft to align marks on crankshaft sprocket and
camshaft sprockets with marks on cylinder block and timing belt cover.
See Figs. 4-7. Using White paint, put alignment marks and/or arrows on
timing belt in relation to sprockets. Loosen tensioner adjuster bolts.
Remove timing belt idlers. See Fig. 7. Remove timing belt.

The figure shows the arrow pointing at 12 o'clock

Go check it out on page 5

http://www.seccs.org/tech/manuals/19...YL___VIN_3.pdf

Are those arrows on the sprocket there for the hell of it? How about those lines on the timing belts? It's hard to argue against the FSM!

:rolleyes:

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

Ok man..... you're talking to someone who has done this many times....... and ill say it again, THE ARROWS ON THE CAMS DONT MATTER. You align the NOTCH MARKS with the timing cover marks, which in your pics are already highlighted white. ANY marks on the timing belt dont matter, since thats not what needs to be aligned, and wont be aligned after the engine is started. As long as the cams and crank gear are lined up with the marks, the engine is TIMED, it doesnt matter AT ALL where the lines on the belt are. Im not saying the manual is incorrect, but im telling you what you DO and DONT need to worry about when installing the belt.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

If there are marks on the belt, you can change the belt and the marks change. They don't have anything to do how the alignment is. :o It depends how you put the belt on the sprockets as to where the lines on the belt end up.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

Seems straight forward enough.

The pictures above show that the cam sprockets are 180-degrees out of time, because the cam sprocket marks are 180-degrees away from the timing cover marks. If the crank timing mark meets, then the cams are out of time.

If the crank timing mark is also 180 degrees away, then turning the crankshaft half a turn should make the cam and crank marks all line up, the belt marks mean nothing, the belt is just a fixed length connection between them.

If it is out of time, loosening the belt, and re-aligning the cam sprocket marks to the timing cover marks, and making sure that the crank timing marks meet, then buttoning back down, seems like an easy proposition.

Being particular about the belt's marks is irrelevant, because the belt doesn't really change length, or slip on those toothed sprockets. The belt is a fixed length, and spins the cogs at their specific rate. A belt like that shouldn't really even need marks, although they perhaps help to verify that the belt is the right length for the engine, by cooperating with the timing marks.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

Copy that, I understand what you're saying and even agree with you.

This is not an argument, merely an opinion: it doesn't matter where the timing mark on the belts are but since they are already there, and the FSM clearly states to use them, why should anyone disregard them? Perhaps non oem belts don't show the lines, I dunno.

On the same token, I need to be explained why should anyone disregard the arrow on the cam sprocket if the FSM states not to? If the timing notches line up then the arrows should be pointing up.

Changing the belts so that the letters are upside down should still put the lines where they belong, because as stated previously, fixed number of teeth.

Don't anybody get mad, I'm merely curious why did Subaru go through the trouble of sticking arrows, lines and notches on the timing belt system (belt, sprocket, cover) if we are to disregard them! :D

Just playing devil's advocate! Happy Friday to all.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

IF and I mean a BIG IF--when you install the timing belt with the timing marks properly aligned (indicator mark and cam sprocket mark) AND the belt marks at the SAME mark, then it will remain that way, BUT it is NOT necessary to pay that much attention to the belt marks. Its just a nice and tidy way to do it. I did forget to mention that the crank marks have to be aligned also.

The cam sprocket arrow should actually be pointing straight up when the cams are properly aligned.

LISTEN to the experts or don't bother to ask advice. :p

Lee

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

the arrows and timing marks could be for two different reasons.

The arrows could be used when aligning the cams together, and installing the cam sprocket.

If the arrows and timing marks don't change in relation to each other, which they don't since the sprocket is a single piece, then the timing marks are the ones to go by when changing the belt, because they are the ones that have the corresponding timing marks behind the sprockets.

If that happens to put the arrows at the vertical position, it happens to do so... the arrows are likely a different indicator, and could be that it aligns the sprockets onto the exhaust cam, and by extension, the intake cam, or some other assembly task, prior to timing belt installation. Or it could be some sort of casting mark for orientation when the sprockets were made.

Re: Engine timing belt replacement
 

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for the insight.