hockeytown9

Put the new timing belt on the crate engine, put on tensioner, blah, blah, blah. Anyways the problem we are having is this. After two full rotations the timing marks on the belt are one tooth off (to the right). We tried all we could think of and it is still one tooth off. Any ideas why? It's the 240 belt that came with the engine kit. Does it sound like the wrong belt, or are we missing something? I did a search and saw two instances where this happened and in one case they said that was normal, and in another they said it was not good and probably the wrong belt. So I am a little apprehensive on what to do here. Thanks again for all the help guys!

TRunner

The first time I put mine on durring the rebuild that happened. The second attempt got it right. I still am not sure how it got off by one tooth without jumping, but that was the result, so we did it again. Have you only tried it once or is this happening over and over?

Doc279

I went through this same ordeal - even drove the runner for a couople of days with the belt one tooth off. - had to because of a death in the family.

It came down to - place the belt on the crank shaft, and both cams with the marks lined up. pry the tensioner over to the right and snug the bolt - hook up the spring and then loosen the bolt - now torque the bolt at the point where the spring hold the tensioner - then rotate the engine through the two turns. I bet I put that timing belt on 20 times before I got it right.

Once I figured it out - the clymer manual talks about it - step by step.
It all boils down to how you do the tensioner adjustment.

hockeytown9

yeah over and over. It's driving me nuts. We spent 2-3 hours on that belt!! Always one off. We left to get pizza and the guys who stayed said that they kept getting it off by one tooth, after a couple of more rotations it was to three then to four. So they started over...one tooth off again. So they cranked it the wrong way (counter clockwise) twice and it was right on again.

MTL_4runner

If one of the cam gears is one tooth off then you need to use a wrench on the cam bolt to hold the gear one tooth over while you are putting on the belt. Remember also that the belt will stretch very, very slightly when under tension. It is not normal to have the belt a tooth off which could cause one bank of cylinders to run poorly.

hockeytown9

No, the cam gears line up perfect, the mark on the belt moves to the right by one tooth after two rotations.

TRunner

I would comapre the belt to another one at the dealer to make sure it is the right one. That sounds fishy... Mine stayed one tooth off without getting further and further off.

hockeytown9

So, it looks like I could be deep in it huh?

bike4miles

Yea, I wonder if the belt is incorect. When I did mine I just lined up all three and that was all there was to it. I even put it one tooth off and did one rotation and it was still just one tooth off. Very obvious. Then I put it back on in the correct location and rotated it and it was perfect. If you roatate it twice is it tow teeth off? Then 3 teeth and so forth? That whould tell you something is meshed up for sure.

Bassinfool

I just had that same problem. Thing is, I forgot to mark on the belt where the arrows lined up with it. Is it imperative that the marks on the belt line up right, or can you make new marks & make sure they line up right? Should I put a new belt on? (Please say no!)

bike4miles

Make some fresh marks and rotate the crak one or two turns. If they are still perfect you should be set.

Ganoid

The belt has a mark

heh I never paid attention. I just put it on and paid attention to the cam marks in relation to the crank mark. If I would put the belt marks in the same drawer with idiot lights. If you dont like those marks flip it over heh.

No really as long as the cam gear marks and the crank shaft marks are back in thier origional position after 2 rotations then what the belt mark is doing is of no concern. I actualy used a OE toyota belt and I dont remember any marks. The motor wont care where the belt marks are either it only cares about cams and cranks.

hockeytown9

Oh, man. Yes no maybe . I knew this was going to get mixed responses.

wrenchmonster

Ganoid is right. Technically speaking the belt makes no difference. What you are "timing" is the relationship between the crank and cams. Line up the crank and cams to their respective marks. Make sure #1 is TDC. Then put on the belt. Turn the crank over 2 times and check your marks on the crank and cams, pay no attention to the belt. The marks on the belt are there for initial alignment, nothing else. If your marks on the crank and cams line up, then there is no problem.

The reason that the marks don't line up after 2 revolutions is because the gearset is a "hunting" gearset. It has to do with the relationship of the number of teeth on the crank and cams. You can pick up a automatic transmission instructional book and it will go into detail how this works.

-Wrench

bike4miles

No, I take that back. You have to get everything lind up first. There are marks on the gears and covers that all have to be lined up. After that, you install the belt and turn the crank over a revolution. It really isn't a big deal. look closely at the grears for the mark.

hockeytown9

O.K. guys. We are attempting this again tonight. I got a t-belt from the dealer (via the vin #). Cheaper than the aftermarket! Anyways the belt I had and the new Toyota belt are identical. So we must be doing something wrong. Any tips before we tackle this again? Also are there ways of telling the differences between the 3.0L, as far as pre 92 and post 92? Maybe they sent me the wrong block? The first block Jasper deivered fell off the truck but they sent another the next day. Maybe the belt is for a 93, but the block is an older 3.OL? Thanks for all of the help guys!!

Doc279

I'm telling you this again - I went through this last July - I must have put that belt on 20 differnt times before I got it right. I even compared it to a dealer belt that I did not buy. It all has to do with the belt tensioner adjustment. Read the Clymer manual several times regarding adjusting the belt tensioner. Once the tensioner is moved to the right and the spring is hooked up and the bolt torqued - the marks will line up. Do not pay any attention to the marks on the belt - the important marks are the one at the crank and the two for the cams. I damn near pulled out my hair over this !!! my 2 cents worth.

hockeytown9

Thanks, I just want to be sure on this one. My buddy called the dealership and a tech told him to put it on the right cam pully first, then the crank taking all of the slack out then the left cam pully and adjust the tensioner. Then the marks on the belt are supposed to stay on the marks on the pulleys. We are going to try that first and hope it works. If anyone else has any ideas I will be very glad to hear them. Thanks all.

TRunner

I thought of that last night and forgot to post this morning. What he said, though. Make sure any slack in the belt is between the right cam (the one on the left side when looking at it to install it) and the crank. In other words, make sure there is NO slack anywhere except where the tensioner pully. Good Luck!

wrenchmonster

Hockey, yes the toyota tech is right. Take away all the slack from the gears so that all the slack is at the tensioner. Keep your eye on marks on the gears, not the belt. Marks on the belt are for initial alignment only. Turn the crank over 2 times, remember 2 to 1 ratio here. Check your marks on your gears again. If everything lines up you are a-okay.

Just one tip. Get some of those little black triangular clamps (for paper stacks) from an office supply store and use them to hold the belt on the cam. Makes it easier to keep the belt where it belongs before applying the tensioner.

-Wrench