Is it possible to have a cam sprocket out of whack? (ie - somewhere along the line the thing was removed then not put back on in the proper orientation?)

 

Have been working on this car (89 GL wagon, ea82 spfi) - on and off - for a couple of months - as time allowed....installed new timing belts per the proper directions (found here and used succesfully before), and the car spits, sputters and backfires

 

Just wondering which way the disty rotor should be pointing when the drivers side cam is at the 12 o'clock position - at this time it is pointing at the battery....

 

help??

There is a pin on the end of the camshafts so the pulleys can only go on one way. I'd line up everything at TDC and see if your rotor is pointing at the #1 plug wire to check the disty.

dont line the disty with the cam at 12:00.

this is what you do:

after the whole timing belt procedure bring the driver cam to 12:00

THEN rotate the crank to bring 0deg BTDC to view.

 

NOW drop in the dist...

 

now to more answer your question, the PASSENGER SIDE cam will be pointing at the rib above SUBARU on the cam cover when the disty is at 0deg tdc, #1 cyl

When everything else fails you could make sure that the marks are both facing at 12 oclock with the slash marks (not timing marks but the slash marks) are in view with the pointer on the center slash. It sounds like you are one belt tooth off so perhaps this will take care of that. Give it a try and repost here please so we know where you are at on this. Thanks, boing

well, redid the belts taking extra care to be sure that the cam sprockets were lined up correctly before, during and after installing each belt and tensioning....still no run...cranks over and backfires :-\

 

just as added info on this project - fuel tank and fuel pump have both been replaced (both used), as was the big fuel filter under the hood (new)....

 

if I pull a plug it is damp and smells of gas, so am guessing fuel is getting into the cylinders....

disty was never removed, but did get new cap and rotor along with new plugs and wires......

 

Miles - if i am understanding your instructions, i would pull the disty, then line up the drivers side cam to 12, then rotate to 0 deg BTDC and re-install the disty so rotor is pointing to #1 position - right?

 

might be the weekend before i can get back after this thing - too much other stuff going on

 

thanks for the replies guys!!

yes, you are right on.

 

sometimes its best to start over than figure it out from where its at.

 

what i would do if i was you is pull the disty, and go thru the timing belt alignment procedure. if yo havent put all the plastic on(i myself would chuck it all) you may want to just re-install the belts starting over.

 

but do all the procedure, then drop the disty

 

here is this for reference

http://www.warpthree.com/milesfox/subaru/service/timingbelt.htm