Ok, I installed new timimg belts today on my 92' Loyale..I had the valve timing marks on the flywheel aligned correctly with the center one on the arrow..I had the cam sprocket timing marks aligned so that the passenger side was at 12 0'clock & the drivers side was at 6 o'clock, the same as they were when I started the project, nothing moved as far as I know..

I decided to take a quick peek in my Haynes manual before I replaced the covers to remind myself of anything I may have forgotten to do & I noticed something in their pictures/captions that really threw me..According to the manual, the cam sprocket marks should BOTH be aligned at 12 o'clock, not 12 & 6 like I have mine..

Who's wrong, me or them???

I won't be putting everything back together till tommorrow, so I can still change things easily if need be..

 

On another note, how much affect would having the cam marks off by one belt tooth have on the motor or the performance..Not that I plan to or would want to, just kinda' wondering..

The manual is wrong... install the drivers one, turn the engine 360 degrees, then cam will now be pointing at 6 o clock, then install the passenger one

It's getting late and my brane is tyrd but I think that the passenger (right) belt is aligned first. When you are done with both belts the pass side will be at 6:00 and the drivers side will be at 12:00.

But the should not both be at 12:00 at the same time.

I learned a simple way to do this while working with a 20+ year subaru Mechanic. Line the flywheel up to the center of the three marks. Put one cam sprocket at 12:00 and the other at 6:00 it dosen't matter which one is at 12:00 as long as the other is a 6:00. Throw the belts on and your're done.

You deal with the belt that is closest to the REAR of the engine first... it would be kinda hard to deal with the front one first :brolleye:

I did both yesterday, did drivers side first. Took 20 minutes tops.

God must love Skeet!

Just to sum up and clarify a bit:

 

You start with no belts on, and both cam's at 12 o'clock, and the flywheel at the middle of the three marks. Install the rear belt, being sure to not leave slack at the bottom, torque the belt to 12lbs, and tighten the tensioner.

 

Turn the engine 360 degrees, and line up the middle mark again. First cam will now be at 6 o'clock, second cam will still be at 12 o'clock. Install front belt, leaving no slack on the top this time. Torque the belt to 12lbs, and tighten the tensioner.

 

Step 3: Profit!

 

I may be the only one who actually torques the timing belts, but my FSM says to, so I do. I use a tool that I made myself. It consists of a flat strap of metal, about 1/4inch thick, and it's length is the diameter of the cam sprocket. I drilled two holes in it, and used broken shear pins from a 1948 New Holland HayLiner 68 hay baler as the pins to fit into the holes in the cam. Welded a 17mm nut to the middle, and off I went. Willing to replicate if demand surfaces.

 

RedLance

Originally posted by Slagathor1

I had the cam sprocket timing marks aligned so that the passenger side was at 12 0'clock & the drivers side was at 6 o'clock, the same as they were when I started the project, nothing moved as far as I know..

I decided to take a quick peek in my Haynes manual before I replaced the covers to remind myself of anything I may have forgotten to do & I noticed something in their pictures/captions that really threw me..According to the manual, the cam sprocket marks should BOTH be aligned at 12 o'clock, not 12 & 6 like I have mine..

 

you will want to do the driver side 12:00 ifrst. then rotate crank 360, the driver will now be at 6:00

 

then do your passenger at 12:00. now yer set!

 

the hatnes book will throw you off if you go by pics alone. it is showing both cams up, because the pics assume the 360 crank rotation. check the text

Originally posted by RedLance

I may be the only one who actually torques the timing belts, but my FSM says to, so I do. I use a tool that I made myself. It consists of a flat strap of metal, about 1/4inch thick, and it's length is the diameter of the cam sprocket. I drilled two holes in it, and used broken shear pins from a 1948 New Holland HayLiner 68 hay baler as the pins to fit into the holes in the cam. Welded a 17mm nut to the middle, and off I went. Willing to replicate if demand surfaces.

 

RedLance

 

I tension mine too.... the torque you are supposed to apply varies... on my 88 I had to do 17 lbs or so because it had new belts AND head gaskets.... otherwise 12 sounds about right.

 

Supposibly if you dont tension them they are more prone to eat teeth like my 86 turbowagon did... those belts were NOT pretty when they came out of that engine

Haha!!!

 

Step 1: Steal Underpants

Step 2:*shrug*

 

Originally posted by RedLance

Step 3: Profit!

Originally posted by skeet

Haha!!!

 

Step 1: Steal Underpants

Step 2:*shrug*

 

I learned a simple way to do this while working with a 20+ year subaru Mechanic. Line the flywheel up to the center of the three marks. Put one cam sprocket at 12:00 and the other at 6:00 it dosen't matter which one is at 12:00 as long as the other is a 6:00. Throw the belts on and your're done.

I thought this was the way to do it, only way I've ever done it.. I did learn a little trick from my Subaru buddy, he uses a ladies small compact mirror to look close making sure timing marks are lined up when done , before putting everything back together..

It sounds like your main question was answered pretty thoroughly, so I won't go into that. I didn't see any replies to your one about being off a tooth though. I can tell you for sure that having just one cam off a single tooth will (delete string of explitives) up how your engine runs. Mine had NOOOOOOOOO power and backfired like crazy, despite having a relatively smooth idle. It's pretty easy to get it right if you just take your time and double check, or in my case triple check the alignment of both belts after turning the engine over a few revolutions with a wrench.