I am attentping to rebuild the motor on my 97 GSX and everything has been going great and fairly easy. This is my first rebuild on a jap motor and DOHC I have only done work on Chevy small blocks before and I am not uste to timing belts or dohc. Here is the problem I am trying to line up the 4 timimg marks on the cam sprockets I got a ruler to makes sure all for are lined up and when they are all lined up the belt is a half a tooth off and wont fit on. What the hell is that if I move the sprocket one way or the other I can ge tthe belt on but then they are a 1/2 a tooth of. Could the wrong sprockets be on the wrong cam. I dont understannd how it can be 1/2 a tooth off and maybe it is the wrong t-belt but it does fit the contour of the sprockets and will fit on and around everything else, but when the sprockets are lined up the belt it off. Any ideas. thanks

Also the motor had a blown head gasket and we ended up doing a rebuild ring bearing so on. I am running the stock cams and I recently read the post on cam install. Should I removed the cams before I get the belt on and bleed the lifters or will I be fine sense they are the stock cams. Thanks hopegully I dont sound like to much of a newb first real rebuild.

 

If anyone has any ideas please hlp, i have already checked a manules and searched and cant find anything. They all say it should just line up, but it isnt.

 

it's kind of hard to give you a step by step bud. here is a link to a vfaq guide that can take you step by step. best of luck to you bud. http://www.vfaq.com/mods/timingbelt-2G.html

 

1/2 a tooth off on dsm's are normal.

 

Thanks for the link how can a 1/2 tooth be normal can anyone confirm this I am awaiting assembly on figuring this out.

 

bump to confirm 1/2 tooth off is normal

 

Somebody has to have a idea and I just a idiot I cant seem to get it to line up I looked at the link and I will try again but it just seems to be a 1/2 tooth of one the belt goes on.

 

Check on www.vfaq.com on the timing belt writeup. If you need help i can pm you my cell # and i can help you over the phone. 1/2 tooth is normal as i also own a 2g dsm and it lines up like that.

Luis

 

Thanks I printed out the info on the timimg belt I understand how to put it on and do everything I was just trying to get it to line up right and I have never see a car where the timing marks are not meant to line up they should be a half tooth off. But I guess this is the way it is. But if this is true I have one question should I set the intake or the exhaust cam the 1/2 tooth off. Thanks

 

If the head has been milled, or you are using a thicker head gasket that is normal.

 

Make sure the exhaust side is the one that looks like it is a half tooth advanced. Spin the motor over about 4 times and it should line up better.

 

I do have a 4-layer metal head gasket. I will try that thanks.

 

well the intake side likes to slip on you since it has tension on it. I always used zip ties to hold the belt to the cams. Might help you line things up easy that way.

 

How does the head gasket matter the cam sprockets are both above the head gasket so it shouldnt affect it, correct. Can anyone else confirm that the 1/2 off is normal and that the exhaust cam is the cam that should be 1/2 tooth advanced. Thanks for the help guys

 

Ya I had the belt clamped down it isnt slipping just dosnt line up. lol