Where is the correct cam gear timing mark on this engine?
I recently had the timing belt break on my '96 Galant 2.4L SOHC engine. The engine has 180K miles on it, but was running great. I'm trying to install a new timing belt (and balancer belt) but I'm having trouble aligning the cam gear timing mark to the timing mark on the cylinder head. All other timing marks are aligned and the #1 piston is on TDC of compression stroke. None of the instructions I have show the timing mark for the cam gear very clearly. There appears to be an arrow shaped casting on the head that is right at the top edge of the head on the right side of the cam gear (facing front of engine). When I try to put the cam in this position it is very difficult, and it appears that the intake valves of #4 are opening and hitting the piston. I don't want to apply too much pressure for fear of damaging something in the valve train. Am I looking at the wrong mark on the head? The timing mark on the cam gear is painted white. I removed the head and had a complete valve job done. No valves were bent even tho this is an interference engine. It was running at an idle when the belt broke. This is the first time I have come across balance shafts on a car engine. I used to be a John Deere tractor mechanic and I know many of their 4 cyl. engines had gear driven balance shafts. Anyone have good pictures or illustrations from a service manual for the cam gear timing?
Don