Help with Timing Belt Alignment

I'm installing a new Subaru timing belt, (the old belt broke, so I have no existing reference for the question to follow...), and although the belt alignment marks are close to where the sprockets should be (12 o'clock single tick on intake and double ticks facing each other), by aligning the belt mark(s) with the cam sprocket tick(s), the cams are slightly off of 12:00 o'clock, thus the marks don't quite line up with the cover notch(es), nor do the double ticks on the sprockets quite line up now, since the intake cam sproket is now not quite vertical, with respect to the alignment marks. Goes for both sets of cams. This slight misalignment is not caused by slack or sag anywhere, the belt is as tight as it should be prior to the tensioner being sprung.

My question is: given this conflict, which indication, 1) belt marks or

2) cover notch/double tick alignment w/ lower cam, should I be using to align the cam sprockets?

Note: The crank alignment is dead on, belt mark/sensor notch/gear tooth tick are all in alignment.

(Now, I only tried the belt one way, with the label text legible, I could flip it, but I am assuming since it is very close to lining up, this is the only way it could go, as the path is not symetrical wrt each set of cams)

Reply to
Siula Grande
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I assume from the post that you have a dual-cam engine. I changed my dad's belt on his 1.8. The cam marks were dead on, but the belt marks were no where near it.

The sprocket marks and cover marks determine the engine timing. The belt marks are just for reference apparently as this engine ran fine with the belt in a different location. Go to

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and look for the article on the 2.5 dual cam timing belt procedure. I think that article gives a tooth count so you know how much belt to have on each side of the crank shaft.

Be VERY careful with the sprockets as I believe most if not all of the dual-cam engines are interference engines. Meaning turning the cams with the belt off can cause valve/piston damage.

Reply to
Henry Paul

I haven't done this job myself, but this site may be of some help to you --

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alan

Reply to
albob

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