Big Bear

I recently put a cam belt on my engine , the timing marks don't line up exactly (I'm told this is normal?) , when I fired the engine up it ran , after shutting the engine down I set the crank to the mark , the timing looked as though it had moved by 1 tooth on the LH inlet cam . Is this normal for the timing to move when the engine is hot? Could this be the engine expanding ?
Any help greatly appreciated Dave

Adam M

sounds dodgy to me. Never ehard of this before. would ask someone who has done it, like steve lawson, pat or pete croney.

Paul_H

You've not aligned the pulleys properly. You need to do the job again (!) but this time turn the engine over by hand (plugs out) (i.e. with a spanner on the crank) a couple of times, then re-check the alignment of all the timing marks. They should all line up correctly.

Paul

Pete Croney

It won't have moved and you will need to re-do the job.

Big Bear

After the engine cools down the marks go back to how they were when the belt was put on ie in line . Why would they change?

Big Bear

Paul_H
I did do as you said wound the engine over by hand for 3-4 complete revolutions and the marks line up , when the engine is hot they move ,when cold they line up .

Paul_H

The timing is either correct or it isn't....if all the timing marks are aligned, and after you turn the engine over a couple of times by hand to settle the belt they are still in alignment...then I would say the job is done.

How are you checking.. are you taking the cambelt covers off when the engine is hot...and if so...why? I personally would check the alignment thoroughly when fitting the belt - then put the covers on and forget about it!

If you're worried then have it checked by a dealer. It's not something to get wrong!

Paul

Big Bear

Paul
I left all the covers off after putting the belt on because I may have to do more work on the engine (not to do with the belt) , the only other thing is that the tensioner may be on its way out .
Dave

RT

What MY is your car?

I had complained of a whining on my MY01 STI RA and took it back to the local Subaru Dealer. They claimed that they found the exact same thing. LH inlet cam pulley to be 1 tooth off!

The belt and tensioner bearing were replaced and the timing was corrected. But that didn't correct the noise. Its still there and I'm still wondering.

Big Bear

Thanks to all who replied , fitted a new tensioner today , all marks are perfect when static and when run the marks still line up . Top result
Cheers Dave

RT

Big Bear, where are the cam marks? Are they on the cam pulley itself which you are supposed to line up with the belt, or are they on the engine block?
Sorry, have seen engines opened before but never noticed this carefully.

Big Bear

RT send me an e-mail on the address in my profile and I'll send you the info you require
Dave