Hi guys, firstly I know nothing about car engines hence why I've paid for mechanics to do my timing belt change.

Background info - I phoned importcarparts and requested the correct kit for a timing belt change along will the pulleys and tensioners and the waterpump. These turned up.

Now to the bit that I know nothing about....(i'm just saying what they've told me)

The mechanics changed everything over nice and quickly however then hand turning the belt to "crank it over" after they have lined everything up, the pulley on the right (if your looking at the car) doesn't match up once they have cranked it, apparently its almost a tooth out every time?

They have tried putting it a tooth out to start with the then crank it over but this doesn't work. They've counted the teeth on each pulley and the belt compared to the old ones and its all exactly the same.

Does anyone have any ideas I can pass on to them?

 

Some one will be along to correct me but I thought the engine has to be turned approx 150 times before it all re aligns.

 

If they lined up the markings on the belt in the correct direction to the marks on the pulleys & the pulleys are in line with the cover markings its correct, the problem you mention is all the incorrect tolerences, like head skims etc, part centre lines, especially if using non oem parts will always show up on the l/h bank, or r/h if looking from the front, this happens all the time, no big issue at all.

 

So a slight misalignment isn't hazardous to the engine ?

 

No it's fine. As long as it was all properly lined up when the belt went on it will still be fine. The marks don't remain lined up after rotation.

 

I think all the lines line up again except the far right (if looking at engine) and that's the pulley lines not the belt lines. If that makes sense?? It doesn't to me!

 

Update: turned car on and all was OK!

 

As mentioned earlier the marks must line up when you first set the belt up, they will move a little at the belt slightly stretches with age, as most things in life do !!

 

Quite usual for the L/H pulley lines to be 1/2 tooth off due to the things mentioned in post 3.

Mick