I'm doing the timing belt on a 98 WRX EJ20 and I was undoing the crank bolt for the second time after removing the timing covers and lining up the timing marks with the old belt still on. I had a ratchet on the top right cam shaft bolt (facing the engine) and using it as leverage to undo the crank bolt. I heard clicking from the cam and I think the cam moved as it was now out of timing while the crank was still in position. I rotated the crank twice hoping it would line up again but of course it didn't. I went further a bit very carefully but felt resistance so stopped. It felt different to compression and I removed the sparkplugs and the resistance was still there.

So now the crank shaft is sitting at around 9 o'clock, the cams are all out of the timing marks. I can't go forward with the crank to 12 o'clock because I'm worried of the resistance that I can feel. Is it possible to rotate the crank backwards to 12 then remove the old belt and rotate the cams? Or is it going to damage the motor going anticlockwise that far?

I'm at a loss of what to do now...

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Don't move anything with the belt on if you felt resistance. Take the belt off and line the crank up on the marks. Then simply line up your cam pulleys.

 

Can't that cause damage when the crank isn't at it's timing mark? When I release the belt the top right (facing the engine) inlet cam could spring and make contact right?

 

Timing mark on crank isn't TDC all the pistons are halfway down the bores so no.

 

Why not get 4 rods or sticks of the same length and insert them into the sparkplug holes, and see how far in they go, that way you'll get some idea of the piston positions which 'll give you some confidence that you're not going to damage the valves.