Timing issues

OK, folks...help me out on this if you can...timing belt shot craps on my way to work today...115.00 for the tow, 20.00 for the new belt, had to change it 3 times before it ran.(in the parking lot...in the rain)..3 different timing marks on the cam gear, so, naturally I got the 1st 2 wrong. Here's the problem...I lined up the crank gear with the POINTER like it says in the teamswift link. Somewhere else, I saw the crank gear lined up with the tensioner spring screw. I don't know where mine was...belt was shreadded. Got it running, but very poorly...low idle, slugish, & it will rev once in a while like it has a vacuum leak (which it does not have). Think I should move it again??? Thanks
Oh yeah..'95 metro 1.0, man, A/C

Not sure where your timing marks should be, I will be doing my first belt in a couple of weeks. But it certainly sounds like your valve timing is retarded. From what I understand, these engines are non-interference, so if you make an adjustment and it is not right you won't hurt anything. Check where any of the marks would be if you advanced your cam. Would it correspond to any of them by moving the sprocket one tooth, two teeth,....etc.? Vacuum gauges are inexpensive, easy to use, and they will pinpoint many problems in seconds.

If you are doing a timming belt for the first time, before you remove the old belt set the time to top dead center on compression and then don't move or at least see where the marks are. then install the new one at the same marks. I had the same problem when I biult my engine it had two marks and the book said one and it was wrong. pull #1 spark plug and turn the crank untill you get the air rushing out of the plug hole and mark on cover is at 0.

doug7x do the same thing and don't look at the marks: remove the belt turn the cam shaft untill the rotor is pointing toward the 11 oclock position which is the #1 sp[ark plug pole on the cap. then turn the crank untill you get tdc on the compression stroke now make sure the marks alighn. may take alittle cam shaft moving.

If you are doing a timming belt for the first time, before you remove the old belt set the time to top dead center on compression and then don't move or at least see where the marks are. then install the new one at the same marks. I had the same problem when I biult my engine it had two marks and the book said one and it was wrong. pull #1 spark plug and turn the crank untill you get the air rushing out of the plug hole and mark on cover is at 0.

doug7x do the same thing and don't look at the marks: remove the belt turn the cam shaft untill the rotor is pointing toward the 11 oclock position which is the #1 sp[ark plug pole on the cap. then turn the crank untill you get tdc on the compression stroke now make sure the marks alighn. may take alittle cam shaft moving.

Thanks, folks...I got it...my cam gear has a few extra marks (prob the prev. owner)..There was no way to remove the old belt & hold the position, as mother nature & age removed the belt for me. I remembered that I never moved the distributor, & I also remembered that my ignition timing was at 10 BTDC...I hit it with the timing light, & it was WAY AFTER....jumped the cam gear fwd 1 tooth & I'm all good to go. While I was at it, I bumped the timing back from 11 BTDC (thought it was 10) to 9 BTDC....got rid of my pinging, & it still runs strong...we'll see how it affects mileage. It ran like crap with the cam timing retarded 1 tooth...I gotta wonder how it'd run ADVANCED 1 tooth...I'll start a new thread & see if anyone has tried this. (I'm not afraid to give it a try...I got pretty good at doing the belt...4 times in 24 hrs. ...practice makes perfect) THANKS AGAIN

Good things can be achieved by advancing or retarding the valve timing but only up to about ten degrees. One tooth is more like 28 degrees. There are adjustable pulleys available and the later pulleys actually have two different settings built into them from the factory.

UPDATE...with the new belt & the timing @ 9 BTDC...(back from 11 BTDC)...mileage went up to 58.4, & this INCLUDES 52 miles @ 60 mph with the cam retarded 1 tooth.... 9 deg. BTDC may be the optinum for the ignition. (still researching for optinum valve timing) Thanks again for the tips