'90 Legacy Timing Belt trouble

[Diamroyal]

:: grins :: okay, so, I have now adjusted the timing belt a total of five times.

The first time, we go TDC, aligning all lines and marks....slap the tensioner back on it, it runs, get everything /back/ on the car, drive it around the block, everything's fine....run out to it the next morning...nada. chuga-chuga-chuga, maybe I'll turn over, maybe I won't....So I've pulled it back apart and voila, it's jumped by about two inches...so we go to TDC again, align everything....but then I look at it, pull out my Haynes, and count teeth...the /left hand side/ to the sprocket I get the right number of teeth, but on the /right hand side/, it's three over. Now, /that/ time I left it aligned by the marks, but when I throw the tensioner back on, tighten the idler pulley and try to let 'er rip, nada. It /did/ act like it wanted to fire on one side, but that's it.

So, needless to say, after many long profanities, I pull the tensioner back off, and start fussing with teeth...ie: "If I put it /here/, does it work..." <---see this is me, shooting in the dark.

Does anyone know if there's some kind of special circumstance for why this is such a pain in the butt? I've never worked on Suby's timing before, mostly fords and Hondas, but a friend mentioned that /his/ suby was /horribly/ finicky with the timing, and he eventually gave up and took it into a specialist.

If anyone can shed light on the situation, it'd be great.

[StNicholas]

<<<okay, so, I have now adjusted the timing belt a total of five times.

The first time, we go TDC, aligning all lines and marks....slap the tensioner back on it, it runs, get everything /back/ on the car, drive it around the block, everything's fine....run out to it the next morning...nada. chuga-chuga-chuga, maybe I'll turn over, maybe I won't....So I've pulled it back apart and voila, it's jumped by about two inches...so we go to TDC again, align everything....but then I look at it, pull out my Haynes, and count teeth...the /left hand side/ to the sprocket I get the right number of teeth, but on the /right hand side/, it's three over. Now, /that/ time I left it aligned by the marks, but when I throw the tensioner back on, tighten the idler pulley and try to let 'er rip, nada. It /did/ act like it wanted to fire on one side, but that's it.>>>

WOW, that'd drive me off to the nuthouse. Then again, perhaps I better walk there from here since there'd be no wheels.

Lots of possibilities. First off, do you feel it is you or the engine? Could it be that your procedure is a bit lax? The Haynes manual could be a conributing factor here. It is generally ok, but their procedure for the older 2-belt Soobs was abysmal.

OK, so you've redone this like 5 times. Is the belt OK? Are the teeth on the belt still good? Is anything not rotating correctly? Idlers, cams, water pump, oil pump? The old 2.2L is a non-interference engine, so rotating the cams shouldn't run anything together. Rotating them cold, isn't the same as rotating them hot, but not much chance of rotating them hot (e.g., hot carbon deposits that interfere). How about the tensioner? Do you feel that it is up to the task? The Haynes won't have a spec for it; replace if you feel it has failed. (since it ran for a bit, then jumped, I'd be real concerned about it).

<<<So, needless to say, after many long profanities,>>>

I'll have a bit of extra time in purgatory, too after replacing the clutch in my 91.

<<<Does anyone know if there's some kind of special circumstance for why this is such a pain in the butt? >>>

I'm guessing that some other part is/has failed. Figuring it out will take some more sleuthing. Unfortunately, I don't know what part would typically do this.

Good luck, and let us know what you end up doing.

Nick

[Diamroyal]

<<<I'll have a bit of extra time in purgatory, too after replacing the clutch in my 91. >>>

:: grins :: yeah, I was thinking that today, (and yes, the scary thing is, /despite/ the cold, I'm going to be /right back out there today/,) I'd start again at TDC, double check everything for acuracy, and try a few more times...:: rolls eyes :: I've got the thing down to where I can get the tensioner off, readjust the belt, (and unfortunately, as this was /originally/ a water pump...which is working fine...so I replaced the belt, and it's therefore nothing quite as simple as a degraded belt,) and get the tensioner back on in about twenty mins...And I wish I could just blame it on me, but I've had extra hands for holding things in place with I buttoned down the hatches...But yeah...all things considered, I'm starting to think /really/ hard on the tensioner, especially if all else should fail

:: frowns :: I had someone watch the action when I attempted to start it up, and everything appears to be going but for actually /going/...he almost said it was as if it were trying to fire before it hit TDC...:: shrugs :: unfortunately, what with the entire mess I'm in with it already, I only have about two brain cells left, and when we tried adjusting according to that tidbit, nada...

Thankfully, this is /nothing/ like the time when I broke down in my Mazda pickup, and /everyone/, from me to mechanics diagnose it as the clutch....replace that, get it off the lift, and voila....stick it in first and it goes backwards...:: grins :: hell of a laugh...and it ended up being the drive train...lol. I'm thinking I'm getting pretty good in the patience department with recalcitrant vehicles... hopefully...

anyway, thanks...I need all the imput I can get!

[himie298]

When you compress the belt tensioner in a vice it should take 1 to 3 minuets it's a slow process with lots of pressure then I put in a finishing nail to hold it back while I install it. If you can compress the tensioner easly you need a new one. When I put the drivers side cam on the mark I make sure that the belt is tight from the bottom. I will use a wrench to hold the cam tight so the only slack is where the tensioner is. Many new belts have timing marks on them. Try NAPA or Autozone.
Good luck