Timing dilemma / 98 gt

[2smoker]

Hey guys, I apologize if this is the wrong sub section but I have quite the problem on my hands.

 

Currently doing the timing belt on my 98 Legacy GT.

I had the 2 right cam pulleys clamped so they wouldn't move out of alignment, but I required the clamp for something else so I took it off.

Unfortunately when I did this the pulleys completely spun out of alignment and I cant set it right because it feels like the valves are hitting.

 

I'm really hoping there's a way of resolving this without taking the rocker covers/ head etc off the engine. Got my mechanic friend coming to take a look tomorrow, will update.

 

Any help greatly appreciated, cheers

[doublechaz]

Almost certainly they are hitting. If you can guess which way to turn things and do it gently enough to get it back to time you will have to do a compression test to see if the valves are bent.

 

Good luck, you're going to need it.

[2smoker]

Almost certainly they are hitting. If you can guess which way to turn things and do it gently enough to get it back to time you will have to do a compression test to see if the valves are bent.

 

Good luck, you're going to need it.

 

Lol nah I’m just a muppet and didn’t realise the right cam pulleys are spring loaded. Got it sorted haha. Mechanic friend got the belt on in about 2 seconds

[doublechaz]

Due to the position in the cycle the right side is sitting on the peak of the lobes and will jump off. The reason for the clamp is that if it jumps the wrong way the intake valves WILL hit the exhaust valves and bend things.

 

If you didn't know about having to pull it up the lobes to get back where it belongs, then that would feel bound up. So fingers crossed that it runs right when done, but it sounds like your odds are way better than when the story was that the valves were already bound up.

 

This is the source of people saying it is an interference engine and others insist it is not. In the earlier years the valves will not hit the pistons, but the valves will hit each other, so not interference in the traditional sense, but same as when considering catastrophic engine damage vis a vis broken timing belts. Later the head design changed for higher compression and the valves will hit the pistons.

Edited March 11, 2022 by doublechaz