timing the engine

[dmwhiteoak]

If that alignment is correct than I will continue to work with it. I never have liked that plastic pulley and will replace it as soon as I can get one. Thanks Beek. Mark, those streaks were oil. I wiped them clean.

[bradartigue]

Here's a good line drawing showing the cast marks: http://www.justanswer.com/car/4xs6y-fia ... pider.html

I would like to understand this comment more: "Anytime that the belt tension is relieved, the timing belt must be replaced."

Is this true even if you don't start the engine? I.e. you install a belt, release the tension, turn the engine by hand a couple times, slack the belt and reposition the belt?

If it were true I would have destroyed 20+ motors.

[dmwhiteoak]

The engine is timed and running smooth. It's hard to believe what the problem was. I installed new bosh plugs and I'm guessing I must have done something to foul them. The two I checked were firing everywhere but at the electrode. I installed the old ones and it fired right up. The Bosh plugs were black with unburned fuel but nothing I could see that would foul them. Thanks everyone for the help. I learned a lot.

[bradartigue]

The engine is timed and running smooth. It's hard to believe what the problem was. I installed new bosh plugs and I'm guessing I must have done something to foul them. The two I checked were firing everywhere but at the electrode. I installed the old ones and it fired right up. The Bosh plugs were black with unburned fuel but nothing I could see that would foul them. Thanks everyone for the help. I learned a lot.

Age old debate on platinum (assuming you used Bosch platinum): http://archive.mirafiori.com/show.php?fid=2&msg=49873

If you initially set the timing wrong (e.g. pointed to #1, which I do about 50% of the time) you can foul the crud out of a couple of plugs. It doesn't take much.