Little help with timing belt, '99 V6

qball

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Well into a water pump/timing belt replacement I realized I was ill-prepared. Having watched some videos now I feel I did ok. I had a new belt, pump, and idler pulley and tensioner pulley and tensioner. Happy for the latter since it came with the clip holding the pin compressed. I had a Hayne's manual and the V6 Service Manual Supplement, and the diagrams and instructions from the new hardware. All 3 instructions were about similar. I started my belt at the bottom and proceeded to the front, up around idler, to the front cam, down to the WP, up to the rear cam, then down to the tensioner pulley. Problem was I bolted the new tensioner pulley to the water pump wrong, so it sat too far back, making the belt way too tight as I strung it down from the rear cam on my way back down to the crank sprocket. I guess I tried too hard to slide it over the pulley and turned the rear cam. But no sweat, after I realized the new pulley was cockeyed and removed the belt I rechecked my shafts and turned the rear cam back to 12 o'clock. And I was very careful throughout checking all three shafts. I assert that both cams and the crank sprocket marks were on target. With the tensioner pulley correct the belt was a breeze. BUT, putting on the crank pulley and cover I then saw the single pulley mark (not the other three) was about 1 1/2-2 degrees past tdc. I just don't get it. For one thing, I swear the crank sprocket mark and the woodruff key were sticking straight up at 12 o'clock, and my cam marks were on target. Second, I can't believe I could rotate that tiny crank sprocket, especially clockwise (to put the pulley mark at 2 degrees to the right of tdc). Even though I've said that I was pulling pretty good to try and thread the belt over the pulley by the tensioner that was more downward tension, from the rear cam, not upward enough to turn the crankshaft. Any thoughts? No, I did not start the car. But, yes, I put it all back together because I was just done with it. BTW, turning five revolutions to seat the belt felt just fine.
 

Nam1911a1

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Hmm. I had a similar mishap while taking the timing over off of my c32a in my Acura Legend. For some reason the bolt holding the tensioner pulley holds the lower timing cover off. So there is no way to take it off without letting loose that spring and having the belt jump teeth. Is exactly what happened.

So there I was stressing out about lining up the crank with the two cams. Got it all back together. Turned the crank by hand a dozen times. And then started it up and hoped for the best. And that bitch was purring like a kitten
 
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