Hi everyone! I really need help asap. I'm installing a new timing belt atm. I was in the process of changing the seals on the camshaft and crankshaft this morning. I also rented the tools for it. To cut story short, while i was taking out the bolt on the camshaft and crankshaft, the sprocket moved a wee bit like about 3-6 teeth away counterclockwise. now what i did was rotated the camshaft one full revolution clockwise to get it aligned on the markings again and with the crankshaft i just moved it back without going for a full revolution. So I just need to find out if Im still safe and didnt ruin anything yet. Please let me know. Thank you so much in advance.

 

The cam should be fine since with it aligned on its mark, it's at TDC on cylinder 1, compression stroke. You said you moved the crank back slightly to realign it as well, so you'll be fine. If you had all the marks aligned when the belt came off, you're timed correctly now. Just for added insurance (I do this every time anyhow), hand rotate the engine via the crank bolt two full revolutions and listen for any noise. You'll feel resistance as the pistons move on the compression strokes but beyond that you should feel nothing and only hear the valves open and close. Two full turns with no odd noises or valve/piston interference and you're golden.

But yeah you realigned it properly based on your description. Don't sweat it.

 

Okay so i just got done putting everything back. I took it to work which is about 20 miles away. On my way home i notice that whenever i steer i hear a squeaking sound, even when changing lanes. Sounds like something went wrong with the power steering. Then as soon as i got home popped the hood and smelled burning rubber. and weird sound coming from the belts. I believe the timing is totally okay. However i just remembered that it stated on the manual that to mark which direction the serpentine belts go and i failed to do that since i wasn't paying so much attention to it when i was taking it apart. I was so focused on the timing marks that i forgot that. So i assumed that the arrows on the belts should be pointing right to the driver side. Could this be the problem??? I hope its just that and nothing to do with the timing belt. Which direction should the belts be pointing at? is this still reversible? Any thoughts? I'll go try and take things apart and put it back by tonight. Thank you again.

*NO check engine light.

 

any thoughts?

 

The idea of the arrows is to indicate the direction of rotation, so ideally yes, you'd put the belt back that way. That assumes that it was installed that way to begin with though. I'm honestly not sure just how much that matters though. First off, I'd run the car with the hood open, and using a flashlight if necessary, look straight down at each pulley and see if any of them wobble while idling. You can also verify that the tensioner is properly mounted (pretty sure it can't be midmounted and still hold the belt but it's worth checking). Also make sure that the belt is fully seated on all the pulleys, not riding the lip of one, and on the idler pulleys (the ones that ride against the back, non-V, side of the belt, ensure that it's centered on the pulley, and not riding too far inward (where it can rub against the timing covers) or outward (where it can force the edge of the belt against the lip of an adjacent pulley). Finally, make sure your power steering fluid (green cap behind driver side headlight) is filled to the proper level.

 

Thanks for the reply. I ran the car without the serp belt and notice a significant change. No more squeeking noise. So yeah its definitely the power steering and also i noticed that when the belt is on the sound is coming from the power steering pulley. Could this be a bad pump? and also there were a little bit of power steering fluid leak around the suction hose where the clamp is. I replace he clamp and leak is gone. now im driving my car with no power steering till i can go to the dealership on monday. could a lose of power steering fluid cause that pulley to sound weird?

 

Yes it could, can, will, and is. That noise you're hearing is the pump bearings being destroyed. Power steering fluid is moved by the pump, but it also lubricates and cools the pump. Driving with no fluid can and will destroy the pump. If you can't get to a dealer til Monday, park the car and get a ride until you have the fluid in there.

 

Yes it could, can, will, and is. That noise you're hearing is the pump bearings being destroyed. Power steering fluid is moved by the pump, but it also lubricates and cools the pump. Driving with no fluid can and will destroy the pump. If you can't get to a dealer til Monday, park the car and get a ride until you have the fluid in there.