# car won't start after replacing timing belt?



## bvang

Hi today i was replacing my timing belt and after getting off the timing belt I want to change the cam oil seals and when i try to take off the bolt on one of the cam sprocket, the cam sprocket kind of snap or spring into position. So I turn it back the cam sprocket to the top dead center. Then when i finish installing the timing belt my car won't start. It hears a click when i try to start the engine and then the battery went dead. Does anybody can help me out? Thank you in advance. do you know if i need to realign my cam timing? and how do you realign the timing?


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## wolfen1086

When you set the can to TDC it must be on the intake stroke of #1. Did you set the crank shaft to #1 TDC also? If you didn't it won't work


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## kjms1

you have to get the cam and crank gears lined up correctly .. there are marks on each gear and they both have to be in the correct position

since i have no idea what you are working on except its a car,,, you need to go and find out were they need to be pointing


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## bvang

well i did have the cam and crank at tdc but when i try to take out one cam sprocket to change the oil seal, it kind of jump or sprung into position. so i turn it back to the line mark. so after i finish installing the timing belt my car won't start.


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## wolfen1086

did you turn it forwards or backwards? ALWAYS turn the shafts in the correct direction, Make sure both are lined up correctly at TDC on intake stroke, some cars will line the mark up on the intake and exhaust stroke


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## Basementgeek

How do you know if it is the intake stroke if the valve timing is all messed up?

BG


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## bvang

i turn it backwardthe back and what do you mean by always turn the shaft in the correct position? you mean if the cam sprocket spin left then i turn right?


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## bvang

because i know it's the intake stroke that got miss up because my car is a 300zx v6 twin cam engine and there are 2 cams sprocket on each side. i only turn the 2 cam sprocket on the left side that got cam timing miss up and i didn't touch the right side cam sprocket


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## wolfen1086

Basementgeek said:


> How do you know if it is the intake stroke if the valve timing is all messed up?
> 
> When #1 are both closed teh cam is at tdc, when teh crank is at tdc with eth pistop au its at tdc.
> 
> BG





bvang said:


> i turn it backwardthe back and what do you mean by always turn the shaft in the correct position? you mean if the cam sprocket spin left then i turn right?


No I mean always turn all engine components in the same direction as the engine rotates when it is running.
You will have to start from scratch, pull all plugs and check for damage, is theres no damage remove the valve cover and turn the engine by hand until the #1 piston is at tdc, and then move the cam to the tdc position, making sure both intake and exhaust valves are closed, then reinstall the belt and the spark plugs, and attempt starting


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## bvang

ok thank you! you mean the plug is it spark plugs right? and how do i check for damage?


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## Tomken15

Did the engine turn over before you heard the click and the battery died ?


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## bvang

Tomken15 said:


> Did the engine turn over before you heard the click and the battery died ?


no but it think when i replace the timing belt i didn't turn the crank bold a few rounds to see if the timing marks are in place and then after that the engine turn on for 1 or 2 seconds then it dies.


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## Tomken15

You'd best go through the setup procedure again.

The reason I asked if the engine turned over first before you heard the click, is because that is indicitive of a jammed starter motor and/or bad contact at the battery terminals. The battery would seem if it was dead and may have had nothing at all to do with the timing belt problem.


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## bruiser

Check the battery and be sure cables are clean and making good contact.


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## wolfen1086

bvang said:


> ok thank you! you mean the plug is it spark plugs right? and how do i check for damage?


when you pull the plugs inspect the threads and, the little tang that sticks over the center and the center for any thing that looks like a strike from a metal object. When you put the bottom at TDC use a flash light and watch through et spark plug hole at #1 cylinder's piston tdc is achieved when it is at the top of the stroke and the timing make ( if equiped) lines up with 0 on the gage.


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## Basementgeek

A couple 300x's were interference engines:

Timing Belts: Is Your Engine an Interference Engine?

If so, turning the engine over, with the valve timing off, bad news. That could be the clicking you heard.

BG


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## bvang

i didn't know this before but the engine is a twin cam so on the passenger side the intake cam and exhaust cam is off timing or miss up and the driver side is ok. do you guys know how i can reset the intake cam and exhaust cam?


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## Tomken15

wolfen1086 said:


> when you pull the plugs inspect the threads and, the little tang that sticks over the center and the center for any thing that looks like a strike from a metal object. When you put the bottom at TDC use a flash light and watch through et spark plug hole at #1 cylinder's piston tdc is achieved when it is at the top of the stroke and the timing make ( if equiped) lines up with 0 on the gage.


I was taught to use a pencil. You carefully held it in the sparkplug hole and noted how much was prutruding at its peak, marked it off then rotated again until you got the same mark on whichever stroke you were looking for.


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## Tomken15

bvang said:


> i didn't know this before but the engine is a twin cam so on the passenger side the intake cam and exhaust cam is off timing or miss up and the driver side is ok. do you guys know how i can reset the intake cam and exhaust cam?


Basically, you line the notches up with No1 at TDC when both valves should be closed. In the days when we had Distributors it was a lot easier to differentiate between the ignition stroke and the exhaust stroke because with the distributor cap off, you just turned the engine until the rotor was pointing at No1.

You should have set the engine to this position before you stripped it down and not moved it again until you had the timing belt in place.

I think your best bet would be to get hold of a workshop manual and you should never undertake a job like this unless you know the correct procedure and the do's and don't's. That way you won't end up in the doodoo.


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## Tomken15

To ensure the engine is at No1 TDC and on its ignition stroke, align the TDC timing mark on the crankshaft pulley with the Datum pointer and that No1 piston is at its peak, either visually by looking into the No1 sparkplug hole or by holding a pencil in the spark plug hole as I've previously described.

Align the notches on the camshaft pullies and starting at the top, fit the timing belt onto the pullies ensuring that the grooves on the belt are firmly fitted into the drive slots of the camshafts and without any slack between the two pullies, then feed onto the crankshaft pulley.

Bring in the tensioner pulley (I think it's to allow a deflection of about 1/2" but it's been a long time since I last set up an engine and this is where the workshop manual for your vehicle is essential) then secure the tensioner.

Rotate the engine twice to realign the TDC timing mark on the crankshaft pulley with the Datum pointer and the notches on the camshafts should still be aligned.

Hope this helps.


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## Basementgeek

> Tomken15-I think your best bet would be to get hold of a workshop manual and you should never undertake a job like this unless you know the correct procedure and the do's and don't's. That way you won't end up in the doodoo


I really think you ought to follow Tomken15 advice. Your trying save the price of few dollars by not buying a book could cost you dearly, like several hundreds of dollars.

BG


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## wolfen1086

Tomken15 said:


> I was taught to use a pencil. You carefully held it in the sparkplug hole and noted how much was prutruding at its peak, marked it off then rotated again until you got the same mark on whichever stroke you were looking for.


Me too, either that or a 1-4" dowel rod 10" long


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## m0jkb

Take it to a garage and stop messing about with stuff you clearly know nothing about!!


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## Tomken15

m0jkb said:


> Take it to a garage and stop messing about with stuff you clearly know nothing about!!


That isn't very encouraging, especially as he'd have to push it or get a tow.

At least he's trying to better himself, he just needs pointing in the right direction and this will be a valuable lesson for him.

Given garage charges, the more you can learn to do yourself, the better.


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## Basementgeek

Are you going to get a repair manual ? 

BG


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## Tomken15

Basementgeek said:


> Are you going to get a repair manual ?
> 
> BG


He must still have his head under the bonnet (oh, you call it the hood) as he hasn't been back. :smile:


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## Basementgeek

I plenty old enough to know what a bonnet and boot are :grin:

BG


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## wolfen1086

I haven't heard it called a bonnet in years


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## Tomken15

Basementgeek said:


> I plenty old enough to know what a bonnet and boot are :grin:
> 
> BG


Was that when you were in the UK during the War ? :grin:


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## Tomken15

wolfen1086 said:


> I haven't heard it called a bonnet in years


I'd have thought you would have had enough Brits in the US by now to have converted you all :wink::grin:


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## Basementgeek

When I was a high school and worked a grocery store, the old folks many times wanted me to put their pokes in the boot.

Maybe we taught you brits those words :grin:

But on a serious note, he has to get a manual IMO it may very well from save him from redoing the job.

BG


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## wolfen1086

Tomken15 said:


> I'd have thought you would have had enough Brits in the US by now to have converted you all :wink::grin:


Nope, only met two in person here in the U.S. I mainly hang out ( well used to) the Aussies that came over form training at Oceana


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## Tomken15

Yes, he'll need the manual even if it's just for the torque wrench settings if he's to do a proper job.


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## m0jkb

Tomken15 said:


> That isn't very encouraging, especially as he'd have to push it or get a tow.
> 
> At least he's trying to better himself, he just needs pointing in the right direction and this will be a valuable lesson for him.
> 
> Given garage charges, the more you can learn to do yourself, the better.


Indeed!

I think you are having your leg pulled!!


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## Tomken15

m0jkb said:


> Indeed!
> 
> I think you are having your leg pulled!!


Don't follow your logic on that one in context of the thread


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