Engine question

[tom4bren]

The "chocolate monkey" thing might just do that (), so I always point people to the original how-to here:

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/how-tos/tb/tbelt.htm

The above link is from my website, and if I make any revisions, you will see them there, but not in the PDF that Tom made of my original how-to back when I originally posted it. In fact I do think there are some minor changes on my site that ARE NOT in the PDF currently. Plus, I think my website is a better format and easier to follow. While the PDF is easier for people to find, I encourage everyone to visit the instructions on my site over the PDF.

Yerrrr Welcome!!!

I tried to be true to Bart's write up when I converted it to PDF (only took a little comic liberties). In retrospect, I should've added a hyperlink to his website so that any updates could be tracked. The PDF isn't supposed to do anything more than provide a copy for peeps to archive if they wish & print a throw-away copy to have in the garage whilst doing the repair.

Back on topic: Take the pix of the timing mark alignments to an authorized Isuzu repair facility (yes, those still exist) & find out if it appears out of spec to them.

IMHO, although the mark is obviously off slightly, it's not off by the amount that a 1 tooth adjustment on the belt would correct. If you adjust the belt by 1 tooth, the mark may actually be on the other side of the reference. This makes me think that it's a tensioner issue.

BTW, Chocolate Monkey:

[Ldub]

IMHO, although the mark is obviously off slightly, it's not off by the amount that a 1 tooth adjustment on the belt would correct. If you adjust the belt by 1 tooth, the mark may actually be on the other side of the reference. This makes me think that it's a tensioner issue.

Take a close look at the pic in question...the camera isn't lined up square with the end of the cam, giving the appearance that the reference mark is slightly off.
If the camera moved left slightly, so that the cam sprocket bolt was in line with center, everything would line up just right.

[MSHardeman]

When I helped Joh (VXorado) do his timing belt, his cam looked just like the picture above. We sat there and pondered whether his timing was actually off, or not, for a couple of hours. We moved the cams one tooth back and forth, but the marks never seemed to line up perfectly (they where that way with the old belt on too). In the end he left it, put it all back together, and it's been running just fine ever since.