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Need Help With Timing Belt Install!


Brendan
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Im having a b*tch of a time replacing the timing belt on my 98 pathfinder. I made sure that piston 1 is at tdc by turning the crank pulley clockwise to the first mark. Cam marks line up fine when the belt is off, but when i put it on, the crank and lh cam has not moved, but the rh cam has moved 1/2 a tooth. I have no idea what to do anymore. Im getting zero spark, everything is connected. I tested that by using an inline spark tester. I saw that the distributor is run off of the cam, so i guess even when the pulley is a 1/2 tooth off it wont run, because it has to be perfect? Please help me, I really need to get this car back on the road.

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Do you have all of the sensors and connections that are circled hooked up? The two that are closest to the bottom of the image, if their not connected, you won’t get any spark at all. Also check the back of the connectors and make sure that the wire haven’t torn or come loose while you were dissembling the front of your truck.

 

pic004modmz5.th.jpg

 

Take some pics maybe that will help others in here.

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You’ll get spark even if your 20 teeth off (dont tryit though), The ignition system is run off the crankshaft, witch turns you distributor. The timing belt allows your cams to turn in relation to the crankshaft, positioning the valves in the proper position. The Spark actually occurs twice in one cycle, or : (2 revolutions of the crank, or 4 strokes of the piston) one on the compression stroke and one on the exhaust. What im getting at is your engine should be getting spark no matter were the cams are. Just as a reference for the timing belt install, there needs to be 40 teeth between the markings on the cam gears and 43 between the right cam gear and the mark on the crankshaft gear. So it leads me to believe that you have an electrical issue. This might see like a stupid question but does the spark light work? Can you take some more pics from a little further away, want to get a look at what connectors you have taken off and generally see what’s where.

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You’ll get spark even if your 20 teeth off (dont tryit though), The ignition system is run off the crankshaft, witch turns you distributor. The timing belt allows your cams to turn in relation to the crankshaft, positioning the valves in the proper position. The Spark actually occurs twice in one cycle, or : (2 revolutions of the crank, or 4 strokes of the piston) one on the compression stroke and one on the exhaust. What im getting at is your engine should be getting spark no matter were the cams are. Just as a reference for the timing belt install, there needs to be 40 teeth between the markings on the cam gears and 43 between the right cam gear and the mark on the crankshaft gear. So it leads me to believe that you have an electrical issue. This might see like a stupid question but does the spark light work? Can you take some more pics from a little further away, want to get a look at what connectors you have taken off and generally see what’s where.

 

 

Hi,

 

Just like to clear a couple of things up. The distributor is actually driven from the LH Camshaft which in turn is driven by the timing belt via the crankshaft. There is only 1 spark in every cycle, 'induction - compression -'spark' / power - exhaust'. I think you are getting slightly confussed with 2 crankshaft revolutions to 1 camshaft revolution.

 

I do agree with Pathfinder-Rookie and from your photos in that you have an electrical fault. Do you get any spark at all? Did you remove your distributor when changing the timing belt? If you did remove it I would check that you have replaced it in the correct timed position. Reinstall using the workshop manual to aid in lining up the slots on the drive gear of the dizzy. Have you checked that the 2 individual multi pin connectors that go to the dizzy are connected correctly?

 

With regard to the timing mark on the LH Cam sprocket being off by approx 1/2 a tooth (guess from photo) as long as there are 40 teeth between the marks on the camshaft sprockets and 43 teeth from the LH Camshaft sprocket and the timing mark on the crankshaft it will be fine. My LH mark is off by this amount when set up at No 1 TDC.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited by Marooncobra
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Thanks guys! I had alot of other stuff to do today, I will make sure the dotted line is on the right side, and ill reset my distributor cap. Thanks alot, I almost gave up and had it towed! Ill get some more pictures up asap.

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P9260398.JPG

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P9260411.JPG

 

pics taken when engine was at tdc, might not of been directly on but close to it. I smell gas after I crank it, so I'm just not getting any spark. Help me out!

 

How can I change the timing when the cap only goes on one way?

Edited by Brendan
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Im baffled guys, Everything is plugged in, new spark plugs, no spark. What could it possibly be? Which fuses should I check and how can I check/reset the timing without the engine running? All I could find in the fsm is checking it with the engine running.

 

Thanks!

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ummm???

 

The alignment of the marks appear to be correct, was the pic of the crank pulley taken when the cam gears were aligned with the marks on the back cover?

P9260411.JPG

post-4098-1190474021_thumb.jpg

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If all of these are taken at the same time and or with all the marks lined up, then I believe the challenge is:

P9260404.JPG

The dizzy looks like its pointing at #3 instead of #1.... Having never seen a R50 Dizzy/Cap i dont know

Edited by Casey.T
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Does your timing belt have marks on it? If so when the engine is at TDC just put the belt on correctly dotted line on passenger side, don't worry about cam marks to back guard they are always a little off. Put the cap back on and make sure you are pointing at #1 on the distributor rotor. I know it sounds stupid but make sure your wires are on the right place on the cap. Check the cap for cracks, this can cause it not to fire to each plug sometimes. If it was working before it is almost ALWAYS something simple.

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What do you suggest I do?

We still need the question answered... With all 3 of the gear marks where they are supposed to be, is the dizzy pointing at #1 or #3 on the cap?

 

The No Spark, we will need more assistance on that. If the dizzy is pointing at #3 and not #1 it could be as simple as the Crank angle sensor not allowing it to light up.... im not sure....

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We still need the question answered... With all 3 of the gear marks where they are supposed to be, is the dizzy pointing at #1 or #3 on the cap?

 

The No Spark, we will need more assistance on that. If the dizzy is pointing at #3 and not #1 it could be as simple as the Crank angle sensor not allowing it to light up.... im not sure....

 

If the distributor is that far off it could be sparking but it will not fire making it seem like it has no spark. Also, the camshaft position sensor controls injector firing and if the distributor is off injector firing will be off as well. After my first timing belt I put the plug wires on wrong and I thought something was really wrong. The engine would just crank and nothing would happen.

Edited by systemf
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Hmm, might check my wires, but heres a pic of the dizzy, it seems to be pointing right before piston 1. I really didnt mess with it during the installation, but my theory is that the timing might have to be adjusted to the new belt because the old one was stretched? Also I confirmed that there are 40 teeth between the cams and 43 between the rh cam and crank, Is it ok to start putting things back together?

 

P9290399.JPG

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Theres no damn reason why this thing shouldn't spark!!! Is there a fuse or something that could have blown? That to me is the only explanation for what is happening. I marked the dizzy and tried turning it every which way and couldn't get a thing. I don't know what to do anymore. All of my spark plug wires are going to the right places.

Edited by Brendan
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Theres no damn reason why this thing shouldn't spark!!! Is there a fuse or something that could have blown? That to me is the only explanation for what is happening. I marked the dizzy and tried turning it every which way and couldn't get a thing. I don't know what to do anymore. All of my spark plug wires are going to the right places.

 

I'm no expert pathfinder or otherwise. But I thought I'd chime in.

 

Re: no spark--so all of the other electrical components are working yes? The starter is turning, etc., etc.? If so, have you tried pulling the spark plugs (one at a time) and having someone start it while you confirm for sure that you are indeed not getting spark? This might seem redneck, but... make sure your insulated well from the wires and you might want to pull the fuse to the fuel pump as well. If indeed you are not getting spark, make sure you check your fusible links as well as your fuses.

 

If you are getting spark, have you checked for sure that you are at TDC for the right stroke (compression or exhaust)? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I've had instances where I thought I was at TDC for the compression stroke when I was not. Good luck.

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