Help! Timing belt probs

[Guest newbie]

I hope that someone can help me with this. How do you align the motor to TDC when there is no timing mark on the oil pump housing? I have installed a new belt and the motor will run fine off the battery, but as soon as the alternator is hooked up, the motror will start and kick off as soon as the alternator comes on. Maybe the belt is off a tooth at the crank?

It idles fine as long as the pig tail on the alternator is diconected but not when it is plugged in? Vacuum loss, maybe? Help?????

[88pathoffroad]

If it runs fine with the t-belt as-is, then the timing isn't the problem. Your alternator is. Check all your wiring and make sure everything's plugged in right and tight.

[Guest newbie]

Okay, new alternator wires all tight, same problem. Any ideas? :confused:

[Slick]

So.. your Pathy IDLES fine WITHOUT the alternator.... but you're saying as soon as you hook it UP it konks out? Sounds like your alternator is shorting out.. do what 88 said.. check all the alternator wires, especially the ground wire..something could have worked loose while you were doing the t-belt. BTW.. there are two timing marks, one on each cam sprocket.. I don't have a mark on my housing either. Line the cam sprocket marks up with the (aw crap fergot the name!) ...ack! hafta get back to you on that one.... you can also tell TDC if you have the valve covers off... lemme go take a peeksie at my marks... *runs outside* pssd

Edited August 12, 2005 by Slick

[Guest newbie]

The wires all seem tight and secure. About the timing belt, the oil pump housing at the bottom has no alignment markings for the crank. manual shows a notch, I don,t have one. I had to line it up using a string and the harmonic balance. anyway could the crank angle sensor be screwing up and the engine idle/timing be advanceing when the alternator is hooked up?

Edited August 12, 2005 by newbie

[88pathoffroad]

Nope. All the alternator does is generate AC power which is recified by a set of heavy-duty diodes to render the AC output into DC power. There's no sensor for it, no ECU feedback or anything like that. I'd take off the alternator and take it in to be tested. It sounds like it took a crap on you.

[unccpathfinder]

no alignment markings for the crank. manual shows a notch, I don,t have one. I had to line it up using a string and the harmonic balance.

 

had that problem... but corrected that with a punch after my breakage and had the heads off to mark TDC...

 

but i think we have like a 2-3 tooth tolerance so if ure timing was that far off u woulda ate some valves so im sure if its running fine without the alternator on then its in time and possibly u have the belts on in the wrong groves on the crank so it binds the motor and stalls it out??

 

if ure unsure of TDC take a welding rod or something like that and pull the #1 plug and turn the motor over by hand w/ a wrench until u see the stick start to move down then play with it back and forth until u find the peak and this will be TDC then u can check the marks on ure cams to see if they're where they're suppossed to be to ensure ure in time

 

**note** make sure its long enough that it wont fall down in the cylinder if ure near BDC cuze this would be BAD

 

hope that helps a lil

[Guest newbie]

Thanks for the info, been tryin to figure this out , guess I'll take the alternator to have it tested. Bad luck on a new one, Never trust a remanned. Was havin the problem finding the timing mark on the crank as I just installed new heads to correct the exhaust leaks, Hopefully for good.

[88pathoffroad]

Yeah, I haven't seen a VG30 yet that actually had the crank timing mark on the oil pump. You have to line up TDC yourself and mark it with a punch. It's at about 5:30 if the crank sprocket were a clock and the mark were the minute hand...

[Guest newbie]

Yep. that was it, "defect" alternator. Only one question, if you have the time. The manual lists the vehicle should idle around 850, but the alt. I just got came with a printout that shows it really doesn't put out any power till 1000rpm. Anyway I just bumped up my idle. Any Ideas?

Oh yeah the timing belt was aboutr 1 tooth off on the crank. But thanks again for all your help. I might actually have a running pathy soon.

Edited August 12, 2005 by newbie

[Precise1]

Hey Bud, thats normal for the 1000rpm atlernator bit. Most cars don't charge or well at idle. A common misperception that a lot of people have; jumping a car with a dead battery and just letting it idle for a while is not only bad for the motor, it doesn't charge the battery much. Driving the car does... Put your idle back to where it belongs (800-850rpm) and forget about it. Remember, normally, your battery only has draw when you start the car, everything else generally runs off of the alternator (the exception is if you have a crazy stereo amp or a gazillion hi power lights, then you need 2 batteries and/or higher watt alternator). When you drive, even short distances, the alternator tops off the battery for the next start.

You are fine...

 

B