94 Pathy Gary Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 (edited) Hey guys and gals! I tore into the timing belt change today... Spent the first little while cursing automotive design engineers: It took just over an hour to get the $@#$%#%$# radiator and fan shroud out! Also broke *every* bolt holding the lower engine cover on. Grrrrrrrrr.... Anyway, 2 hours later and I have her all stripped down but I can't for the life of me find the alignment mark for the crank sprocket... I can see the dot on the sprocket itself just fine but cannot find the corresponding mark on the engine. I have the Nissan service manual and that's no help, and I looked at the pictures posted by Jim Bennett (http://www.jimbennett.net/timing_belt_replacement.htm) but I still can't find it. Anybody? Oh yeah, it's a 1994 Pathy. Good (?) news is that it *looks* like the belt may have jumped a tooth (eyeballing where I think the alignment mark *should* be) so this timing belt change may take care of the annoying ticking sound I can't seem to track down... :cool2: Anyway, any advice on locating the elusive alignment mark will be much appreciated. The rotor is pointing at the #1 plug wire terminal so we're close! Thanks, Cheers! Gary Edited March 2, 2006 by 94 Pathy Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 There isn't one. You have to line up TDC and make the mark yourself before taking off the timing belt. I know the FSM and Chilton's all say there should be a mark, but I have yet to see one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 yeah i had that problem with mine, listen to 88, and yeah mine was off a tooth or two and it made a huge difference in how it shifted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted March 2, 2006 Author Share Posted March 2, 2006 Doh! Old belt is already off. I wonder how it's aligned initially (at the factory) or after a belt breaks. Anyway, I'll quit looking for a mark and just ensure #1 is TDC and line up the cam marks (they're both fine) Thanks guys (even if that's NOT what I wanted to hear! (grin)) Cheers! Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 (edited) As long as you align the marks on the camshaft sprockets to the marks on the inner timing cover, and the belt marks to that, you'll be fine to just align the other mark on the crankshaft sprocket, to the mark on the belt. Hope that makes sense. Edited March 2, 2006 by Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 or after a belt breaks. if that happens then you buy a new engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 drat. guess i am too late for this party. what they said ^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 if that happens then you buy a new engine Not necessarily true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 if that happens then you buy a new engine i changed some valves and the belt and she ran like a champ to find TDC u could place a rod thru the spark plug hole...like a welding rod or something in the #1 cylinder (make sure its long enough to not fall in) and rotate the crank and see where it is then i'd take a punch and make the mark (thats what we did with mine during the top end rebuild) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted March 2, 2006 Author Share Posted March 2, 2006 i changed some valves and the belt and she ran like a champ to find TDC u could place a rod thru the spark plug hole...like a welding rod or something in the #1 cylinder (make sure its long enough to not fall in) and rotate the crank and see where it is then i'd take a punch and make the mark (thats what we did with mine during the top end rebuild) Exactly what I'm gonna do, Bro' Thanks, Cheers! Gary (I've read that you can just use the first timing mark (extreme left one) on the pulley too, but I dunno how accurate that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth1 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 So the crankshaft alignment mark is not a notch on the oil pump housing (unlike the camshaft sprocket marks which are holes) like it says in the FSM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted March 2, 2006 Author Share Posted March 2, 2006 So the crankshaft alignment mark is not a notch on the oil pump housing (unlike the camshaft sprocket marks which are holes) like it says in the FSM? I'm guessing that it's not. I have the FSM, Chilton's and Hayne's and all of them show a notch in the oil pump housing, but I'll be damned if I can find a notch on my Pathy.... Weird Cheers! Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 So the crankshaft alignment mark is not a notch on the oil pump housing (unlike the camshaft sprocket marks which are holes) like it says in the FSM? Apparently they forgot that part, or it never went into production. There was nothing there on any of the Pathys I've taken apart, including junkyard ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 (edited) UPDATE: It took about 7 hours total and she's running like a champ again. Things I learned: - Automotive design engineers are EVIL! - Nissan says to change these belts at 160K for a good reason! Mine had 182K on it and had worn/stretched enough to jump a tooth. The ticking sound I was hearing was indeed valve/piston intereference and I doubt that I was very far away from a catastrophic failure. - Don't believe everything you read (alignment marks) and don't think that a FSM will tell you everything you need to know... Some of the "instructions" are pretty vague. - Have lots of extra hose clamps available before you start: The old ones WILL snap, twist, distort, and just generally ruin your day. - Don't sweat alignment marks, tooth counting, etc., etc., if you're replacing the timing belt with a Nissan OEM one: They make it idiot proof. I wish I had had a look at the belt before starting this thread! Last, I'll confirm that it's a good idea to change out anything and everything you think may need changing: This is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the bitchiest job I've ever done on a vehicle. (And I was an apprentice mechanic in an engine/trasmission shop when I was a kid.) Along with the timing belt/tensioner, change the cam seals, front seal, water pump, thermostat, even the oil pump if you like.... I'm not looking forward to this job again. In fact, next time I'll pull the engine: It'll be easier! Cheers! Gary Edited March 3, 2006 by 94 Pathy Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisnc100 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 - Nissan says to change these belts at 160K for a good reason! The change interval is 105k miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 The change interval is 105k miles. Everybody's a critic! Tell me: What's 105,000 miles in Kilometers? Hint: the answer will have a "1", a "6", and a "0" Cheers! Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Everybody's a critic! Tell me: What's 105,000 miles in Kilometers? Hint: the answer will have a "1", a "6", and a "0" Cheers! Gary Well done!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisnc100 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 That's what I get for posting replies at 7am before I'm awake. By the way, the 96+ Pathfinders didn't have a mark either, nothing on my 97 when I did my change even though the FSM still shows it exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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