I don't have the timing belt covers off. Is there a way to check w/o taking off the timing belt covers? I have a timing light. Would having someone crank the engine while I used the light work somehow? Thanks kevin

 

You need to remove the valve cover and upper timing belt cover, put the transmission in neutral, and turn the crank pulley with a breaker bar ONLY counterclockwise until the cam gear is positioned perfectly at TDC1. (Never turn the crank pulley clockwise.) Then look down at the crank pulley to see whether the TDC1 white mark on the crank pulley aligns with the pointer. If not, the timing belt slipped.

 

Before I start tearing things apart(Lazy that I am), couldn't I tell if the belt had jumped with a timing light while someone was cranking the engine. The car ran fine before the rotor came loose. It also just passed smog where they checked the timing. How many degrees off would it be if it had jumped a tooth? It doesn't look easy to get a wrench on the crank bolt and turn the engine over w/o removing some mud covers and doing it from underneath the car. At the moment I've got the car on ramps and they may keep me from getting a wrench on the bolt also.

Also before I take off covers, if I could get the car TDC, shouldn't the rotor be in a particular position that would tell me if the belt had jumped? I'd rather remove the rotor cover than the valve cover and timing belt cover.

 

Set the crank to TDC, then the rotor should be pointing at either wire #1 or #4-- you need to see the "UP" mark on the cam pulley to know which one is correct. It's really not hard to take the covers off.

If you've taken the distributor off of the car, a couple of people (including me) have managed to put it back on with the shaft engaged 180 degrees out of time. The engine will not start like that.

 

Sorry, you must check the mechanical timing the way I described. There's really no other way. There should be a hole in the splash guard giving you access to the crank pulley bolt. Removing the driver's front wheel will give you better access.

 

mk you cant put a distributor on 180 degree on a hinda they only go in one way.

atkinson- are you getting spark and fuel? have you inspected all your fuses under dash and under hood?

 

Mk is abnormally strong and has no problem whatsoever installing a distributor 180-degrees out of phase.

 

I have gas, spark and have checked the fuses under the dash on the one big panel, under the hood where it has three monster fuses, and the 2 fuses coming off the battery.

Any other things it could be before I take off the valve cover? I'm waiting hernia surgery on Friday and it may need to wait until after the surgery. Can't be honking pulling on wrenchs with a hernia. Or for several weeks after the surgery for that matter. thanks kevin

 

This is a great excuse to get the wife or girlfriend to do the work.

 

On the pulley, as I rotate cc, I see 3 notches grouped together. The middle one is painted red. About an inch further along in the cc rotation is an isolated notch, but I can't tell if its painted white. Is this the TDC notch? From the diagram above I'm led to believe so. Also how do I tell if I have a DX, HF OR Si motor.

If I have a DX, I align the pully up with the isolated mark, then the marks on the crack seem to align with the flat surface of the head. If it jumped a tooth. would it be really obvious that it doesn't align with the flat? Seems to be an area there that you could say it was lined up?

I pulled the plugs. They were all wet with gas. I've got spark. If the timing belt hasn't jumped a tooth, what would be the next thing to check for being wrong?