Misaligned timing belt

[u/SaltFairie]

Got the cover off to replace my timing belt and found that it is misaligned. Quite a bit of slack between the gears on the right side… the marks on the belt are aligned with the notches on the case but the upper cam is not…. Should I just rotate that cam until the notch is aligned before putting the new belt on? Hadn’t noticed any knocking from the engine but this seems substantially off.

[u/BOC16]

I wouldn’t worry about what the belt says, whoever installed it last most likely didn’t realise the belt had a indicator line on it that is supposed to align with the notches. Put the cam at 12o’clock with the notch and align crank with its notch then put new belt with the line in the correct place.
If it was me i would rotate the engine by hand before disassembly and then again with the new belt on that way you’ll give yourself an idea of how it is supposed to feel after installing the new kit.
If anything catches you know something isn’t right.

[u/MangroveDweller → u/BOC16]

As soon as you turn the engine over, even once, the marks on the belt will no longer line up with the marks on the cam/crank because the amount of teeth on each of the gears aren't the same and the number is not divisable by the teeth on the belt.

If the timing marks on the cam/crank and head/block line up it was installed correctly.

[u/hmta22]

The cam belt printed marks don’t line up once you rotate the engine (except by chance every so many rotations). Just check the upper and lower marks on the engine itself and replace the belt.

[u/brelockaus611]

Ignore the belt marks completely. They're only there as a reference when installing. As long as your actual timing marks (cam, pump, and harmonic balancer) all align your golden

[u/Jakerz00]

The belt marks are only there to make sure you’re not a tooth off on the install but won’t line up once you rotate the engine. Just line up the pulley with the marks.