I swear the tensioners are always a pain in the ***!!! i hate that lil cilinder tensioner and its expensive the lil f*cker!!

 

i want to start this by saying THANK YOU for all your help i found the timing marks..replaced the other pulleys around the timing belt NEW head gasket..yesterday went out to start it and it runs..i didn't have a chance to really get into it..just drove it around the house and what not to see if it would move..but again THANK YOU for all your help

 

no problem one thing you need to remember though. since you have a 420a and the head bolts are notorious for not clamping down very well from the first time around (specs in book don't give good tightness) so about 150-175 miles take your valve cover off and tighten your head bolts back down to specs. that way you will guarantee them to sit tight for the rest of its life.

 

Hello, I had the exact same problem with my 97. I replaced the belt and set everything as stated in the earlier posts. Started up the car and it sputters, almost sounds like a blown head gasket. My question is do you have to turn the crank one tooth to take the slack out to tighten the belt up and then release the tensioner. I did not do this......is this my problem. Any help appreciated thanks guys.

 

If the timing marks are lined up then its fine.

If they are lined up.. then you have bent valves

 

I have a problem with timing belt too. I scanned my car today and it says "timing belt missing a tooth or more on cams."

Is there anyway to fix this without needing to remove the whole side of my car such as powersteering pump, waterpump, and other things on the way?

I notice there is a little hole where we can adjust timing belt but it's small and I can't see everything so I don't know what to do with it.

Please help, emission is coming in 3 days and I need this done

 

You need to release the tension from the belt and adjust it. Do what ever you have to do in order to do that.

The write up on how to change a timing belt is on vfaq and basiclaly the same principle applies

 

I don't know how to do it. HOw much would it cost for me to get a mechanic to do it?

 

That varies a lot. I really couldnt tell you

 

is there anyway I can just reset the computer so it won't have check engine light for like 1 hour? I just need to pass emmission test.