I have a query regarding "timing marks" that I hope somebody will enlighten me with an explanation.
I have just changed the cam belt on my 960 1996 yr. 3ltr engine and not being easy to find the timing marks on the crank shaft or making sense of the cam gears actual "timing" position I made my own marks on the old belt then transfered these marks onto the new belt (as directed in the FAQs)
With the new tensioner and pulley fitted and the water pump checked out I positioned the new belt with its marks in position, ensuring the belt was still on its marks after tensioning, every thing went OK.
I had removed the plugs to enable rotation of the crank shaft but when I checked the marks after revolving the crank two revs the marks did not line up.
What ever I did at the crankshaft I could not get the marks to align as they origionally were.
Even when I rotated the crankshaft back to its origional "belt fitting" position the crank mark was not exactly correct when the cams were ligned up!
Ensuring that there was no contact between the valves and the pistons I re-fitted everything and tested the running of the engine, everything is fine with the engine running as normal
What causes this situation? Should the marks re-align after two "crankshaft" revs? Is this a question for mistic meg?
I await any responses with great interest
Paul-C