Timing Belt Alignment - Help / Stupid Check

So just got everything buttoned up and put the timing belt on but the alignment markes don't line up IAW the repair manual. Can someone verify this is correct?









This is the mark that is throwing me off. What is it supposed to align to?

 

It appears that mark lines up with the blue dot next to it?

 

If I'm not mistaken the belt can be on there basically however you want but if the pulleys were moved and not lined up properly from where they were your timing can be fucked but I'm not positive on that

 

Looks good to me.

 

Shit, I didn't even notice that mark. If so, its not exactly aligned; its a hair too high.

 

That will not matter, as the timing will be adjusted by the ecm. The dot is dead on the top of the crank gear, the 2 cams are aligned with the same spacing of the arrows. Quit over thinking it and consider it a job well done.

 

You are right to ask these questions.
It looks like you got 3 out of 4 marks on there perfectly. Missing the blue-dot by a hair might be proper.
Knowing this is a non-interference engine, I like your odds of success and the failure is your time to do it again. In this case, if it didn't turn out right, I can't see a better option with that belt. The only other option would be a try another brand of belt where the marks may be slightly different.

 

Its my first time. I like to be very careful on a first time

Thanks for the vote of confidence though

 

If you slide back the outer crank pulley flange, 1 more mark will be revealed on the crank pulley. That mark is for the belt. You want all the marks to line up, belt and pulley/block. Trouble is, that can be tough until the belt is fully tensioned and seated. Fudge the pulley/block marks ever so slightly to allow the belt/pulley marks to line up. After a few revolutions the belt will get fully tensioned/seated and the pulley/block marks should line up perfectly. The belt marks will not line up to the pulley marks after the 1st revolution due to the unequal number of belt teeth between the driver and "tensioner" side. The belt marks are for the initial installation and any subsequent installation as long as they are visible.

And the ECM has nothing to do with valve timing.

 

According to the photos you took, the belt in on with each cam sprocket and the crank sprocket properly aligned to the marks on the engine. The belt is properly installed. Don't worry about the lines that are on the belt. You don't need them. When I did mine those lines were nowhere near the marks on the sprockets or on the block.

 

Go ahead ignore the timing marks, make up your own procedure. Toyota must intentionally put the marks on the belt in the wrong place and add an extra mark on the crank pulley just for the fun of it.

 

So which story is it?

 

Both.

1. The belt does not need any marks on it.

2. If the crank and cam pulleys are aligned to the marks on the engine after the belt is installed and tensioned, everything is okay.

 

Go ahead ignore the timing marks, make up your own procedure. Toyota must intentionally put the marks on the belt in the wrong place and add an extra mark on the crank pulley just for the fun of it.

I install them the way the factory does.

 

Top mark are good, remove that washer guide and you'll see a dot on the crank sprocket. Slightly turn it 1 notch forward and that line on the belt will line up. Make sure the top cams don't move. Cycle 2 turns on the crank and recheck all cam and crank marking. They should all line up to their prospective marking. The lines on the belt will not align anymore too, don't freak out its normal as long as all cams are align on back cover and crank sprocket dot aligns to the rear marking.