Crank gear has no divot mark for timing

I’m replacing my water pump and timing belt on my 2000 tacoma 3.4l V6. The crank gear for the timing belt doesn’t have a divot for the timing. Instead it has a flat area where there are no teeth. How do I know what the timing mark is?

 

The timing mark is on the flat face of the gear not the back portion with the sensor teeth.

 

Just a question, did you look at the old one and how it was attached/put on. Or did we just tear it off and hope for the best?

 

My guess is it was never even looked at!

By who ever removed the parts. I would love to be proved wrong!

 

TBH thats what i do most of the time

 

How often does that approach bite you in the butt?

I can understand after doing a job numerous times like rear brakes.

 

Daily
Good luck, OP. Looks like you got a solid answer from someone with some sense.

 

Nothing says "welcome to TW" like a nice condescending insult.

 

Wow an insult I thought it was a valid question.

I must have an outdated definition of Insult.

 

I pulled this off my 97 4runner. The timing mark on this one is visible on the outer sensor ring.
Notice the broken tooth:
I dropped it during the job and didn't notice the damage. Put everything back together, and the truck didn't run. Tore it back down again 2 more times before I noticed the issue. Now it sits on my computer desk, a reminder about attention to details.

 

At least you were able to see it on the second try.

So easy to miss something so simple.

 

3rd try, which is far more aggravating than the 2nd try as it turns out.

 

Popped a lot of fuses and ended up with extra bolts before Smart phones and their cameras come along.
I remember tearing down a '79 sportster and had parts/bolts in labeled sandwich baggies so I'd remember how to put it back together.

 

I have the mind set taking pictures still means sending the film out to be developed.

For the most I never take pictures never even give it a thought.

 

That mark lines up with the line on the OEM belt, not any mark on the oil pump. If you have an aftermarket belt with no pulley alignment marks…can’t use it. There's another mark on the reluctor gear that lines up with a casting mark on the oil pump. If you can't find that and you have a belt with no markings, put the belt around the crank pulley and put the lower cover and balancer on (after pinning the tensioner ram)…then align the balancer mark with ZERO on the lower timing cover and time the cams.

 

So bite the bullet and buy a new gear.

 

If the gear does not have an alignment dot, I would consider it an aftermarket replacement or a counterfeit OEM part of dubious quality. Best price I could find when I needed a new OEM 3.4L V6 crankshaft pulley (13521-62031) was at Partsouq: $35.96 + shipping. The new OEM pulley appeared identical to the original OEM pulley including the dot & slid right onto the crankshaft just like it should. The old pulley was frozen to the crank after 25 years of offroad abuse & cracked when I tried to remove it. It was really my bad for getting too aggressive with removing it, but it was a cheap fix.

All new parts including new OEM crankshaft pulley installed and ready to put the new OEM cam position sensor & timing belt covers back on. It's all back together now & runs great.