Assembling the timing belt

I am finished the cleanup of my 5vz-fe and starting to put everything back on it. I had taken everything off the front in order to get everything clean. The baking soda got everywhere.

I'm reusing all the old timing parts because it had just been done before I got it. It's been ran enough that the timing marks are worn off the belt. I can just see about an 1/8" of what's left of the three lines on the edge of the belt. When I took everything apart I made sure to line up the cam pulleys with the marks in the rear cover and also the pointer on the block with the mark on the crank. However, I did not think to mark the belt before i took it off.
When I was attempting to line up those 'ghost' marks on the belt with the marks on the pulleys they both matched, but the mark for the crank is about two teeth past the dimple on the crank.

If I have the pointers on the pulleys and crank all lined up, how important are the marks on the belt? Are they ever not correct to begin with? (Dayco belt)

I was going to pull the plugs and turn the engine by hand after the belt is re-tensioned and watch the marks (not on the belt) to make sure after a couple turns they don't loose their alignment and I don't have any interference in the engine. I know this should be all that I need to do to make sure everything is kosher. It's just those dumb belt marks throwing doubt into the equation. Never had something with marks on the belt before..

 

From what i read back when I did my timing belt on my tacoma I dont think the marks really matter as long as the cams/crank timing marks are aligned. Check out the link below

(1) Timing Belt Alignment - Help / Stupid Check | Tacoma World

 

I just had an epiphany!
Maybe I have the belt turned around. I didn't see any directional arrows like is described in the videos. So maybe if I flip the belt around those marks line up. I always see things inside out compared to what other people see when they first look at something. Leads to a lot of what appear to be stupid questions, but I have to concentrate really hard to see it the first time. Fortunately, I don't keep seeing it wrong after that.

I don't think I'll find out tho. I have successfully removed and reset the belt tensioner and painted it up nice. I don't think it's worth possibly tearing that up just to prove my suspicions. Shouldn't matter what direction the belt runs.

 

After I hand cranked maybe 2 or 3 times after getting the belt installed those marks got out of wack. i read somewhere that this was ok. I would ensure after a couple hand cranks verify that the TDC marks on the camshafts and crankshaft are good and proceed.

 

The marks on the timing belt don't mean shit.

And that's that.

 

I haven't a chance to update. The next day I went out there and turned the crank a few 360's and watched the tick marks on the pulleys and the crank. The marks on the pulley stayed dead nutz in sync with each other, but when I set the crank marks together the two pulleys were lagging behind to the left. So my belt DID need to turn back a tooth.

To fix this I remembered a little trick to change teeth without having to mess with the tensioner. I stuck the shaft of a small screwdriver into a tooth gap as I turned the crank around and by the time it came out the other side it was back a tooth. Now everything stays lined up no matter how many turns you make. I'm not sure if that was the difference in the marks on the belt or not. Like I said it really doesn't matter. The engine doesn't know what cog the belt is on. I still think I just had the belt oriented backwards and that's why it didn't line up with the crank.

Now to tackle the valve shims. Looks like some jerk is gonna steal the BLuepoint tool I had a bid on so I think I might just get one of the nasty china tools or maybe I'll hold off and see how hard it is to use a "BFSD". I heard you need three hands for the screwdriver way though...

 

Understanding why Toyota puts marks on new belts and recommends marking a used belt that is to be reused makes a belt job go a whole lot smoother and actually end up correct.

 

Actually, if the damn marks were never there in the first place I would have done it how I do every other timing belt and I wouldn't have gotten hung up on it for a day and wrote this thread. lol And I would have still had the correct result. If you know how timing belts work you don't need idiot marks.

 

Well, I would not describe them as idiot marks and I might have to explain it once again but it gets old. I will let some one else give it a shot, for a while.
Here is a hint. New belt vs used. Toyota defines a used belt is one that has seen at least 5 minutes of service.

 

There's nothing to explain. I think I explained it fine.