g40 timing can't fit belt

[paulpolo]

So I went to fit the water pump and timing belt to the g40 engine I've been rebuilding and with the 0 mark on the bottom pulley set against the flat edge of the metal pointer I can't fit the belt but if I align it to the z mark then the timing belt fits on fine. But the z is an ignition timing mark and so this means my static timing will be wrong? Do I need a vernier pulley to correct it?

[hayesey]

what do you mean you can't fit the belt with the pulley at the 0 mark?  I would say it's at least a tooth out as you have it now.  Line the bottom up with 0 and then adjust the cam pulley so it's as close to the pointer as possible.  It might not be a perfect line up though, things like getting the head skimmed, block decked or using different headgaskets will affect this.  Also do you have an aftermarket cam installed?  A vernier will allow you to get it exact.

[paulpolo]

With the cam sprocket lined up with the mark on the timing cover and the bottom pulley set to the zero mark I wasn't able to get the belt to go over the cam sprocket (with it already looped over the crank and water pump) so then I rotated the crank and lined up the 'z' mark and the belt just slipped on perfectly.
The block has been decked and the head skimmed, i'm using the standard g40 headgasket and the original g40 camshaft.
I've done my GT timing belt and water pump before and it just went straight on, and i'd had the head skimmed.

[PeteG40]

turn if over a few times by hand before actually declaring it not right, as the belt can be slack on one length and tight on the other - which is evened out when rotating

[paulpolo]

Good point, I didn't actually rotate it

[paulpolo]

So i've turned it over, and it looks like this, reckon thats ok?

[kwijibo_coupe]

How many times have you turned it over?

When I did mine I turned it over several times by hand before firing it up. I too couldn't get the marks to line up perfect but once I was sure there was no piston - valve contact I was happy to fire it over on the key.

[AdzCM]

So i've turned it over, and it looks like this, reckon thats ok?

Thats spot on I posted up a near identical picture of mine a while back, and the cam pulley notch/arrow lined up like yours.... slightly offset.

[paulpolo]

Cheers guys! I'm probably just being paranoid

[Andy]

Slacken off the cambelt cover bolts and re-align the cambelt cover if it worries you too much! 

With the tolerance stack-up on the cambelt cover location, timing pointer location and auxiliary belt pulley location on to the crank I'd not lose too much sleep if they're not utterly spot on. If you want precision, then you need a DTI and timing wheels to find true TDC and work from that.

[hayesey]

that's absolutely fine.  The only adjustment there is is a tooth backwards or forwards anyway so as long as the arrow is pointing at the tooth with the mark on it then it's fine.  It's as good as you'll get it without DTI gauges and timing wheels etc... like Andy says.

[paulpolo]

This is good news, I can get on with finishing this now