replaced the head gasket along with a new head today, and had a very stressful 4 hours trying to time the engine up. basically done the normal procedure (match up the TDC with marks on camshaft and lower pulley) BUT when it comes to putting the belt on its a nightmare, put the belt on pulling the right side up to make it tight but the belt doesnt seem to fit on the teeth of the camshaft pulley tight only way it will fit tight is by moving the camshaft a bit but if i do this the timing is completly out, tried so many other options but every time i did 2 revolutions and checked the TDC position they both didnt match up anyone know what could be the problem?
are pulleys different because the old 1 i had reads AA and the one on the new head is something like AX but both are standard items.

 

Head height? Had one of the heads been skimmed more than the other?

 

The pulleys ARE DIFFERENT!!!

You Should have a KA pulley - the others u have a wrong!

 

is that one especially for a escort rs turbo model mate, just for knowledge purpose why are they different?

 

heads are same nethier have been skimmed mate

 

yes, specially for RST. The keyway spacing etc is different, it runs slighly retarded cam timing. Don't expect it to line up perfectly - within half a tooth is fine.

 

so i need the KA type sprocket any ideas where i might get one for tommorow as i need it urgently

 

I don't know your area...

But, the pulley u have should still work. If it's less than a tooth out it won't harm the engine. If it's on a dizzy still, then u may have to swing it to get her idling properly, but i doubt it. Use that till you source a KA.

 

speedshack...???

 

The only thing i would say Rick, i know the pulleys are different, but a 3i head & block all have the same heights/dimensions yea?

 

Did you slacken the tensioner?

 

How does the tensioner affect the leading side of the belt?

 

He say's he's having problems getting the belt on so I thought he's either got a 3 inch head gasket or.....

 

Ah ok.

I believe his problem is with the leading edge of the belt though, i doubt it'd be the tensioner! Head my have been skimmed laods like Christian said.

Still waiting on Ricks reply aswell

 

If that is the case I've still got some Felpro copper "head savers" (part No 9309 sp) about somewhere if you're interested BlueFiesta85

 

Just chatted to Rick and discussed what i wanted to confirm.

Being as all of the pulleys give the cam slightly different timing the timing mark on the head will never be 100% spot on, you will have to spin the cam FRACTIONALLY to get the belt in the teeth, but it should be easily visible which teeth are closest lining up

But as Christian has said, an over skimmed head will make this worse, being as each time its skimmed it makes the cams timing fractionally out.

 

cheers guys for the info, i changed the pulley over to a KA one like Rick suggested and yes the belt went on straight without having to move the cam out a bit so that was good news, also had it tunned up at power engineering, the dizzy had to be altered to get the timing right but apart from that the cars running sweet now