Alright the project progresses (I will post pictures when it's finally out of the garage, since everyone on here has helped at some point lol).

I have the timing belt on successfully. Marks are all lined up, hopefully.

Question now, can I try to start this thing without everything else "attached".

Currently the fan, radiator and belts are still off the car.

Logic would dictate that probably not a good idea with the radiator not hooked up.

this will be the first start up with the new cylinder head and timing belt, anything else I have to do special?

 

Yes you can start it but don't let it run long with no coolant. Not good for the water pump.

 

A nice Homer Simpson DOH!!!!!

Got everything lined up perfectly, all marks lined up, had some trouble with the clamps on the distributor but all worked out.

Got a good crank, good fuel, no start.

Hmmmmm.

Pull it apart, check all marks, hmmmm, marks are good but the lines on the timing belt (the 2 single lines, 1 double) are out of whack. Hmmmmm.

Tensioner is good, brand new, check bolts again, nothing loose, hmmmm.

DOH!!!!

This is a 1993 240 Wagon with the B230 engine. I had to replace the cylinder head and got one off a B23 engine. I was going to use my original camshaft but the one with the new head looked good so didn't think anything of it.

Turns out, and an FYI for anyone who didn't know this lol.

The camshaft sprocket is different, sort of.

I only looked at the diameter of the sprocket NOT the tooth size, DOH!!!

Turns out the diameters are exactly the same but the tooth sizes are totally different, here's the pic


The top sprocket is off the B23 and the bottom is the original off my B230. As you can see, it's small but they are different sizes so multiply that difference over the circumference of the sprocket and bingo, that explains the timing belt being out of whack. And to boot, not sure if this is the reason why or not but I turned the crankshaft by hand and it would turn kind of hard and just release tension real quick. Kind of weird I thought.

Well, when I pulled the camshaft sprocket off, the key tab had ground off basically, not sure if that because of teeth were different which cause stress on it but thankfully I have my original off the B230.

So switching camshafts and sprockets, need to get a new valve cover gasket but might crank it up anyway just to see if it works now lol

always an adventure

and if someone out there knew this, thanks for telling me LOL just kidding

 

Well that explains why the timing belt didn't go on easily. I'm surprised you didn't notice the timing belt teeth didn't fit the sprocket.

 

You solve one of my mysteries.......on my 79 242....the timing belt teeth are thicker....old but thicker...when I purchased the El chepo belt, the teeth were very thin....even though the auto parts store says it will fit....nay on that....

 

I got the pulleys mixed up on the pic!!! the top one fits, the one with the wider "width" for the belt, the belt has that U shaped tooth and it fits perfectly. The bottom one is from the B23 and has more of the square tooth on the belt, I think, anyway, the one on top fits and

SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She fired right up, belt on tensioner worked fine (disregard that post about the spring). I suck with keeping parts together when I take them off!!!!! She sounds rough right now until I put the header back on but we're moving!!!

Although, I can't be certain about the pulley on the B23 head I bought, the pulley could have been from something else but since you had the "tooth" problem that should solve it I hope!!