I am having a very hard time getting the timing belt back on... The tensioner is fully compressed with a pin locking it down. I am pulling tension from the crank, to the idler pulley, to the front cam, back cam, water pump, but I'm still 1 - 2 inches short of being able to fit the belt on to the tensioner pulley! What's going on?? It is not a new belt, it is the same one I took off!

Thanks for your help

 

There are two guide pins that keep the belt on the crank pully. Sometimes the belt gets around these and you lose that last little bit of belt you need to get it over the other pulleys. They are two 10mm bolt pointing towards the radiator. Take them out, then start with the belt seated in the crank pully. Then to the intake cam then the exhaust. The excess makes its way around the water pump and tensioner.

 

that was it... you are a genius. thank you

 

...blushing

 

LOL. Now I know two geniuses.