Today I started to replace the timing belt on my 98 XC. I got the old one off, installed the new belt and tensioner, but the car won't start. From my minimal experience, it sounds like my timing is off. I think I moved the camshafts more than I should have to align them. I aligned the marks on the timing cover and the water pump. My belt also seems to be loose at the top between the camshaft gears. My questions are:

1. If I moved one camshaft more than I should have ( for example 1 revolution) will this screw up my timing? I tried aligning the marks again (actually 2 more times) but starting the car sounds even worse.

2. The procedures I've read for installing the timing belt say to align the marks on the timing belt cover and the water pump. Why does the mark on the water pump have to be aligned? Doesn't this just simply spin? Why would it be related to timing?

3. How do I get things back to normal?

Any help is appreciated.

 

You may be in big trouble.
If you had the timing out one revolution then you bent valves whe you tried to start it.
The timing marks are on both the cams and on the Crank pulley.There is no marks at all on the water pump.

 

If she doesn't start after a few seconds something has gone wrong. Even if timing is on and you've got other issues you'll at least get some grumbling. If the cams are off by one revolution your ok provided there off by the right revolution. Cams on DOHC cars turn one revolution for every 2 revolutions of your crank shaft.

I would pull off the cam cover, pull out the cams and pull off the intake. If you shine a flashlight in there and can see into the cylinder of any of them you have bent valves = new head, or a really good machine shop. With aluminum heads a bent valve typically messes up the valve seat. I managed to get my last 2 cylinder heads from ebay used for less than $225 each shipped, just have them checked for warpage and have em re-surfaced if necessary.

The belt on top should not be loose, unless the tensioner is removed, or in the case of the manual tensioner, not clocked in.

 

Check the write up I did at the top of this forum on how I repaired my bent valves and timing belt.

 

I see you fixed the pics cool thanks!!!!