cant turn crank 360 deg. after new timing belt!

[zna]

Hey everyone, Ive just finished putting my new timing belt on (120,000 mile service). When I try to hand turn the crank 360 degrees it stops as if its blocked my something (both directions). All the marks are lined up on the 4 cams and the crank. The timing belt didnt break, it was running fine when i decided to take it apart. When i removed the timing belt, some of the cams moved, not too violently, and the crank moved maybe 30 degrees from tdc. Any ideas on what it could be?
Just in case you need the info its a 1990 z32, na, manual.
Thanks in advance!

[nissanfreak12]

Did you count the cogs on the belt? That is the true way to be sure the belt is on correctly. Look up the numbers in the FSM, I cannot remember them at the top of my head.

Also if you have your spark plugs still in the car, it will cause the compression to fell like something stopped it. so it is usually easier to remove them before turning the crank.

[zna]

ill count the cogs now, and report back. I have all of the plugs out except for the back two under the balance tube. It definitely is hitting something, its very solid.

[zna]

The lines on the belt are the right teeth apart.

[solaire]

The 4 cams may be lined up but what about the crank? There's always been a big discrepency in the VG engines as to the "True" crankshaft timing mark. Some are marked by the oil pump some oil pumps didn't come with marks. I've learned that one the hard way and spent a couple days trying to time an engine with that problem.. learned my lesson to mark it at TDC first lol

[zna]

For the crank im going off the dimple in the actual gear, the notch in the oil pan is right there too.

[zcar93na]

Something is off, and it sounds like piston-to-valve contact to me. When I done mine, I didn't have the tensioner set right and the belt slipped 1 or 2 teeth. I could spin it almost but not quite a full revolution and then I'd have contact. The only way I know is take the belt back off and set everything again. Aggravating, I know. Some people use c-clamps or vice tongs on the cam gears to keep the belt lined up.

[zna]

First of all, thank you all for your help.
I did use clamps to keep the belt in place. Before hand turning the crank clockwise I quadruple check that all 5 lines are exact and after I turn it back, (counter clockwise), they are still in place.
Im racking my brain, and now that I think about it, when I took the original timing belt off, the 4 cams were lined up with the backing plate, but the crank was about 90 degrees past the notch in the oil pan. Would that cause anything like this? I thought that as long as the marks were lined up on new timing belt It would be ok.

[solaire]

That's why I said there's sometimes an issue with the marks on the oil pump not being right. There's a notch to the right that's supposed to be it but there's a dimple straight down and some pumps have 1, both or neither. The dimple down is supposed to allow any leakage to drain mostly.

[zna]

The crank sprocket has a dimple and the oil pump has a notch to the right. So your saying both of those could be wrong? Should i just move the crank a little without the belt attached and then try to turn it with the belt on until it spins freely?

[solaire]

Right. That's what its supposed to have. Make sure tho that you're using the right crank mark. I think mine had 2 dimples or like a dimple and a triangle or something wierd. Mine had the notch on the pump on the driver side at about a 45 degree angle towards the bottom and I lined that up and lined the others up with the backing plate and had no issues. Make sure the keyway on the crank is lined up. According to the book if timing marks on crank are lined up the keyway on the crank is straight up. I did what you did, dropped the belt and used marks and didn't have any issues.

[zna]

Hmmm, I only have one dimple on the crank sprocket and in order to line that up with the notch in the oil pump, the keyway is at about the 10:30 o'clock position.

[zna]

OK, so I tried it again with the keyway straight up at 12 o'clock, and it turned 360 with no issues.
My only concern is that the crank could be off a tooth and theres no way to tell since the dimple is apparently off on the sprocket. If I can turn it 360 with no problems is it ok to put everything back together?

[solaire]

If you can turn it with no interference and you can feel compression then it should run. Worst case it may be out of time a little but shouldn't tap valves if there's no contact turning it by hand. According to FSM if key is straight up then the dimple should be facing down right or Southeast if u think of it as a compass and should be about 45 degree angle and match the oil pump mark there.

[zna]

Okay, ill put her all back together and let you guys know if my engine explodes.

[zna]

Well, got her back in one piece and this is the sound its making,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHGfovdFM-U
Not sure if its possibly the crankshaft washer that is slightly out of shape?

[Ziggy1621]

That def doesn't sound good. Do you have any other Z guys in the area who can come double check the timing setup?

[zna]

Only person I know charges 100 just to come and look at it. Might have to though...

[solaire]

How does it run? Couldn't tell by the video but it seems like it didn't want to stay running. Did you put the washer behind the harmonic balancer backwards? Its got a bevelled edge that must face outward. If its facing in it'll rub the belt teeth.

[zna]

well before I took it apart it would want to die until it warmed up, (air regulator?). I re-used the rear flat crank washer, which was kinda beat up. I have got a new oem replacement one now, but theres a chance that was rubbing on something.

[solaire]

That's what it sounded like. You should be able to see what's wrong when you take the balancer off to put that plate in.

[zna]

Solved: So apparently when I torqued the passenger intake cam gear it slipped off of the alignment key. Thus making it unable to be timed correctly. Put it back on the right way and it runs a lot better but makes a loud ticking noise that increases with RPM, other than the ticking it runs pretty good. Now I have another problem to deal with.

[solaire]

Top end noise? Sure the timing jump didn't cause ... valve contact

[zna]

Now that I've driven it a couple miles it's quieted down, almost gone now. I guess since the front was in the air for a month the lifters were making noise. It's running like a champ now. Luckily I turned it by hand before ever starting it so no damage was done, (I hope). Thanks everyone!

[solaire]

Good to hear. I didnt know it sat for so long or that's what my thoughts would have been first also.