Play in intake cam gear

[cliffe5]

Anyone know if this is too much play for a properly torqued intake cam gear? I keep having timing issues even though all 5 marks say they are inline.

I suspect the gear isnt supposed to move that much since none of the others do, any idea on what the root cause would be? Is it repairable? (I see replacement gears dont come cheap)

[youtube]https://youtu.be/MrqSvnCa4zA[/youtube]

[cliffe5]

Well after testing all morning here is what I've found.

If i line up the timing belt properly (lines on belt with marks on gears), i get interference after about a 300 degree turn (once the p side intake cam gear has traveled about 95% of a full turn).

Moving the p side intake cam gear counterclockwise (so now my belt timing mark is 1 tooth to the right of the sprockets' mark) and ensuring all other timing marks are still good, I still get interference about the same spot.

Now, if I continue to move the p side intake cam gear counterclockwise as described above, lining the belt up 2, 3, 4, and even 5 teeth to the right I can rotate the crank fully 720° without any issues.

With this knowledge, I believe if I can set my p side intake cam gear by the actual cam position (not the gear/sprocket) by way of removing the valve cover and lining up my timing there.

Can anyone tell me (show me) how a p side intake cam rests in tdc position?

[amc49]

http://www.fixya.com/cars/t9396786-inst ... ssan_300zx

The numbers in parentheses are the rubber belt teeth, you count them carefully to get where your marks go.

[NolimitZ32]

I just watched your video without sound so maybe you mentioned this in the video, when you move the cam gear does the cam move with it? If so then its doing what it should and as AMC said you need to count the teeth on the belt not use the marks on the rear covers, setting the belt on a VG30DE is a PITA.