Timing marks

[caos38]

I have a 97 Chrysler Sebring 2.0 and had to replace the timing belt due to a bad water pump and now cant seem to get the timing marks correct so the car will start

[jgate]

Set camshaft timing marks together, by aligning notches on camshaft sprockets.
Set the crankshaft to 1/2 notch BEFORE TDC. Install timing belt, starting at the crankshaft. Go around
water pump sprocket, idler pulley, camshaft sprockets, and tensioner pulley. Move crankshaft procket to TOC to take up belt slack. Install tensioner to block but do NOT tighten mounting bolts. While holding torque on tensioner pulley, move timing belt tensioner up against tensioner bracket. Tighten tensioner mounting bolts. Pull tensioner plunger pin out. Pre-tension is correct when pin can be removed and installed freely. Rotate crankshaft 2 revolutions by hand. Check timing marks .

[caos38]

Well I followed the instructions to the letter and checked and double checked but it will not start. It will crank and I get a slight back fire at first but it wont start .Any suggestions?

[jgate]

Usually what happens is when you tighten the tensioner , i will take up the slack on the belt,
and most of the time it will move one or even two of the pulley off the marks.
You turned it over twice by hand right? did all the timing marks line up again???

[caos38]

I did turn the crank by hand and even checked the marks after the cams turned a full rotation and I did this twice by hand then I hooked up the battery to see if it fire up but all I got was a good steady crank with a slight back fire just as I was trying to start the car. Now Im not sure if this helps but the timing cover and motor mount are all still off I was wanting to check if it would start before I put it all back together

[jgate]

The only thing IF all the marks are still aligned after you turn it over,
I was wondering if the crank was really set at #1 TDC. Did you pull number 1 plug
to make sure that the piston is at the top of the cylinder, when the crank timing
mark is aligned properly...

[caos38]

I will give that a shot I changed out the belt 6 years ago and didnt have any problems at all, but this time when the water pump froze up everything was out way off (cams marks where half a turn off) also someone told me I may need to turn the cam 6 times to get it in sync, but I didnt do that

[crank.it]

hi guys just throwing out a suggestion....with the mounts still undone is the ground to motor and ground to chasis on ...this will some times not let a spark....crank.it

[uptownautoservice]

Just Install timing belt, starting at the crankshaft. Go around water pump sprocket, idler pulley, camshaft sprockets, and tensioner pulley.