Is this timing belt installed correctly?

[highmilehatch]

I'm working on a friends 97 Monte Carlo with the 3.4 DOHC. This is my first time working on one of these engines. The car is showing symptoms of the cam timing being off (poor running in all conditions, raw fuel dumping into intake manifold, fuel in vacuum lines, no codes other than multiple cylinder misfire, plugs are coated in fuel). I'm slowly starting to understand how the cam timing procedure works, however I need some verification. I took some pictures of how everything currently lines up hoping that someone can tell me if the timing is correct or not:



Crank pulley at TDC on EXHAUST stroke for #1 cylinder.



Cam lobes on #1 cylinder are facing down opening valves (exhaust stroke)



REAR bank cam flats are facing up and parallel.



Everything seems correct so far.


Now we spin the crank pulley 360 degrees.

Crank pulley at TDC on COMPRESSION stroke for #1 cylinder.
(I know in the pic it is slightly off)



Cam lobes on #1 cylinder are up away from closed valves (compression)



Now here is what I don't think is right. FRONT bank cams are NOT facing up and parallel. Aren't they supposed to be flat once you spin the crank over 360 to get #1 at the TDC compression?




Am I correct in saying that this timing is off? Thanks.

[Dave96z34]

That looks way off to me.

[SappySE107]

Right, the front bank is off. Those should be flat right now in those pics.

Congrats, this is by far the most detailed question, and first post to boot, that I have seen in a long long time.

[highmilehatch]

Just found out that the FPR was bad. Fuel would squirt out of the vacuum port when the fuel rail was pressurized. Replaced that.

So the cam timing is off then? Each bank is supposed to be flat when the crank is spun to TDC on either rotation?

The car does run, and won't rev past 4500.

Does anyone know where I can rent the camshaft tools for this job? Thanks.

[Sonyman]

so to confirm, if the timing is correct, at tdc, the cam flats would be turned down on the rear cam carrier and the front carrier the flats would be turned up correcto?

[Sonyman]

bump

[highmilehatch]

TDC on exhaust stroke rear bank flats are up, fronts are down.

TDC on compression stroke, front bank flats are up, rears are down.

[jmgtp]

Does anyone know where I can rent the camshaft tools for this job? Thanks.

It may be easier/faster to make your own rather than tracking down the actual tools.

For the cam flat tool I used 1/2" keystock with a hole drilled through the center for the bolt to secure it to the cam carrier. It would be important that the hole is drilled straight and not crooked - in other words use a drill press if you can.

For the cam gear holding tool, the tool that you use to hold the cam while honking down on the bolts so you dont break the cam flat tool or strip the threads in the carrier, I used a piece of thick walled pipe and cut notches into it so it fit into the cam gear correctly then welded a long handle to it. I suppose if you don't have the means to weld it this tool might be hard to make, but you could wrap a strap wrench around the pipe part in lieu of a handle, not sure if that would slip though.

[Sonyman]

gotcha

[NOSTZ34]

highmilehatch, are you in Denver by chance, I'm going off your name. If so I have the tools and I just did a timing job on my 3.4dohc. Would be more than willing to help if your in the area.