cam alignment

[bmwm1]

How do you align camshafts on a 91 camry 3s-fe?

[mk2-1jz]

there is only 1 camshaft.

If you are doing the timing belt you have a few easy steps to follow.

Step 1 remove the #1 spark plug.

Step 2 take a LONG shaft screw driver and cafefully place it down into the piston chamber to rest on top of the piston.

Step 3 turn the CRANKshaft clockwise until the screwdriver comes all the way up at its highest point and you will be at top dead center.

Step 4 There is a little hole in the cam pulley that has to be lined up with a notch that is in the block behind it. It is roughly at 12 oclock if you look straight at the cam gear. Take a 14mm key and turn the CAMshaft 1 full turn CLOCKWISE to make sure the cam is in proper sequence. Then line up the little hole in the cam pully with the little notch in the block behind it.

hint: you cant see the notch when the hole on the cam gear is lined up. You have to peer through the cam gear to find the notch then rotate it slightly to line it up with the notch.

Step 5 Make sure all the tension is off the tensioner pulley

Step 6: Put your belt on don't force it with any tools, place the teeth on the cam gear and gently push the belt and it will push itself into place.

Step 7: rotate the crank shaft 2 full revolutions and put it back at TDC. Check to see that your cam gear is still at 12 oclock in line with the notch on the block and the screw driver is all the way at the top indicating TDC. Dont trust the notch on the crank shaft damper, the one on my car was incorrect and did not line up properly thats why I strongly suggest the screw driver method.

[tomtom25]

couldn't have said it better myself. Everytime I do a timing belt on these instead of peering through that whole I always take like a little paper clip or something like that and put in an tell if it's lined up right. Didn't those motors have the TDC alignment mark on the crank pulley? I coulda swore the last one I did probably a month or 2 ago now, had the alignment marks on it but could be wrong, done alot of other timing belts since then including today on a damn sienna! lol

[mk2-1jz]

oh they do but mine was more than 1/3 off its mark when I did my timing belt job. Couldn't figure out why I TDC was not lining up. The alignment notch on my damper is not in the correct place.

[bmwm1]

Thanks for the help.I did finally get the car started tonight. Why do some people say line the notch and others say its the circle. I found the factory manual says it s the circle anyways thanks again for the help.

[mk2-1jz]

the circle has to line up with the notch. Its because people are not clear when they explain things.

[The Camry Man]

If you click on the link below and go to page 25 you will see what they are talking about. It is also a great one to keep for future reference on Manual questions

http://www.camrystuff.com/manuals/Ge...Mechanical.pdf




This is the Full manual Link..

http://www.camrystuff.com/index.php?page=Gen2_Manuals

[bmwm1]

There is also a circle on the cam gear which one might think it was to be matched up with. Also in the diagrams it looks to be a circle in a circle when lined up correctly. Maybe its just me but it runs know so I am happy

[mk2-1jz]