Q: Timing chain positioning

asked by on November 21, 2016

Heard noise coming from behind timing chain cover. Vehicle started running bad and just stopped running.Took off valve cover and chain was very slack. Replaced timing chain and tensioner. Made sure my timing marks were in place . Took pin out of tensioner and rechecked timing marks 3 or more times and all 3 were in place. Turned the engine over a few times and all timing marks were off. I don't know if the cvvt system had effected it or not. I do not know what I should do now could you be so kind to let me know what to do next thank you VERY MUCH!!!!!!

My car has 160000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission. 2.4 DOHC cvvt

This system is a bit complex. I can give you some instructions, but I highly recommend getting a hold of a repair manual or purchasing a yearly subscription for just your vehicle from AllData. It is only $25 for a years subscription from AllData.

There are two separate sets of marks on this system. One set is for aligning the timing chain to the camshaft gears and the intermediate shaft gear. There will be marks on the chain that raps around the crankshaft gear as well. These marks will not line up after you turn the motor over.The other marks are on the inside of the camshaft gears and align with the cylinder head parting line. If you were to draw a ling through the center of both camshaft gears, they should line up with that imaginary line.

The crankshaft key way should be aligned with the mating face of the main bearing cap. You can confirm it is in the correct position by verifying the number one piston is at top dead center. If you have removed the balance shaft timing chain, these marks really need a visual diagram to understand where they should be aligned. Without a diagram I am not very confident it can be explained very clearly.

This may be difficult to to follow, so again I highly recommend purchasing a repair manual in digital form or a book. If you feel this is over your head, I recommend the following inspection to help you out. Timing chain replacement

Good luck! I hope I was able to help you.

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