Eddie: That's exactly how I did it. I even paintmarked lines on the old timing belt before taking it off and then transcribed them onto the new timing belt (this just helps insure that one doesn't get off a tooth somewhere and have to reinstall the tensioner again, etc).

So, I got it back together and installed into the truck and it sounds like the timing is off. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but with the timing covers off (and cam marks and crank gear marks lined up), #1 is at TDC compression. In other words, with timing covers off and all marks lined up, it isn't possible to be off 180*, right? I don't see how it's possible to be off 180* at that point, because 2 revs of crank=1 rev of each cam sprocket. Plus, the valves cycle completely with one cam rev. So, unless I'm smoking crack, I think it's impossible to be 180* out AS LONG as you can see the timing marks on the cam gears.

I hadn't turned the engine at all, and when I installed the outer crank pulley, the TDC notch in the pulley was about 1/4" to the right of the TDC mark on the plastic timing cover. I know the engine was still dead on with the marks underneath, however, because I hadn't turned it at all.

So, anyway, I install and stab the distributor. I looked at the book and it had #1 on the left side of the dist cap (looking from the front), so I then installed the cap and made a mark on the dist housing to correspond to #1 position on the cap. Then, as usual, I turned the rotor to correspond to the mark I had made on the housing. Last time I checked, this was the proper way (although it's been awhile since I've done one). I should say, when I stabbed it, it seemed like the rotor was off a tooth - in other words, when I chose one tooth, the rotor was pointed slightly off my mark on the housing. When I chose the next tooth, it was slightly off the opposite side of the mark. I thought no big deal - if it doesn't start, the I will move it to the other tooth...

Tried to start, and it sounded ok when cranking, but wouldn't fire up. Moved to a tooth clockwise, and sounded worse, and had some "compression bumps" (almost to where it caused the starter to stall). So, moved it two teeth counterclockwise (a tooth further counterclockwise than my original position), and encountered the same thing. Moved it back to the original tooth and hit it with ether - it would try to run but was backfiring through the intake.

What gives? I did used the Hyundai cams and heads and injectors - the cam gears had the same number of teeth. Could the grind of the cams be so different that it would cause the timing to be way off. I think not, but I'm kind of scratching my head at this point.

I did this last night and I've been at work today, so I've been scratching my head all day about it. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

At this point, I will have to align the crank pulley and then check my rotor on the dist to see if I'm at TDC or 180* out (since I can't see the marks on the cam gears). Once I get it back aligned and at TDC, I will pull distributor and check my marks on the housing, etc again, and go from there. I have a feeling that I won't find anything different, but I will double-check. If I don't see a problem, then I'm kind of at a loss for what to do.

Incidentally, should I hear a fuel pump when I have the key in the first position? I can't remember - the truck ran a few weeks ago when I pulled it into the shop, but I guess it's possible that I blew a fuse or something. (It was late lastnight so I had to get to bed). I'm not hearing a fuel pump, but I would think it would still run on ether, but it may be a pressure issue or something. I may have had the timing dead on and am just not getting fuel, and without pressure I might get backfiring and all of that [censored]. Or, could it be the Hyundai injectors? They are a different part number...

Anyway, any suggestions would be welcome! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />