I give up, Ill just admit im dumb and ask right here. The slight ticking noise still bothers me the car runs awesome and everyone tells me that if it runs great dont mess with it. But it makes that noise, throttle response on the car is better then ever simply awesome, no hesitations idles a bit high but smooth. But the noise..

I just did the timing belt about 2 weeks ago, and with instructions it felt like a straight forward procedure. I also distinctively remember that when it came to install the crank pulley there was only one way of putting it.... when I looked at the cam gears I remember that the cam gear on left side in way i was looking at it or passenger side of the car, or the exhaust side I guess (assuming seeing how exhaust manifold is on that same side.) Was exactly one notch ahead of the mark above clock wise from my point of view.. The right side cam or driver side cam gear was exactly 2 notches ahead.

Instructions, and advice of others told me that all marks should line up so I did this. I aligned all the marks so they matched. Installed everything ran car at first made rather loud ticking noise, looked at oil level, it was low, I suspected that there wasnt enough oil flow. Started it again poured some oil car ran very smooth but it now made the ticking noise. randomly, obviously louder if the car was run hard and or prolonged period of time.

Now messing with it and this is where I get confused if I lign the crank pulley with the yellow notch to the 0 thats drawn, the cam gears show that the mark is exactly 5 notches (if you count the notch directly underneath the marks.) off in the counterclock direction If youre looking at them straight ahead with me facing the car. (im a bit dislexic at times..) If I align the crank pulley to the white notch the marks are dead on.

Which frigging notch is right?!?!??!? the white one or the yellow? what does one notch off exactly mean degrees wise? is one notch = 2 degrees? And damnit excuse me if this sounds retarded... which way is advanced and retarded? ... screw it Excuse me while I take some pictures and post it.. brb in 20 minutes.

 

Ok pics time..

when yellow notch is aligned notches are 5 off counter clock wise from point of view facing car.



when white notch.. is at 0

it aligns. evenly.



Which notch is the right notch to go by? Does one notch = 2 degrees? ... which way is advanced and retarded again? (if you cant tell yet im a little dislexic when it comes to left and right.. damnit.

and for timing purposes which notch should I go by if I ever decide to use the gun?

Maybe im just to ****...

 

It looks like you have everything lined up fine. Make sure the white notch on the crank pulley is aligned with the "0" on the timing cover and then the small notches on the cam pulleys line up with the notches in the back cover.

I heard others say the car won't run if you have either cam misaligned by even one tooth. Can't say what the deal is with your ticking noise, but as long as the belt is set you can rule out the valves. Are all of your pulleys ok? It might be a bearing on any one of the accesories or one of the tensioners.

Keep us posted.

 

So we use the white notches for timing.. what is the yellow notch for then?

oh and just for fun if you were to play with the timing gun on the cam gears youd see the timing 5 notches off the mark every single flash.. but im probably using the timing gun wrong (youd think itd have instructions..).. ie just like if you were to view it in relation to the yellow notch on crank pulley.

 

My crank pulley has only one notch and it is painted white. No yellow marks here so I cant say what that's about.

The timing light will show the advance the ECU makes when the engine is running especially when you rev the engine, but it wont show you if you have the belt lined up to TDC. Fun to play with though.