i just installed my water pump and its a pain to get the timing belt back on. Is there a specific way im suppose to do it?

 

well if you didnt.. you should get a new timing belt. make sure that both camshafts are alinged with the 2 dots or slash's at the top. then put the bottom half of the timing cover just put 2 bolts in snug to hold it down to the block. temporaly installed the harmonic balancer dont have to put the bolt in just slide it on the key. make sure the slash on the harmonic balancer lines up on the 0 slash of the timing cover. Then remove pulley remove timing cover. IF not removed already, remove the 2 bolts holding the timming tensioner off i believe there 12mm bring it to a press and compress it straight down so the piston if more or less flush with the black or rubber cover of the tensioner. align the hole on the side of the tensioner inside that black plastic cover with the piston you just pressed in, use a small allen key and slide it all the way through then put it to the side untill later. Grab the belt start from the bottom hold one hand on the bottom crank pulley then pull the belt tight towards the intake pulley and slide it in the groves if it seems that the groves are a hair off your probably dont have the marks alignd perfectly. while still holdind the belt form slipping off the crank puley proceed to the ehaust pulley then run it downso the belt smooth side rides against the tensioner pulley. Let go of the belt it shouldnt go anywhere. Install Tensioner tighten bolts then use plyers and yank the allen key out. It may get stuck so use a screw driver or small pry bar and put some tension on that pulley so it makes the belt tighter. Check the side of the belt that connects the crank to the intake pulley can only be twisted no more then 90 degrees in the middle. Then your good and beolt everything else back up. recommend new tensioner and timming pulley when doing these jobs exspecially if its over 120k. Then Your DONE I literally just did this job on my 2jz so believe me

 

there are like 5 parts this is the first so try to watch them all if you want...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fiHrC7xT5o

 

It is possible that you did not remove the tensioner on the bottom. Make sure that is off first.

 

Or even if you did remove the tensioner, you have to use something thick and strong enough not to bend in order to hold the tensioner rod far enough into the tensioner or else you can loose a little needed clearance for installing the belt.

A small nail works perfectly for holding the tensioner closed.

 

Got it thanks fjor the very useful posts!