12V timing belt install; observation

[turbo510]

I just finished changing the timing belt (and rollers, coolant pump, serp belt bearing, and various cooling hoses) on my '96 and wanted to pass along an observation for those who still have their 12-valves. The timing belt is tensioned before the cam bolts are tightened (the cam sprockets can move independently of the cams during this procedure). The 12V has an eccentric roller for adjustment, which is rotated until the "90 degree twist" tension is attained. The manual I have says to twist by your fingers the belt between the water pump pulley and the passenger cam sprocket. Once you do this, this will be the slack part of the whole belt. Now if you tighten the cam sprockets, once the crank turns, the driver's side cam will move immediately, then the passenger cam after the slack is taken up. So the passenger cam will be retarded a few degrees. I found this by setting the timing, taking the tools off, turning the crank a few revolutions back to TDC, and finding the passenger cam retarded so the tool wouldn't fit. The trick is to force the slack to be on the other side of the passenger cam sprocket, then tighten the cam bolts. Once I did this, the tool would refit properly.

[Lago Blue]

Thanks for that sir.