timing belt tensioner

[Carmod98]

hello long time reader first time poster....
this timing belt sensioner has me stumped, everything ive done on this car seeemed pretty easy up until this point

all this because their is an oil leak on the driver side on the oil pan and bottom of timing cover. so i got everything off to thinking it was the crankshaft seal....

so now im trying to get the timing belt back on. the cam pully is lined up to tdc and
the bolt for the tensioner is loose (i loosened it per instructions)

the only way i can get the belt on is when the spring for the tensioner is off. but when the belt is on i cant put the spring on. so then i take the belt off so i can put the spring on, then i cant get the belt back on and BACK TO SQUARE ONE

what am i missing here besides a brain???

[InAccordance]

Big pair of long needlenose pliers.

[Dr_Snooz]

It's the chicken and egg problem, only more frustrating. Set everything to TDC. Leave the spring on the tensioner and put the belt over everything but the cam gear. Starting at the left side (toward the front of the car) take the slack out of the belt and put your first few teeth on the cam gear. Making sure those first few teeth stay on, pull on the belt and put a few more teeth on. You'll only be able to get the edge of the belt on the teeth intially. That's okay, as you get more teeth on, go back and push the belt farther onto the gear. Keep working like this, moving over the top of the cam gear. Pulling up on the belt and putting a few more teeth on the gear each time, going back to push the belt farther onto the gear as you progress. It takes some patience and some grunting, but it's the best way I've found.

Hopefully I'll remember to make a video on this the next time I do my belt. Until then, you'll have to read words and imagine what I'm talking about.

[Oldblueaccord]

good chance its the oil pump leaking, its driven by the timing belt, it has the cogged pulley on it.

Did you get a new timing belt and is it the correct length.