I spent all damn day on saturday down at the shop trying to replace the timing belt and tensioner in my wife's DOHC stratus. I had to buy a special puller to get the dampner off and of course my cam locker tool wont work because the stupid sprockets are too close together. The sprocket alignment marks line up to eachother and NOT to stationary marks on the timing cover. so basically, I have no way to lock any of the 3 critical componants while I try and get the belt around the tensioner. I finally get everything lined up and I rotate it 4 times to double check the alignment marks. I put the piece of shit back together and when I start it? runs super shitty. It lopes, jumps, bounces, runs rich, hardly idles................ So obviously something is whacked. Either the new tensioner is trash, the belt is too short, or I suck at life and didnt line it up right. I cant leave it at the shop all week (no room for it) and I cant work on it untill next saturday. So now I have to get it towed home on monday and towed back to the shop on friday so I can have it on the lift for saturday. Id drive the sumbitch but if its a tensioner problem, I dont want to grenade the valves.
so pissed about this right now. oh yeah, I also discovered her right engine mount is trash. broken half way around and leaking all the fluid out. Another 80 bucks into the dodge.
Last edited on Sun May 14th, 2006 02:54 pm by TXFO
Sounds like the intake cam is off. I would try and fabericate a peice of something to lock the cams. Did you use anything to lock the crank? It should have a mark on the crank pulley to line up. I would just give it another shot.
the crank does have a mark on it that lines up with a mark on the oil pump. I had that lined up fine, I think both the cams are a little off and combined that makes it run terrible. My universal sprocket holder wont fit. There is a tool you can buy to lock the cam sprockets but I really cant afford to buy anymore tools for this car. I already owe matco like 350 bucks and Ive almost got snap on paid off. There is no way to lock the crank in place. The best I can do is put a wrench on it and hold it with my foot as I string the belt.
I got the car towed home this morning. My boss drove it out when he opened the shop and it ran perfect. But I tried it on my lunch break and it runs shitty again. lopes real nasty. I guess its back to the shop on friday so I can do it all again on saturday.
They don't make a crank pin to hold the crank in place? That shouldn't cost you more then a couple bucks. It's a little pin that goes up into the block, when you turn the crank (by hand) it will stop at TDC. I don't know if they have it for the car though.
there aint jack for that car. I went thru the timing belt manual that breaks down tools and procedures for every engine. There is not tool for either the crank or the cams.
When I redo it, Im going to lock the cams with a vice grip since my universal wont fit.
well, I fixed the timing today. When I checked it, it was about 2 teeth off total. One was retarded and the other advanced. About as far off as you can get and still have it run. I must have been on the crack last week. Got it all fixed up now. Runs good. Except I discovered that the both the right and rear mounts are broken. also, there is a zinging noise from teh belt side of the engine. like a cover rubbing on the belt except there is no cover rubbing. Mari says it sounds like always. So at least its not a new problem. I think the alternator bearing is going out. Unfortunately, a new alt. for her car is about 300$. how do you have a cheap car with expensive parts!?
The same way you get a Dell computer with a 3-year extended warranty and once a month you have to reinstall the OS and/or replace the motherboard and NIC.
They still haven't fixed it. Yay for being a H4X0R
____________________ Project FocusFast
'06 ZX3- Intake, exhaust, mount
'01 ZX3- Salvaged, SOLD
'01 ZX3- Repo'd several years ago
'80 RX7 SA- Where the f*** did THAT come from?
The sprocket alignment marks line up to eachother and NOT to stationary marks on the timing cover. 
so basically, I have no way to lock any of the 3 critical componants while I try and get the belt around the tensioner. I finally get everything lined up and I rotate it 4 times to double check the alignment marks. I put the piece of shit back together and when I start it? runs super shitty.
It lopes, jumps, bounces, runs rich, hardly idles................ So obviously something is whacked. Either the new tensioner is trash, the belt is too short, or I suck at life and didnt line it up right. 
I cant leave it at the shop all week (no room for it) and I cant work on it untill next saturday. So now I have to get it towed home on monday and towed back to the shop on friday so I can have it on the lift for saturday. 
Id drive the sumbitch but if its a tensioner problem, I dont want to grenade the valves.
how do you have a cheap car with expensive parts!?