Kia Cam placement/alignment of timing belt

[Kia_Pet]

Hello all, I am going to try to explain this the best I can. I kind of rambled in my last post. I replaced my timing belt at 73k (this was the second replacement, first one at 55k) because my balance shaft belt broke and i figured get a fresh start on my timing belt and water pump too since im in there. When I took off the timing belt off(previously replaced by some one else) the cams both moved inward of each other (1-2 teeth). The diagram kinda shows how it moves when the belt comes off. So needless to say I naturally moved the cams back outward when I put the new belt on. But when I do, I line all the timing marks up and the belt bows up in between the cams (from the inward pressure) The teeth DO NOT slip off the cam sprockets, and the engine runs great like this but I can't imagine this is designed to be this way.

I am thinking the previous guy spun one or both of the cams off a rotation, but if he had done that then I would imagine bent valves and or rough engine would ensue. Right? The pics show the belt bowed up and the one with my finger pushing it down shows how much flex it has. Now the pics show the belt on, the timing marks all lined up, and the tensioner tensioning. There is no extra tooth of belt between them because this is the only way it goes on to where both cams will align to the timing marks.

Can anyone who has done this before tell me if they had to align there cams the same? Thanks in advance.

[rhodes2020]

In my humble opinion the slack between the two cam gears needs to be taken out.

It looks like one tooth.

The cams are perfect and you are correct that if the cams were not right
it would run very poorly.

So you have to keep the camshaft timing marks lined up, but get the slack at the top out by moving the belt one tooth to the side of the belt where the tension is.

Yours must be a 4 cylinder . My V6 is a little different.
But on the V6 the tension is on the rear of the engine , meaning
that any slack on mine we moved to the back side .

So find the tensioner and move the belt one tooth that directions.

Please confirm, was this slack in there when you opened it up to do the replacement ?
I have never seen timing belts with slack like this.

Hopefully some of the more experienced people here can give some input.

[Kia_Pet]

Well, thats the thing, when I originally replaced it I dont remember seeing it like this. But I didnt look for it either. When I spin the engine it gets tight between the cams, and times it is loose like this in different locations like between the oilpump and crank. And I'm spinning clockwise.

The thing that gets me is if I moved the belt one tooth to make it tight it will throw one of the cams off a tooth on the timing marks. Im using a Kia belt, so no aftermarket woes.

[rhodes2020]

Ah. Got it. I like the part that the tension there goes away when engine turns.
Then it is doing exactly what it should (the engine and the belt).

This makes me think the tensioner is not applying enough tension.

I replaced mine , all the little parts add expense to the job.
Those shops that do cheap belt replacements do not usually add in the little parts.

Although at less than 100,000 miles that you said this had the
tensioner should be doing its job still.

Now lets see if some other board member can give a little insight.

[Kia_Pet]

Yeah I tested the tensioner when I did the replacement per KIAs specs and it passed easily and I had the same thought you did with the miles, I figured at 130k I'd replace the tensioner.

Thanks for your help, hopefully someone that has done a timing belt before will have the insight I need and the time to post.