[Danspeed1]

Hello,

I wouldn't normally post a question about a car as unimportant as this one, but I have been working on it for two months now with no success. I know some of you guys are really knowledgeable so I figured why not give it a try.


Timing Belt: 1995 Chevy Monte Carlo 3.4L DOHC Z34 V6

I removed the timing belt like a complete idiot against my better judgement. Now I have a problem. I got the crank and balancer lined up... I think I have the first 3 cams lined up right. Originally there were yellow dots on all 4 of the cams. I went over 3 of them with a little white paint, and then lined up, one facing the next. The fourth cam,... the all the way towards the back of the engine, is so dirty and corroded that I can't tell where the dot is, and therefore cant line up those two cams towards the firewall. Now what??? Went on monte carlo forum and the only info I was give was to "line up the cam flats." Honestly not even sure what that means... and if they mean line up the cam dots well we're back to the same problem. This is a mess...

1. How do I get the four cams lined up properly.

2. If infact the cams are lined up dot to dot, how to I get the other two lined up when one of the dots are not visible.

Any help you can give me I will appreciate,

Dan

 

[Chris R]

Have you tried a wire brush to clean it enough to find a dot to line up?

 

[Danspeed1]

I am afraid if I use a wire brush, I might take the dot off. Its just painted on.


DG

 

[Schurkey]

Can't help you with the cams, but don't forget to use new pulleys for the timing belt idlers. It all comes in a kit from NAPA and others.

The bearings in the idlers go bad about the same rate as the belts go bad.

(I've got a 92 and a '93 3.4 Lumina)

 

[Danspeed1]

I went on 60degreev6.com,... the write up is so involved,... I think I may have bit off more then I can chew this time.
DG

 

[novaderrik]

head to the library and check out a Chiltons manual for the car.

 

[dmg1029]

Be careful. I've done some overhear cam 4 valve per cyl timing belts before. On a Honda V6, the timing belt has a detailed installation because the cams on each head are not a 1:1 ratio to the belt drive gear. As suggested, read the manual line for line. On the Honda, we had to line up some marks, turn cams on the drivers side 90 degrees and line up the last mark. We also had to line up the marks on the timing belt to the marks on the crank and on the pullys for the cam gears. Sorry I can not be more help to you.

 

[BillK]

Dan,
I have a couple of AERA bulletins on the subject and just looking at them I would say before you go any further you need to get a factory manual and the correct tool to align the gears.

The one good thing is that I don't think it will bend valves if it is not correct.

One other thing you can do is get the one time online subscription to alldata for just your vehicle. Its only about $20 for a year and should have all of the correct procedures and diagrams. http://www.alldatadiy.com/

You will still probably need the correect tools. Here is the text from the two AERA bulletins I have:

Timing Belt Installation Caution On
1991-97 GM 3.4L VIN X DOHC Engines

The AERA Technical Committee offers the following caution regarding timing belt installation on 1991-97 GM 3.4L VIN X, DOHC engines. This information is supplied to be used in addition to previously published service manual information. This bulletin contains an additional step that had been omitted from 1991-95 service procedures.

This engine does not use a key way or dowel pin to locate the engines’ four camshaft sprockets. The only reference marks on the camshaft are two flats located near the front or rear of the end journal. When the camshafts are correctly positioned in the cylinder head, those flats will be facing up on one
bank while the other bank has them positioned downward.

Originally published information indicated all four camshafts should locate the flats up during installation. If installation is done in that manner, the engine will start and run, but will lack power and performance. It should also be noted, this engine is of a freewheeling design and will not encounter valve to piston contact if valve timing is interrupted.


Primary Chain Timing Marks On
1991-97 GM 3.4L VIN X Engines

The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information for timing the primary chain for 1991-97 GM 3.4L engines. This engine utilizes a dual overhead cam (DOHC) design which incorporates a single serpentine belt to drive its four camshafts. The engine design also uses a chain and gear assembly attached to an intermediate shaft to drive the engine oil pump.

Specific timing of this two gear and chain assembly is not necessary as there are no electronic or mechanical sequence timing requirements of these components. The intermediate shaft is used only to drive the oil pump, so it could be considered as an idler shaft.

Specific timing of the four camshafts is described in AERA Technical Bulletin TB 1595 and requires the use of special tool #J38613.

The AERA Technical Commitee

 

[brans72]

i love honda v6 timing belts!!!!!

 

[jloshotz]

I went on 60degreev6.com,... the write up is so involved,... I think I may have bit off more then I can chew this time.
DG

Yeah man....I had a 98 with that motor, i know why you tried it yourself. I had the dealer do the 60K belt change. I am very mechanically inclined, yet didn't have the balls to get involved in that thing...Good luck; you are a better man than i am for even trying!

 

[Danspeed1]

head to the library and check out a Chiltons manual for the car.

Thats a good idea,... I didn't even think to do that. I already checked out NoData (Alldata) and it was unhelpful as usual. Ill go the the library and see if I can get ahold of a repair manual.

Dan,
I have a couple of AERA bulletins on the subject and just looking at them I would say before you go any further you need to get a factory manual and the correct tool to align the gears.

The one good thing is that I don't think it will bend valves if it is not correct.

One other thing you can do is get the one time online subscription to alldata for just your vehicle. Its only about $20 for a year and should have all of the correct procedures and diagrams. http://www.alldatadiy.com/

You will still probably need the correect tools. Here is the text from the two AERA bulletins I have:

Timing Belt Installation Caution On
1991-97 GM 3.4L VIN X DOHC Engines

The AERA Technical Committee offers the following caution regarding timing belt installation on 1991-97 GM 3.4L VIN X, DOHC engines. This information is supplied to be used in addition to previously published service manual information. This bulletin contains an additional step that had been omitted from 1991-95 service procedures.

This engine does not use a key way or dowel pin to locate the engines’ four camshaft sprockets. The only reference marks on the camshaft are two flats located near the front or rear of the end journal. When the camshafts are correctly positioned in the cylinder head, those flats will be facing up on one
bank while the other bank has them positioned downward.

Originally published information indicated all four camshafts should locate the flats up during installation. If installation is done in that manner, the engine will start and run, but will lack power and performance. It should also be noted, this engine is of a freewheeling design and will not encounter valve to piston contact if valve timing is interrupted.


Primary Chain Timing Marks On
1991-97 GM 3.4L VIN X Engines

The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information for timing the primary chain for 1991-97 GM 3.4L engines. This engine utilizes a dual overhead cam (DOHC) design which incorporates a single serpentine belt to drive its four camshafts. The engine design also uses a chain and gear assembly attached to an intermediate shaft to drive the engine oil pump.

Specific timing of this two gear and chain assembly is not necessary as there are no electronic or mechanical sequence timing requirements of these components. The intermediate shaft is used only to drive the oil pump, so it could be considered as an idler shaft.

Specific timing of the four camshafts is described in AERA Technical Bulletin TB 1595 and requires the use of special tool #J38613.

The AERA Technical Commitee

Hey thanks for the info... I knew you guys would be helpful. Got a question for you though,.. must I use the GM tool. I have been trying to get around that for months... the tool is extremely expensive and I don't know anyone that has one.

I think the harderst part of this whole thing is the wording!!!

Yeah man....I had a 98 with that motor, i know why you tried it yourself. I had the dealer do the 60K belt change. I am very mechanically inclined, yet didn't have the balls to get involved in that thing...Good luck; you are a better man than i am for even trying!

First off, I should have known there was a problem when my local dealship wouldn't touch it! The second tip off should have been the $1000 price tag attached to the dealerships that would. I got so fed up with this car I took a loan and purchased a 96 Imp LT1. I love my 350 chevy! So simple! The 3.4L has a history to it. They should have done away this this evil motor long ago! I just want to get this thing running again so I can drive it off a cliff.

Dan

 

[travis g]

I am usually fearless when it comes to working on about anything, but the timing belt on the 3.4DOHC is something I won't touch! My daily driver is a '95 Lumina with the 3.4 engine. I bought it with 28K miles on it in 2000, and now have a little over 160K on it. I paid $450 to get the timing belt replaced on it at around 75K miles...after reading the service manual I knew it was money well spent. I've also replaced 2 sets of intake gaskets on it...1st set was at around 60K miles when it developed a nasty vacuum leak, and the 2nd time was at about 140K miles when it started dumping coolant out of the engine.
Even worse than the timing belt is the alternator. Why in the &^%$ would anybody put an alternator there? That was another $450...8 hours of labor to replace an alternator!!!
Other than being a total bitch to work on, I can't complain too much. I know mine is getting tired, but it still starts super easy no matter what the temps are outside, and still gets 26-27mpg. The engine is really wrong for a 4 door family car...the lack of low end torque is pretty annoying at times (the 3.1 was much better here), but how many family cars can spin to 7K+ rpms sooo easily

 

[novaderrik]

my 94 Lumina 4 door was a blast with that engine. but it started blowing the fuse that allows the trans to start out in 1st gear and shift into overdrive and new solenoids didn't fix it. it had 120,000 miles on it and still had the oem timing belt and alternator in it, and that made me paranoid... but it was a very nice car that shocked a few Honda's with big wings and bigger exhaust pipes at stoplights when the tranny fuse wasn't blown. hell, it was even quicker than a newer 3.8 powered Grand Prix up to the 45mph speed limit.
i ran across a 94 Caprice cop car at a junkyard car lot, and traded it even up. that Caprice was awesome- and i still have the LT1 and some of the suspension and rear disc brake parts out of it.

 

[Danspeed1]

I found the engine to be very impressive for a FWD car. There was no low end torque, but if you punched it around 40 it really give you a good ride,... again for a FWD V6. The engine always sounded awesome, and it was cool revving it out to 7200. But this was definately the wrong car to put the motor into. Its hard to work on, way too techinical for a car that was probably like $20,000 new.

My 454 for my chevelle has been sitting in my garage for 1 1/2 years now. I had a bit of misfortune back about a year ago that has kept me from getting the engine done. Furthermore, the machinist that was working on the project with me screwed me. If I get this Monte Carlo done, I think it should give me the inspiration to get back working on my pride and joy.

I miss my chevelle.... as for a daily driver, as you can imagine, no complaints at all about the impala

DG