Help with 5sfe timing Options

[skbradshaw]

98 Celica 5sfe manual 204,000 miles
I had an oil pump seal leak so I changed the timing belt, idler and tensioner pulleys, and water pump while I was in there. This is the second time I have changed the timing belt about 100,000 miles apart.

I had a problem with the tensioner and slipped the timing belt during reassembly. My motor does NOT have any kind of mark on the oil pump body to align with the crank gear mark, so I tried to use the mark on the harmonic balance and the plastic tab on the timing gear cover -- wouldn't start at all! After several attempts to get everything timed (at 3.5 hours per attempt since you can't test drive it without putting the motor mount back on, and you can't put the motor mount back on without putting the mount plate on), I went back to the old-school method of sticking a dowel rod in number 1 and rolling it up to TDC; aligned the cam with the seal-mark and put the belt on. Motor started right up and seemed OK so I finished the assembly and have been driving the car.

Problem:
The motor starts perfectly regardless of temperature;
I still get 29.5 to 30 MPG combined highway/city (more highway than city).

The motor has no "pop" or power in the upper rev band. I have more power when the motor is stone cold -- it almost seems "normal" when cold.
The motor goes really, really flat at or about 4000 RPM; It will still pull the higher RPM's but it does not not like to do so and has no power up there.
Compression is even at about 145-148 across all cylinders; squirting oil in the cylinders does not raise the compression. This seems low to me but is also an indication that I have the timing belt off a tooth or maybe the motor is just worn out.
I checked ignition timing today following procedures with the jumper attached in the test box; it is showing about 60 degrees BTDC!!! WTF!!!

I have to assume that I have the timing belt off a tooth and the advanced timing is what is making the motor go flat with no power. I can't reconcile that with the starting and MPG, however. Unless someone has another diagnostic for me to perform, I need to know which way do I move the cam in relation to the belt, clockwise or counter-clockwise? This is a minimum 3.5 hour job and I want to know a little more than I do right now before I start.

[Special_Edy]

Remove the number1 or number 4 sparkplug. Place a small stick about 1-2 feet in length down the spark plug tube until its resting on top of the piston. Now turn the crankshaft until the stick reaches the highest point in elevation. This is the point where the piston reaches the very top of its stroke, which is TDC, Top Dead Center(its always assumed for cylinder 1).

The timing mark for the camshaft is as follows- there is a small hole on the camshaft timing gear sprocket. There is also a small notch on the camshaft end bearing behind the cam sprocket, it is tilted 15° back from vertical(to the world) just as the engine is. Therefore the mark is perfectly verticle In Relation To The Engine. A $1 mirror on an extendable stick like they sell at the parts store counter is perfect for lining these marks up.


Also, you can place the lower timing gear cover on and set the crank pulley in the crankshaft just to line up TDC then remove them