This weekend sucked. My timing belt tensioner broke! The bolt sheared off in the water pump and blew the pulley out the side of the timing belt cover! I made it home, I don't know how or why the engine didn't jump time but it didn't, phew. To make a long story short I know that this motor is known as an interference motor and the tolerance in the motor is close. The repair manual says there is 90 degrees of rotation on the cam shaft and the crank shaft from tdc. However it says to put the motor at tdc before you remove the timing belt. In my case the belt fell off as soon as i took the cover off. I have rotated them so the E of the cam gear is lined up with the timing mark and the crankshaft with the timing mark there too. I just don't want to screw my motor up. Also how easy should the crankshaft turn? It turned pretty damn easy. Also the repair manual says to losen all the rocker arms on the motor to get proper timing belt tension is this necessary? Please help!!! :-/

Not only that, you need to make sure the
ignition timing is right too, with the engine
at TDC make sure the rotor is pointing at the
#1 Cylinder plug wire.

I don't know how different the 16V engine is
in the timing dept., but the 8V engine has a
dimple on the back timing cover, it's center
and top, this is the cam timing mark, if all
else fails, remove the valve cover, and make
sure the cam lobes are both pointing up on#1
Cyl. and that the rotor is at #1 spot it will start
and run.  Look for a mark that is close when the
cam is in the lobes up  position, that should get
you right on the money.

Good Luck
Darrin