Need HELP on Timing Belt

[gwmlb]

I printed out the instructions do do a timing belt and water pump change. I have followed them. I replaced the water pump, got the timing belt off and put on a new one with a new tensioner, so all was good. I double/triple checked that I was at TDC and marked where the upper sprocket was at. Now after putting on the new belt I can not rotate the engine clockwise as I could before. I can rotate it counter clockwise for about a half a rotation and back, but can not get it to rotate around. I then put the vibration gear and cover back on to check and I am not at TDC. But can't get it there. I removed the belt but which would leave me independent from the upper crank but can't move the bottom cam any differently with or without the belt.
I have not pushed it too hard as I have heard of bent valves, crashing the pistons, etc and don't want that. So.... what do I do, I can't even get things lined up again.
HELP!!!!! this was my darkest fear, getting this off and not getting it to line up and work.
What should I do?
HELP!!

[Rrrockhound]

First thing you do is...STOP. Before you get frustrated and do something dumb, take a breath, go do something else for a couple hours. Have a beer.

When you go back, read this memo I wrote to myself when I went through this very same thing:

TIPS FOR REPLACING E30 TIMING BELT

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, then 50,000 miles have passed since the last timing belt change and you're ready to do it again. It was tough the last time, but if you follow these instructions, you should be able to do it. Just follow the standard message board directions up to the point where you're ready to install the new belt, and read on…

All instructions on the internet just state to install the new belt from the bottom up and counter-clockwise. What they don’t tell you is that even with the tensioner tightened all the way down, there isn’t quite enough slack in the belt to slip it on easily. Even the old belt wouldn’t go back on this way, proving that it isn’t just a matter of the new belt needing to get stretched out. I discovered that it is possible to install the belt first and then finagle the tensioner into place, but that causes the crankshaft pulley to get out of whack (the “O|T” mark goes out of alignment), and as soon as you try to turn the crankshaft pulley to test the alignment of the whole thing, it turns several degrees just to take up the slack in the belt. Needless to say, this is no good for keeping the valves in alignment.
So here is how I did it:

First, make sure the tensioner is able to snap back easily once the adjusting bolt is loosened. Grease the bracket if necessary. The tensioner must be able to take up all slack in the belt on its own, without being tweaked or coaxed. If you have to coax the tensioner into position, you will cause the O|T mark to be out of alignment.

Second, after pressing the tensioner back all the way and tightening it down, try to install the belt. It should be very hard to do. If it slips over the top pulley easily, you’re probably doing something wrong (every time I got the belt to slip on easily, I was unable to get the timing right). You should not be able to install the belt at all without doing the following step:

After running the belt over the bottom (crank) pulley, then the idler pulley, and then the top (camshaft) pulley (in that order), try to run it over the tensioner. This won't be possible, but just try, and then leave it sitting there. Then, fit the bottom timing belt cover over the bolt, and fit the vibration damper and pulley in place over the crank. Checking that everything (crank pulley and cam pulley) is still aligned for TDC, and making sure that the belt is engaged with all pulleys (so that only the tensioner is excluded, and so that when the crank pulley is turned, the belt will turn the camshaft pulley), take a 22 mm socket and slightly turn the crank pulley clockwise while trying to fit the belt over the tensioner. Think of trying to fit a bicycle chain over a sprocket. It goes much easier if the sprocket is rotating. This is the same principle. The belt should go on the tensioner pulley easily. Once you release the tensioner adjusting bolt, it should snap back sharply and the belt should have no slack. Then, you should find the timing marks are still all in alignment, and you should be able to turn the crank pulley two complete revolutions without resistance. If not, remove the belt, reset the tensioner, and try again, but this method worked for me the very first time once I figured it out.

[gwmlb]

I keep hearing all this... be careful or the valves will hit the pistons. I guess my whole concern is, how far does the belt have to be off for that to happen.. a couple cogs? a full turn? My concern is, if it is off by 3-5 cogs from where it should be, is that when the valves bend, hit the piston, etc??? by me putting pressure to turn it (more than I used to have to), am I potentially bending valves? That's my whole concern here... AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!

[Rrrockhound]

You don't want the belt off by as much as 1 cog. 3-5 cogs is way too much. If you try turning the engine with a wrench and it stops, stop trying to turn it. You've done something wrong. If you haven't already taken out all the plugs, take 'em out so you can turn the engine smoothly. That way, if the engine won't turn over by hand, you know it's because the valves are hanging up. Just follow my instructions. It worked for me.

[gwmlb]

Hi, this helps a lot... your comment of you don't want it off by 1 vs 3 to 5 cogs tells me that it's super critical I get it back on the exact cog it was on or I hit the valves. (I now assume that based on your comment).
So... I am guessing the resistence I feel is the valves. So, my plan is to take the belt off, rotate the top cog by one, put it back on, and repeat this until I can get it to crank again. I did remove the spark plugs and still have the same resistence point. I can't get the bottom cam to go to TDC as it hits resistence before that. (TDC is about 2 o'clock and I can get it only to about 1:00). So, I will change the top one cog at a time, put the belt on and keep trying it cog by cog. Does that seem like what I have to do to make this go?
Thanks for your help

[gwmlb]

As a follow up.
I moved the bottom about as close to TDC as I could get it (again more like the 1:00 area) I then took the belt off the top and moved it one cog. I reversed a little and then was able to get the whole thing to move. It still hit a resistence point but I was now to the point I could get the bottom on TDC. So then I marked the belt (chaulk) and moved it another cog and I was golden.

The key was, I had no clue that being off by as little as one cog would prevent the whole thing from turning and would create this. Your tip, that you were off by one and experienced the same thing was a big help.