Expert: Sean Halliday - 9/16/2009

Question
Sean,
Aloha! My 93' es300 blew the head gasket and after I got the heads back from the machine shop and went to put it back together, I can't get the right (closest to firewall)intake and exhaust cams to correctly line up. Factory manual says to align the double dots on the gears in line with the top of the head, which I did, but when turning the cam belt gear to align with the #3 cover, the distributor won't line up at TDC. Also, why is it that for the right head after lining up the cam gears you have to turn the belt sproket to make line up to the # cover mark? The manual also says that on the right head cam the alignment slot for the distributor is suppose to be @ 90* from the plane of the top of the head, which is impossible to do. The motor was torn down @ TDC #1 cylinder (right head 1st piston up). The left head cams is not a problem. Thanks in advance for any and all help. Mahalo!

Answer
Number 1 cylinder is at the back of the engine,drivers side right rear maybe thats why it will not line up.The cylinder order is #1 right rear,#2 left rear,middle right#3,middle left#4,front right#5 left front#6.Try that.This is looking at the engine from the front of the car.