Timing?

Im still at the 91 ranger 2.3.
First let me put everything i replaced
Water pump
Thermostat
Cylinder head and cylinder head gasket
Cleaned throttle body
Spark plugs and wires
Main belts
Timing crank sensor
Fuses
Fuel pump
Fuel filter
Intake gasket exhaust gasket
So i got it running and I forgot to put cam seal on so i took the cam sprocket off with belt still tightened and got it off put cam seal on and as i was putting sprocket back on i turned the cam alittle bit (so mad) after i got everything back on i cant get it started back up, ive tried timing marks atleast 10 times already, someone mentiones after i get marks alighned that i do a full rotation 2 times but i tried that and i cant get it to rotate. What else could it be? Ive already tried the inertia switch.

Simple test
Spray gasoline(or starting fluid) into the intake and try starting
If it starts and dies then fuel system is the problem
If it doesn't start then spark OR compression is the problem.

1991 spark is from ICM(ignition control module) on the front side of lower intake, crank sensor hooks to this and so do both coils.
Make sure all wires are plugged in
Exhaust side spark plugs/coil pack work when starter motor is on, intake side doesn't start sparking until RPMs are about 400
So make sure exhaust side coil pack is hooked up, Red wire on coil pack should have 12v with key on

Timing belt is all about Compression, being one or two teeth off on Can gear would lower compression but engine would still start, just run like crap.

Crank rotates 2 full turns for 1 turn of the Cam, thats the "rotate it 2 times" thing.
i.e. after setting up timing belt marks, rotate the crank 2 full turns and the Cam mark should be back where you set it up, if its off then you are one tooth off on cam gear
Slack picked up by tensioner is why you do this test
But engine would still start.

Do the 50/50 test, spray fuel directly into the engine and see where that takes you, fuel or spark issue

RonD said:

Simple test
Spray gasoline(or starting fluid) into the intake and try starting
If it starts and dies then fuel system is the problem
If it doesn't start then spark OR compression is the problem.

1991 spark is from ICM(ignition control module) on the front side of lower intake, crank sensor hooks to this and so do both coils.
Make sure all wires are plugged in
Exhaust side spark plugs/coil pack work when starter motor is on, intake side doesn't start sparking until RPMs are about 400
So make sure exhaust side coil pack is hooked up, Red wire on coil pack should have 12v with key on

Timing belt is all about Compression, being one or two teeth off on Can gear would lower compression but engine would still start, just run like crap.

Crank rotates 2 full turns for 1 turn of the Cam, thats the "rotate it 2 times" thing.
i.e. after setting up timing belt marks, rotate the crank 2 full turns and the Cam mark should be back where you set it up, if its off then you are one tooth off on cam gear
Slack picked up by tensioner is why you do this test
But engine would still start.

Do the 50/50 test, spray fuel directly into the engine and see where that takes you, fuel or spark issue

Click to expand...

Appreciate it ron getting it done now see what i come up with

RonD said:

Simple test
Spray gasoline(or starting fluid) into the intake and try starting
If it starts and dies then fuel system is the problem
If it doesn't start then spark OR compression is the problem.

1991 spark is from ICM(ignition control module) on the front side of lower intake, crank sensor hooks to this and so do both coils.
Make sure all wires are plugged in
Exhaust side spark plugs/coil pack work when starter motor is on, intake side doesn't start sparking until RPMs are about 400
So make sure exhaust side coil pack is hooked up, Red wire on coil pack should have 12v with key on

Timing belt is all about Compression, being one or two teeth off on Can gear would lower compression but engine would still start, just run like crap.

Crank rotates 2 full turns for 1 turn of the Cam, thats the "rotate it 2 times" thing.
i.e. after setting up timing belt marks, rotate the crank 2 full turns and the Cam mark should be back where you set it up, if its off then you are one tooth off on cam gear
Slack picked up by tensioner is why you do this test
But engine would still start.

Do the 50/50 test, spray fuel directly into the engine and see where that takes you, fuel or spark issue

Click to expand...

So i did thw rotation twice will the crank be in same spot where i started or no?

Yes, or the cam work you did is causing cam to bind up, you said it ran before

2.3l is a non-interference engine, that means at no time do the valves and pistons share a common space inside a cylinder, i.e. they can't hit each other
So you should be able to rotate the cam gear, against valve spring pressure, without it binding up, then rotate to where it needs to be to line up the marks again.

Yes, tensioner could need to be reset if belt came off it

RonD said:

Yes, or the cam work you did is causing cam to bind up, you said it ran before

2.3l is a non-interference engine, that means at no time do the valves and pistons share a common space inside a cylinder, i.e. they can't hit each other
So you should be able to rotate the cam gear, against valve spring pressure, without it binding up, then rotate to where it needs to be to line up the marks again.

Yes, tensioner could need to be reset if belt came off it

Click to expand...

So i took harmonic balancer off and put belt back on and make sure markings were right and i let tensioner go, now i noticed i have to pry the tensioner alittle bit to get it tighter and it turned right over and ran fine and than i tried cutting off and cutting baxk on ans timing is off again.

If you have to pry the tensioner to get it to snap back into place, then you have something wrong with the procedure. It may be that one of the mounting bolts was not loosened, or, more likely, the tensioner got bound(tilted from flat to the front of the block) and did not get good tension on the belt. You run the engine at a couple thousand revolutions per minute... just a few minutes, and it has had a couple thousand chances to wiggle free, slide back a bit, and relax the tension.
I think there are 3 bolts on the tensioner, and you have to loosen them a bit, pry the tensioner away from the belt, tighten ONE. Adjust the belt to the sprockets and set the timing. Then, release the one bolt, and the tensioner should SNAP back into place, and put tension on the backside of the belt. You want all the 'slack' in the belt to be on the tensioner side, with the belt pretty tight on the CRANK-AUX-CAM spans. Not really tensioned, but snug, with the marks aligned. Let loose the tensioner, and then tighten all 3 bolts. The bolt that the spring pivots on also has to be tightened, as I recall.
Set the belt again, and make sure the tensioner can spring back and forth. Try using the prybar and see that it has slid over and is pressing on the belt before tightening.
Turn the crankshaft a few turns, to make sure the belt has gone around and there's no slack or movement(actually to check the marks), and check the marks one more time.
tom