2.5L ('98-'01) Issues with a '99 2.5L

[dude55man]

Hey all, recently I've been helping out a friend rebuild their 2.5L engine for their '99
Currently we've been having issues with it jumping timing just about every time we crank on it, with only one maybe two times it actually ran for a bit. The second time required a lot of throttle managing and it would try to die out, then come back.
The kit he used was from Amazon I believe and it came with new bearings for the crank, cam, and pistons, as well as new pistons, rods, and wrist pins, plus all the gaskets, valves, valve springs, and valve seats (which, never sat right and were an overall different style)

We're over here scratching our heads and getting fed up with why it keeps jumping timing, and runs like shit. I know part of it is because there's no EGR nor O2 sensors so it runs rich right now, but even then it's not happy.
After installing the new cam bearings the camshaft was a devil to turn for a while even though we lathered both the cam and inside of the bearings with assembly lube, even now while it's better to turn, the front cam bearing squeals even though it's getting oil, the whole cam is. So I don't know
It's got new plugs, wires, and coils as well.

 

[franklin2]

Sounds simple to me. The camshaft is locking up making the belt jump. Who installed the cam bearings? Don't you need a special tool for that?

 

[dude55man]

It was a shop that installed them, and yeah
We tried with that tool from Autozone, but we tore up one of the rubber sleeves it comes with.
Umm, odd update here, but it runs now. And drives, it's rich as all get out as the guy somehow found some headers for it. Though it doesn't have an O2 bung. He'll need to install one himself for it to run happier