I am replacing the timing belt and notice that the L/H cam arrow is approx 7 teeth out, the other marks line up

Not sure but if doing belt yourself I will give you important tips. 1) before removeing T/Belt set engine to TDC nr 1 there should be marks on the crank and cam (s) gears that line up with a mark on the block / head. 2) prior to removeing tension to belt get liquid paper & mark cam gear(s) & crank gear to point on block / head. 3) mark T/Belt to cam(s), crank, balance shaft if fitted. 4) release tension & remove belt. 5) transcribe marks from old belt to new belt & make sure correct amount of teeth. 6) fit new belt so YOUR marks line up. 7) have tensioner suply presure to belt. 8) turn motor twice by hand to make sure pistons no hit valves 9) Make sure YOUR marks line up if YOUR marks line up it has to be right. 10) Very IMPORTANT if spring tensioner lossen locking bolt again to take up extra slack in belt. 11) tighten locking bolt. 12) put back together.

If you dont know the marks on an engine when replacing the timing belt. There are usually marks on the pulleys and housings to line up. Put the engine on top dead centre TDC from the crankshaft marks before looking for the other marks. If you cant find them Use white out to place your own marks on the pulleys and housings before removing the old belt . To be sure nothing gets out of line mark any pulley that has teeth. It can be useful to take a few digital photos . When fitting the new belt make sure your marks line up again.

Answer

If this is a single overhead cam, possibly A15SMS (engine type):

If you have everything stripped down and can see the crank shaft gear, you will notice an arrow stamped into one of the gear teeth.
this arrow must point towards the bottom, you will notice a mark (notch) cut into the housing, line the arrow on the gear with this notch.

remove the four 10mm bolts that secure the top cover of the timing belt, gently open the cover (not removing it) to see the Cam Gear. You will not be able to remove the cover because of the design.

The Cam Gear should have a line stamped into one of its teeth, this should be pointing up and towards the top. On the inner cover you will notice a notch in the casing, line both up together if it is not already.

You can check the following if unsure:
Remove # 1 spark plug (nearest the Cam Belt) and place a long screwdriver in the hole carefully to feel the piston is at the top, #2 and 3 will be down and the last one #4 at the distributor end will also be up.

Remove the rocker cover and you should see the Cam loabes on #1 piston free, (no pressure on the cam shaft) meaning the valves are closed.


tim

hi from uk the cambelt timing marks at TDC are as follows--the crank gear mark is lined up with mark on front of engineblock at approx 10-30 am position the marks are clear as you look ? the cam coghas a dot/pop mark just below teeth this mark is at top ie 12-0'clock position now on cam cog you will also see s hole drilledon the cog web also at 12-o/clock if you look thro this hole (use a mirror ?) the hole lines up to a grooved vertical line at the rear which is on front of engine at this point you fit belt fron crank pully anti clockwise round cam cig then reset tensioner when marks are rechecked with belt fitted/tensioned ? turn engine manually two full rotations clockwise then recheck all mark line up again ? then re assemble ? c/shaft pully bolt tightens to=170-180 Nm hope you notice that the new belt is marked as to its rotation with arrows hope this helps ?best wishes from uk

I am assuming you have the 3.3 litter v-6?I just did my own so I can offer you a few words of personal advice. Make sure, before you remove the crank shaft pulley, that the engine is at TDC. There is a pointer on the lower timing cover that should line up with the mark that is furthest to the left on the crank pulley (looking at it from the front of the truck). If you are replacing the timing belt for maintenance, not failure, make several marks on the cam pullies to the rear of the timing cover with a paint pen before removing the old belt and make sure that everything stays aligned to those marks upon reassembly. If this method is not an option, use the timing dimples on the back of the upper timing cover only as reference points for the cam pulleis (this is where I ran in to trouble). What is most important is that there are exactly 40 teeth on the belt between the marks on the cam pullies and 43 teeth between the right cam pully mark (right cam as you look at the engine from the front of the truck) and the mark on the crank pully. I used a Goodyear Belt that actually had marks that indicated the 40 and 43 tooth increments. Make sure you have the belt on the right directon, arrows to the front of the truck. Again it is very important that the crank pully remain at TDC (top dead center) during the entire process. Good luck, hope you get it the first time and not the second like me!!

Timing belt removed, static timing was not set before removing timing belt.

[Set Static Timing:
No.1 piston is brought up to TDC before removing timing belt.

Cam gear has a punchmark on face of gear, and this mark aligns with one single tooth. There is a matching punchmark on the Timing Belt Rear Upper Cover.

Facing the cam gear, the mark is to the upper right. There is an 'egg shape' of the timing belt upper rear cover, in this spot. This punchmark is in that 'egg shape', and is close to a bolt hole. The cam gear mark lines up with the Timing Belt Rear Upper Cover, mark.

The crankshaft gear has a punchmark on the face. It lines up with one single tooth. There is a corresponding punchmark on the lower right side. An alignment mark)

Should be a round punchmark on the face of the crankshaft gear. It lines up with a single tooth. Wipe the gear clean, use a little carb cleaner. (NO flames, or sparks nearby, well ventilated area)

Barring you cannot find the crankshaft mark, find the camshaft alignment marks, make sure they are aligned with the alignment, (Punchmark), on the Timing Upper Rear Cover.

Count the teeth in the timing belt. There should be 133 teeth on the belt.

There is 43 teeth in-between the timing mark of the camshaft, and the timing mark on the crankshaft.

(43 teeth in-between the Right Side Camshaft mark to crankshaft mark, 43 teeth in-between the Left Side Camshaft mark to crankshaft mark)

There should be 40 teeth in-between the two cam gears.

your timeing marks are on the block rite abouve the cams on either side and on the block in the middle but line the center mark on the teeth there is a mark not the arrow the arrow is where tdc is the mark is on teeth good luck.

The cam sprockets should have marks on them (dimples) that should align with marks on the rear timing cover. There should also be a similar dimple on the crankshaft timing sprocket. These will align with their respective marks when the engine is at TDC. The alignment marks are in the following locations as you look at the front of the engine: RH cam sprocket at approximately 11:00, LH cam sprocket at approx 1:00, Crankshaft timing sprocket at approx 4:00 or 5:00. IF you can't find the marks on the cover, put the marks on the sprockets in those approximate positions and set the belt by using a belt tooth count between the marks. Cam to cam should be 40 teeth between the cam marks. Between the LH sprocket and the crank mark should be 43 teeth. You can check TDC by removing your number 1 cylinder spark plug and carefully inserting a long screwdriver and watching the rise/fall as you hand crank the crankshaft into position (which is much easier with the plugs out)

CHECK AUTO ZONE .COM FOR TIMING PROCEEDURE. I HAVE DONE THIS & IT IS VERY HARD TO GET TIMING MARKS PERFECTLY LINED UP. TOOK ABOUT 3 TRIES. ( CAMS WANT TO MOVE DURING PROCESS.) WHEN TIMING IS JUST RIGHT , IT WILL RUN. MAKE SURE BOTH CAM SROCKET ARROWS ARE POINTING UP. THERE IS A TIMING MARK IN THE VALLEY OF THE EXHAUST CAM SPROCKET TEETH THAT I MISSED.YOU HAVE TO START WITH EXHAUST CAM TIMING MARK JUST BELOW INTAKE CAM SPROCKET TIMING MARK & THEN WHEN BELT IS COMPLETELY ON , MOVE EXHAUST CAM TO TAKE UP SLACK IN BELT. IT WORKS !!!

This is one of the most frusterating things to do because of the very limited space inside the engine, but you will have to remove the radiator the fan blade, all the hoses, the balancer, move the alternator, remove the timing belt cover and all the serpentine belts, remove the timing belt "MARK THE BELT WHERE IT ORIGINALY WAS OR YOU WILL MESS THE TIMING UP AND POSSIBLY THE ENGINE!!!", Remove water pump the reinstall new one, the assemble everything back together!! GOOD LUCK ITS A PAIN IN THE @$$!!!!