87 broken timing belt

@Trueno, well, got it running yet? Since you didn’t remove the distributor there should be no change in the ignition timing from before the belt broke and after.

Thank you ALL for you input. When the task is complete, I’ll post again to give the final results. Other projects have priority @ this time.
Thanks again. Trueno.

I’ve done this on my early 90’s Corolla, and the alignment procedure is simple as pie. If you can dial one of those 3 number combination locks, you can do this. As long as you have just a single camshaft gear the belt goes around, rather than two. Hopefully you just have one. It sounds like you have just one, so you should have no problem.

I can’t remember how the marks align though. I looked it up in the service manual at the time and in a Haynes manual for the car. Either would have been sufficient. You can probably find this info using Google too. Did you try that?

If all else fails, I expect your local public library will have a Chiltons or Haynes manual for your car. They would have the timing belt alignment procedure and a diagram showing how to align the marks. The library may have a set of the Motor manuals too, which are like a condensed form of the Toyota shop manual for the car. Even better, the library may subscribe to All-Data, which is a computer data base of this kind of informaiton. Many pro mechanics use this instead of books now-a-days. And public libraries often have a subscription.

One thing that sometimes isn’t mentioned or emphased in the procedures is that after you do the alignment, turn the engine by hand (using the crank bolt) several revolutions, then double check the marks are still aligned correctly. If not, repeat the procedure until they are exactly aligned per the spec. Best of luck.

You can’t keep dipping your toes in the water, just jump in there Trueno. The water is fine.