Threw my timing out of wack with just a few twist of the wrist. HELP!!!

[SwampMonster]

OK so here I go.  I have been completely redoing my 1995 m900 and took it all the way down. Discovering that I needed some work done on the starter motor I popped the left side cover. After getting starter work done and also painting it and the area behind it I was ready to remount the starter and remount the cover (now at this part of the story I feel it very important to include the fact that I also have my belts off for painting) as I am going through the simple process of remounting the starter with the starter's idle gear instead of just turning it counter clock wise as I did when removing it I decided to rotate clock wise. When I did this everything moved including the middle (or for lack of better or correct terms) the crankshaft pulley the clutch and if I'm not mistaken air even came huffing from somewhere.

So I know better than ever starting the bike in this shape and am even pretty (kinda at best) sure of what I need to do. What I am asking you bunch of O so knowledgeable guys and girls is the best and easiest way to get everything back in sync Thanks as always. By the way I am not alone on my endeavor my pops is not only very good with a motor but also a fellow Ducatista but a last resort on this one (kinda a pride thing). Thanks again.

[extra330]

Dude, do you have a manual?
It's simply a matter of aligning the timing mark on th lay shaft with the mark on the block. From there you need the manual to see what marks you use on the cam gears to line up with the mark on the head. The mark on the head may actually be the top surface of the head where the valve cover gasket goes..

so check the manual for the marks. Just be sure to follow the steps carefully and you'll be fine. 
if you have an engine turning tool, make sure you remove the spark plugs before you try turning the engine over.

good luck
Mike

[Cloner]

For '95, there's a mark on the right case cover just above and to the right of the oil sight glass.  Line up the punchmarked "dot" on the lay shaft pulley with that mark.  There are similar marks on the belt covers (the piece that stays attached to the head, behind the cam pulley, that is) and the cam pulleys.  Just line 'em up and reinstall belts. 

Bear in mind that the vertical cam will be on the lobe, so to speak, and will fight against staying lined up correctly.  That's OK, just make sure it's lined up when you're finished!

The Haynes manual is much better than the factory manual, for what that's worth.

[SwampMonster]

Thanks, I do have a manual and a Hayes manual but in my experiences sometime things get lost is the ink on a page that a personal experience can shine a light on, give a tip, or just explain much better. So thanks for the input I will let y'all know what happens when I have a go at it.

[extra330]

While you have the belts off, you should make sure the tensioner pulleys spin freely. If the bearing are worn or feel klunky in any way, do you self a favor and replace them. I'm of the belief that more belts fail from a failed / frozen tensioner (or idler pulley) than any thing else. If either of those go your belt will be fried toot sweet.

[Nomad]

It's probably a good thing that you got some noticeable movement.  That vertical top pulley would have moved anyway as soon as you took your belts off, and if you didn't look up how to put them back on properly you would have boned yourself.
But don't sweat it, getting the belts on properly is about equal in difficulty with changing the oil.

[SwampMonster]

 I went through my manual cover to cover and the only part about timing in the whole book seems to be one section on the different valve tolerances.

[Cloner]

It's definitely in there.  Look for timing belts.  I think it's in the maintenance chapter rather than the engine chapter, but I don't have the book in front of me to look.

Anyway, on your bike the timing mark on the horizontal is a little plastic "teat" almost directly above the pulley and on the vertical it's a little plastic "teat" to the left of the pulley.  Just line up the marks, set the tension (which might start another discussion) and have a good ride.

How do you intend to set the tension, by the way?

Your OE manual will ask you to use a special tool that measures tension.  The Haynes will ask you to use a spring scale (like a fish scale or suspension postal scale) to do likewise.  The more modern factory method is to measure the frequency of the belts.  There is a "shade tree" method that works involving using allen keys as feeler gauges.

For reference...the "shade tree" method, which worked for me for a decade before I bought a frequency meter (available at http://motoreva.com/item.cfm?itemid=111&categoryid=171), is to use 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm allen wrenches as feeler gauges.  You set the tension where you think it should be, then start with the "gauges".  A 5mm should drag pretty heavily between the belt and the tensioner idler.  A 4mm should be easy to get through, and a 6mm should be virtually impossible.  It ain't rocket science, but it works.  The belts, when correctly tensioned, are looser than you'd think they should be.

Best of luck.

[liquidsmile]

You have to make sure the timing marks on the Crank and Flywheel gears are correct before even doing the main drive pulley and belts.  There is a woodruff key, but when turning the gears there is a punch mark that needs to line up, otherwise the whole timing system will be off.