The tool is just a wrench handle with a weight on the end. It turns the eccentric thanks to gravity and puts the right amount of tension on the belt. Not using it doesn't mean the tension is wrong, but it's easy to over-tighten the belt without it. It doesn't mean the belt is off a tooth either. The best way to tell is to turn the crankshaft two complete revolutions in the normal direction, then recheck the timing marks.
One thing that commonly messes up the timing marks is installing the belt with the marks lines up, THEN tightening the tensioner. If there is any slack toward the front of the engine, the cam or crank has to turn when the slack is moved to behind the sprockets where the tensioner is. That slack might not move to the rear until the engine is rotated.
Broken vacuum lines are probably not a good thing. Happy you found them.
Caradiodoc
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 AT 7:48 PM