Help 99 2.5 V6 camshaft timing marks.

[99sebringhelp]

Hello everyone... I started a timing belt project on my 1999 sebring jxi 2.5 V6... I bought the Haynes book and I am following the insructions... I lined up the marks on the camshaft sprockets with marks on the rear timing belt covers which are 12 o'clock and the crankshaft mark about 2 o' clock... While pulling the timing belt off the camshaft sprocket closest to firewall moved and ended up clockwise approx 1/8 turn -aprrox 1 o'clock - turn towards the front of the car maybe a little less....I put a socket on camshaft bolt to move counter clockwise to its mark ...I noticed the sprocket had tension on it...I moved counter clockwise and sprocket jumped about 1/8 turn the other way about 10 o'clock.... Sprocket does not want to stay on timing mark.The other camshaft timing sprocket closest to front of car stays perfect on its mark at 12 o'clock....I put a thin dowle in the spark plug hole of the #1 cylinder and it feels like its at the top of the compression stroke and #2 cylinder feels like its at low... I am not an experienced mechanic so my questions may sound a little silly...Ok, here are my questions.... ..If all the marks were lined up should there be any pressure on camshaft sprockets? ..When there is pressure on camshaft sprocket does it move to the next slot left or right or is it possible that it would rotate a full turn out of place... ..Can I use a socket to move sprocket to correct mark and hold there until belt is applied to secure camshaft sprocket... ..Is damage to the valves possible with that movement... Thanks in advance for any help

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[dcotter0579]

You seem to have found top dead center for cylinder #1. Are you sure you found it on the compression stroke?

Because therocker armsare contacting the cams, it's possible to have a little load tending to rotate the camshafts. For the same reason, the camshaft will not spin a full turn by itself.

Beforeyou rotate the camshaft to get it back into position, rotate the crank backward a little bit to get it off TDC so there's no chance of hitting a piston with a valve. That is covered in the Haynes manual.

[99sebringhelp]

Thank you very much for your help...