Camshaft timing looks off by a tooth but engine ran fine
Camshaft timing marks can look misaligned or off by a single tooth depending on the visual angle and chain link placement, leaving mechanics unsure whether to leave the setup alone or adjust it. This uncertainty makes it difficult to confirm if the phaser placement and chain alignment are correct without clear, multi-angle reference photos.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 16.2× more often in r/AskMechanics than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1leaving the timing setup as-is since the engine ran fine previouslyDid this help you?
- 2treating the sprocket marks as general reference guides rather than absolute indicatorsDid this help you?
- 3Taking additional photos from better anglesDid this help you?
- 4Using specialized cam holding tools before removing the chainDid this help you?
- 5Marking the links manually that line up with the cam phaser and crank marksDid this help you?
- 6Replacing camshafts and phasers with new aftermarket partsDid this help you?
- 7Re-timing the chain multiple times with different slack patterns and tensioning techniquesDid this help you?
- 8re-checking alignment marksDid this help you?
- 9consulting community forums for confirmationDid this help you?
- 10lining up marks on the cam gear near the teeth with the cylinder headDid this help you?
- 11using a mirror to view hard-to-see alignment pointsDid this help you?
- 12trying to do it in the engine bay without a hoistDid this help you?
- 13buying a kit to time the engineDid this help you?
- 14considering taking the engine outDid this help you?
- 15using a borescope to check valve positionDid this help you?
- 16Retaking the assembly down a few times to try againDid this help you?
- 17Manually turning the motor over multiple cycles to recheck the alignmentDid this help you?
- 18Testing the next tooth around to see if the alignment gets worseDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I’ve retaken this down a few times and can’t seem to get the timing marks to line up perfectly even though I’m at tdc”source ↗
“You need alot more pictures than this to confirm your timing is correct.”source ↗
“can't from that angle, but the dual colored link should match with the mark on the crankshaft, then each single colored link should match up with the marks on the cams.”source ↗
“There's also no way to see the timing mark on the crank...”source ↗
“I’m taking the chain off I guess I’m more worried about the phaser placement there where the colored link is currently”source ↗
“It’s in tdc, and the drivers side camshaft perfectly parallel, although the passengers side looks like it’s ever so slightly out of time. Should I attempt to adjust this or not bother”source ↗
“I noticed there was some play on one of the tensioners, and at the top of it it almost looks like it is chipped, not a big one just a small groove I put my finger on to wiggle it around to show play. Is that play normal and should I be worried about that tiny mark?”source ↗
“How the hell do I differentiate between the exhaust stroke and the compression stroke?”source ↗
“Im just too inexperienced to tell if in doing something wrong or not.”source ↗
“We have Mitchell but it’s not really helping me in this case because I’ve done everything it told me but the marks are like half a tooth off on both cam sprockets”source ↗
“Ty this has been really stressing me out, pic is after I turned it over like 10 times takes 2 to get the timing marks lined up, I keep rechecking.”source ↗
“I think my timing is correct can yall confirm timing is correct?”source ↗
“Yes thats where my confusion arised because mine looks off by a tooth based on that photo, but i was just also confused by the fact that the bike ran fine when it was like this.”source ↗
“Do you think I should just leave it or move it up a tooth?”source ↗
“I still can't get bank 2 to time properly.”source ↗
“Anytime bank 2 was timed, then primary chain installed and tensioned, the bank 2 cams would be out of alignment almost immediately after pulling the alignment tool due to valve spring pressure.”source ↗
“Yes mb I’ll re edit the post rn the crank is lined”source ↗
“Mb it doesn’t let me send more pictures and yes the crank is timed”source ↗
Where this came up
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