I bought me daughter a 1997 stratus 2.5 V6. Water pump started leaking, tore down and replaced. Installed new timing belt as long as I was there. Car will not idle now. It will start, if you push gas pedal, and can keep running if high enough RPM's. It acts like it is running on 3cylinders. Both cam timing marks and the crank are right on. Have moved crank 3 notches either way, 1 notch at a time, no better. Any thoughts?

 

Welcome to the site. I will move this thread to the Stratus section,
FF

 

Welcome to the site

 

knoxie theres a post on may 1st ("stratus timing off") might help you

 

thanks Bills. It truly acts like timing, however, all 3 marks are right on, both cams and the crank. Can the cam sprockets be 180 off and still have the marks lined up?

 

I believe it is, however you then run into an interference issue. Don't ask me how I know. It's an hour or so process of turning cams and the crank to get everything back in time. After which I had ran the oil out of all the lifters(of sorts) and now I have had a clatter ever since... Rant is over now.

If the cams are 180* off, everything will line up but if you attempt to turn the engine over by hand you will run the valves into the pistons at some point.