Keep timing marks lined up

[Problem2420]

I did the timig belt on my 04 aveo, like a dummy I Skipped marking the belt, but put everything together, and now I feel like it's off time a tooth or so, my main problem was keeping the cam gears pointed directly at each other. Can anyone give me any ideas on how to keep all the timing marks lined up perfect and keep them from moving. I really don't want to do this more then I have too.

[avguy]

I don't typically want to have to buy special tools, but I found a used Lisle cam lock tool at a good price on Ebay, so that's what I used. Works very well, but other guys have reported good luck using zip-ties to hold the cams.
One question for you - did you do the 2 engine turn step, along with the final pointer alignment? If you did, and the timing marks lined up after the 2 turns, why would they be off now?

[Problem2420]

When I first aligned the cam marks they were off by a little, I couldn't get them to stay completely even with each other. As for when I aligned the crankshaft it was always hard to keep it from moving while turning the water pump. The marks stayed pretty much the same after the two turns.

[avguy]

... As for when I aligned the crankshaft it was always hard to keep it from moving while turning the water pump. ....

I'm not understanding exactly what this means. The belt needs to be fully over all 3 pullys with all of the marks lined up before the WP is turned. I can understand everything moving a bit when the pump is turned if the cams aren't locked. But that movement should always include everything moving in synch via the belt. And the engine can be turned back a bit to double check that all of the marks are still lined up, after the WP is turned to align the pointers. So I must be missing something about what you're describing.
But beyond any of that, when you complete the 2 turns, for certain the 2 cam marks need to be lined up opposite each other horizontally, and the crank pointer located in the notch at 6 o'clock. So was something in that relationship not on the mark?

[petrified.rabbit]

i held the cam in place with a wrench on the bolt when i did mine.

If you put the teeth as tight as possible on the crank/cam side, and then the water pump has the slack, the setting of the TENSION Should not turn the crank..

[Problem2420]

My biggest problems are
1. Getting the cam gears lined up perfectly even.
2. Having the crank pulley move when tightening the water pump.
3. And now it leaks coolant, probably from the water pump seal which is all new. Should I buy a new seal or is it safe to use the current one ?.

[avguy]

If the gasket isn't broken and the pump mating surface was clean, then the reason for the leak is the 3 Allen bolts not being tight enough. Did you use an inch torque wrench (89" lbs) to tighten those bolts? A lot of the pros scoff at using them for these types of jobs. But for those of us who don't do this work every day, it's a big help to not be guessing what "just snug them up" means. It's likely the gasket could be used again, but given the cost of a new one, I would do that instead.