Rb25det timing belt position on cam gear

[drifter17a]

I just changed the timing belt on my RB25DET NEO and wanted to get some opinions. I’ve been super cautious, did a lot of research, and took my time. I’ve driven the car, and it runs fine. After warming it up, I revved it to 8000 RPM a few times—no issues, everything held up.

 

After the drive, I heard a noise that I think is either the clutch or possibly a tight accessory belt. It’s not constant, just comes and goes.

 

I took the timing cover off to double-check everything:

 

• Belt is on properly,
• Tensioner is tight,
• Did the 90-degree twist test—belt isn’t too tight or too loose.

 

 

What still worries me is that I noticed the belt seems to sit a little toward the front edge of the gears, especially on the idler pulley. It even looks like it’s slightly coming off the edge there. Is that normal?

 

My old belt (5 years old, ~3,000 miles) also showed a bit of wear on that same edge, so maybe it’s just how it sits? I’m probably overthinking this, but since it’s my first time doing this on a NEO and the engine is forged, I really don’t want to mess anything up.

 

Also, I’m thinking of swapping to a clear front timing cover with the glass window. Would you recommend NITO or HPI? HPI looks reputable and their covers have 2.5mm thickness, but not sure if there’s a real difference between the two.

 

Any advice or reassurance would be much appreciated!