About to tackle first timing belt replacement

[dammitjim]

It took several tries but I finally got the gap to be correct after rotating the engine ~6 times. Now I'm waiting 15 min and hopefully will be able to start putting it back together.

 

[dammitjim]

The clearance at the tensioner was too tight after 15mins. Having alot of trouble getting this tension right. Any tips?

 

[dammitjim]

Ugh. I was turning the crank a couple degrees before tensioning and heard a click that could have been a tool shifting or it could have been something like the exhaust side cam jumping a tooth.

I rotated the crank to try and get everything back to TDC again and it doesn't look like that is going to happen. What is the best way to get back to TDC from here?

 

[pauleyman]

Remove the slack on the idle side before you tension (turn the crank a few degrees clockwise, just enough to take the slack out). Set the tension per factory specs, rotate motor 6 times. Check tension. If it's too tight you're leaning on the eccentic pulley too much. Without the objective measurement of the specified inch pound wrench you'll just have to feel for it. Even if you have to do it a few times you'll learn something. After you set tension back the bolt off a few times. BTW I'm assuming you put the tensioner bolt in until the pin was loose. I've done it by feel for years and when it's just right the pin stays loose. You'll notice if you lean on the eccentric too much when you back off the bolt the pin gets tight. You can probably even see the arm push down....actually before you even back the bolt out it'll start to get tight. You'll see what I mean. Try it.

 

[dammitjim]

Could you take a look at my previous post? I could really use help getting it back to TDC.

 

[pauleyman]

If you must take the belt off, rotate everything back a little where it needs to be and put it back on. If you slipped a tooth on one thing introduce slack on that item and slip it back a notch. Once I get the belt on the cam gears I put two binder clips on them so the belt can't slip. Slack off the idle side and that takes care of the oil pump gear, that only leaves the crank.
The belt, gears etc doesnt' have to be exactly at TDC when you tension it. Only when you're first getting the belt on so you know you are tooth for tooth. Once it's on and tensioned you're going to rotate it around anyway and double check. The worst thing is if you screw it up you'll figure it out when you rotate around and realize you're off a tooth. Sucks but if you did your homework that typically doesn't happen. You're down to just setting tension. Shouldn't take you just a few min to get the belt back on then retension.

 

[dammitjim]

Here are pictures of where I'm at with the crank and the cams

 

[pauleyman]

hmm. looks pretty far off. Take a wrench and turn the exhaust cam backwards. When the cams line up stop. Check the crank. If it's not right pull the belt off the tension and turn it until it is. Put the belt back on and do it again. If you take a few binder clips you won't slip anything on the cams. Zip ties work too but it's less elegant as you have to cut them off. Shouldn't take you a min. You're lucky you're only lining up 3 things instead of 5.

 

[dammitjim]

Got some assistance from a very helpful forum member and I'm back in business. Going to get the belt on and call it a night for tonight.

 

[dammitjim]

Is it normal to have this play in the tensioner pulley with the pulley torqued and the tensioner pin -not- pulled?

click

 

[Barnes]

It almost looks like you put your tensioner pulley on backwards. The flanged part of the pulley faces towards the passenger side of the car. Also, it could be the tensioner arm that the pulley is bolted to. Make sure it is tighten properly.

 

[fuel]

tensioner pulley looks the right way to me. I would check that pivot bolt though.

 

[dammitjim]

I never took it off. It's only got about 10k miles since the last belt change so I was reusing the arm/pulley. Maybe I'll should just replace it.

 

[pauleyman]

No that's not normal. Is the pivot bolt tight?

 

[maroonmetallic]

Something is not right there. Is it the pullet itself of the mounting plate that is loose?
There are two bolts & lockwasher/nut (3 tightening points) that hold that assembly & the swing arm of the tesnioner bearing onto the side of the block. (The mounting plate is also the engine side of that engine mount.)

Regards,
-Shawn

 

[pauleyman]

Good point. Whats loose? The pulley? The arm? or the entire mount? It's gotta be one of the three.

 

[fuel]

the whole pivot arm is moving. I would say it's missing a washer somewhere.

 

[dammitjim]

The whole arm is moving. I can see at the bolt on the right where the arm can move in and out. It looks like that bolt should be tightened or is missing a washer, but it appears to be tight. It looks like there is at least one large washer behind that bolt.

 

[dammitjim]

With the arm bolt removed it appears that the arm itself isn't quite as wide as the shaft it rides on, and that is where the side to side play is coming from. It looks like either this is normal or the arm isn't as wide as it should be.

Pics of the arm with the bolt removed, the arm, bolt and washers off of the car and a pic of the small divot from the tensioner piston.

The tensioner arm is discontinued at the dealer. I called Autozone, Advance and Napa and none of them have it.

 

[pauleyman]

Is the arm worn or the mount. Never seen this. I'm sure I have one