T-belt. Arrrg

[gvr4ever]

So, I started the BS removal job. The front balance shaft t-mark seems to be off. I can get the crank, oil pump sprocket, and cams to line up. In the future (post BS job) I only need to line up the crank and cams right?

I guess I'm surprised I didn't have drive-ability problems. It seems to be off the mark by a few teeth.

 

[jepherz]

Correct. Once you remove the balance shafts, the oil pump (and obviously the front balance shaft) don't need to be lined up.

 

[gvr4ever]

Okay, I know this is a silly question(s), but I get tad nervous about doing t-belt stuff. It's a little better each time, but it's been years since I did it. Last time, I had a new auto tensioner, and even though it's been about 4 years, it only has 20K miles on it, so I'm reusing it. Anyway, when trying to compress the auto tensioner, it seems really stiff, hard. I know I'm pushing in a resistance piston, but how hard should it be? Also (not that I actually plan to do this), but with the cams marks lined up, the valves are closed. The cam could spin freely all day right? As long as it goes back to it's timing mark?

 

[Barnes]

The tensioner should be very hard to compress. I find it impossible to compress unless I'm using the tool or a vice. If you need to compress it to put the grenade pin back in, put it in a clamp or vice, protect the tip with something soft, and SLOWLY compress the piston.

yes, with the cam gear timing marks lined up,(Dowel pins vertical, and hash marks lined up horizontally) should be closed, or very close to being closed. With the timing belt off, As long as the pistons are not at TDC, you can spin the came gears. Otherwise the valves could get pressed up against the pistons and you could bend a valve while you are trying to rotate the cam by hand. Make sure that you don't turn both cams at the same time in some weird fashion. I think it is possible for the intake and exhaust valves to occupy the same space. Therefore if you turn them out of sequence, the valves could touch each other.

And yes, after that, as long as the timing marks and dowels align, you are fine.

 

[CP]

It should be tough to push in. You keep it retracted with a pin or paper clip.

 

[gvr4ever]

I actually meant to ask if the crank can spin freely with both cam marks lined up and dowel pins up (valves closed or I guess really close to closed and t-belt off). I was thinking in a worst case, if bumping the starter while bracing the crank with a breaker bar was more then a bump or something or if some how the crank moved while doing the BS removal. Just spin it back around to it's timing mark? I put zip ties on the cams to keep them from moving.

 

[Barnes]

Sure. You can turn the crank. Just don't spin it a zillion times since there is no oil pressure.

 

[atc250r]

Quoting CP:
You keep it retracted with a pin or paper clip.



I don't know if a paper clip will be strong enough. Whenever I found myself without the proper pin I always used the largest allen key that would fit.

John