I would. It's cheap insurance to prevent an oil leak.

 

Parts on order......not going to be fun.....20F temps for the weekend....bbrrrrrr. I'll be in a garage but why couldn't this happen back in the Fall/Summer. BTW...I'm in Akron, OH...

 

I grew up in western PA close to Youngstown, OH. i'm familiar with your weather in January.

 

I'm about 45 minutes north of Detroit, so we're having similar, if not colder weather than you. It's been damn cold here.

 

Good luck, let us know if you get stuck anywhere. Take your time and be sure to mark/label/take pictures of things as they come apart so you can put them back in the proper place.

Got a small heater for the garage? My dis-like for the cold is well known...heck they are talking about snow around here later today/tonight....which means when I get home tonight I won't leave the house for a few days

 

All the parts never showed up until yesterday so I didn't have to suffer out in the cold last weekend. Planning to do it this Saturday. I did see the torque spec for the crank pulley at 36 ftlb then turn 90 degrees more. Wouldn't that increase the torque? I remember the 1995 torque to be 150 ftlb. So I'm guessing I will need to turn it another 90 degrees no matter what the torque will be? Just a little confused. Also should I drain the oil? Thanks - Lon

 

Yes, it is get it to ~36 and then ~90 turn from there....final torque , pretty tight IMHO.

If you are in the last 1/4 of the oil run then I'd probably change it, if not just be sure it is at the proper level and then keep an close eye on the level until it is due.

 

The use of turn angle after snug reduces error in bolt tension (clamping load). Torque load limited, bolt tension is more variable due to large range of friction of bolt to threads, bolt head to washer, and washer to pulley.

good luckl

 

First big problem - I think I broke my VTC oil control valve in half when I pulled it out. See pic. Would I be able to remove the other half when the case is off or will that cause problems removing the case? It was going pretty smooth until that issue. I took a pic through a mirror to show what's left. I tried getting it out with channel locks or a small pic but its not budging. Do I go ahead and take the case off? It's my only option I think.

Timing marks lined up good before busting loose the crankshaft bolt but somewhat off after it came loose. I'm guessing the tensioner was compressed and the timing chain jumped when it busted loose. I had to use a 8ft extension on my breaker bar to bust the bolt loose. I thought I snapped something when it came loose.

 

Did the chain jump off the "teeth"? If not, get a maker and mark the chain to each gear. Then once you remove the chain, transfer those marks to the new chain and intall it with the marks lining up to the ones on the gear(s).

It is nice to start a job with the engine a TDC but at the same time the most important part - IMHO - is the relationship in the marks/length between the gears......I've change a few timing belts without setting the engine to TDC. Of course this all works if the chain/bet didn't jump and that "someone" didn't mess it up before I got there.

I'll have to look more into the solenoid and see what options might be available