Timing Belt Help
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From: New York
I ended up getting the tool. $50 thanks to napa. But I'm gonna return it. Their prices are ridiculous.
After a while of heating and breaking attempts I finally got it off using my feet. Such satisfaction.
But I'm having a little trouble. This is taking so long cuz its freezing out. The instructions are a bit specific but lengthy. I replaced the pulleys and put the timing belt on. The instructions said to put the lower cover on as well as the pulley and then turn the pulley 5-6 turns. That lower cover was so hard to get off I skipped it to see if I really needed to do that. Did I need to for some reason?
I also tried tensioning the belt and found it would not go up anymore. After turning the engine the marks all lined up but the tension of the belt wasnt that great. You can see in the photo that the spring touches the part of the bracket that looks like it should have a bolt through it. It doesn't look right to me and the belt is looser than Id like.
After a while of heating and breaking attempts I finally got it off using my feet. Such satisfaction.
But I'm having a little trouble. This is taking so long cuz its freezing out. The instructions are a bit specific but lengthy. I replaced the pulleys and put the timing belt on. The instructions said to put the lower cover on as well as the pulley and then turn the pulley 5-6 turns. That lower cover was so hard to get off I skipped it to see if I really needed to do that. Did I need to for some reason?
I also tried tensioning the belt and found it would not go up anymore. After turning the engine the marks all lined up but the tension of the belt wasnt that great. You can see in the photo that the spring touches the part of the bracket that looks like it should have a bolt through it. It doesn't look right to me and the belt is looser than Id like.
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From: Denver
honda-tech(dot)com/showthread(dot)php?t=1908944
Great pics and instructions.
Great pics and instructions.
Adjust the timing belt tension. Position piston No.1 at TDC (refer back to Step 12). Then loosen the adjusting nut 2/3-1 turn, rotate the crankshaft counterclockwise 3-TEETH on the CAMSHAFT and retighten the adjusting nut.
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From: Wisconsin
Kinda looks like the belt is too long??
That bracket for the tensioner pulley should be somewhere in the range where you could put a bolt through it into that lug. (But you're not supposed to do that.)
The idea behind rotating the crankshaft a couple teeth, is that you're moving the slack over to where the tensioner can take it up. Otherwise the belt-tensioner spring isn't strong enough to actually pull the tension over to itself.
That bracket for the tensioner pulley should be somewhere in the range where you could put a bolt through it into that lug. (But you're not supposed to do that.)
The idea behind rotating the crankshaft a couple teeth, is that you're moving the slack over to where the tensioner can take it up. Otherwise the belt-tensioner spring isn't strong enough to actually pull the tension over to itself.
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From: New York
You can see in the pic how the belt is loose and bending inward. Thats at full tension.
It is a Vtec belt from what I could tell and i held it up to the old one, they were the same length. I'm wondering about the sequence though. The FSM and the Honda Tech write up said to put the belt on by the crankshaft gear, tensioner, water pump, and then cam gear.
I watched a video of a guy do it on an f23 and he started with the cam gear and worked CCW. That made more sense to me as the tensioner would receive the point of the belt with slack.
It is a Vtec belt from what I could tell and i held it up to the old one, they were the same length. I'm wondering about the sequence though. The FSM and the Honda Tech write up said to put the belt on by the crankshaft gear, tensioner, water pump, and then cam gear.
I watched a video of a guy do it on an f23 and he started with the cam gear and worked CCW. That made more sense to me as the tensioner would receive the point of the belt with slack.
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 328
From: Redwood City, CA 94065
For setting the belt tension are you turning the crankshaft clockwise or counter-clockwise? I think you're supposed to turn it counter-clockwise, so that the crankshaft gear pulls directly against the cam gear using that long stretch of belt that's in your photo. It looks to me as if you're turning the crank in the wrong direction ...
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No I'm turning ccw. It looks like the belt gets loose and then tight then loose repeatedly as I turn. But the teeth all stay aligned. I may just stick with it. Maybe its supposed to be like that. The teeth aren't going anywhere I think
Almost A Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 328
From: Redwood City, CA 94065
No, that seems way too loose. the belt should be taught.
As JimBlake mentioned, the part of the tensioner bracket that is sitting behind the belt in your picture, looks like it's up to high (the slot should be over that bolt hole, not above it) ... which means the pulley isn't be pushing on the belt at all. That is likely your problem. Is there a spring on that tensioner? Are the parts reversed? Go back to the DIY videos and make sure that piece is installed correctly.
** fyi here are a couple of photos of the balancer belt tensioner on this page:
ADJUSTER, TIMING BELT (NIPPON SEIKO). 1996 Honda Accord # 14510-PT0-004
Also look at this video starting at position 36:15, for about two minutes:
From the looks of it there is no way the tensioner could be installed incorrectly. Any chance that either the tensioner or the belt is the wrong one for the car?
As JimBlake mentioned, the part of the tensioner bracket that is sitting behind the belt in your picture, looks like it's up to high (the slot should be over that bolt hole, not above it) ... which means the pulley isn't be pushing on the belt at all. That is likely your problem. Is there a spring on that tensioner? Are the parts reversed? Go back to the DIY videos and make sure that piece is installed correctly.
** fyi here are a couple of photos of the balancer belt tensioner on this page:
ADJUSTER, TIMING BELT (NIPPON SEIKO). 1996 Honda Accord # 14510-PT0-004
Also look at this video starting at position 36:15, for about two minutes:
From the looks of it there is no way the tensioner could be installed incorrectly. Any chance that either the tensioner or the belt is the wrong one for the car?
Last edited by jkowtko; Dec 12, 2013 at 01:27 PM.
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From: New York
It looks the same as the old tensioner. The bracket was in the same position too. I got everything back together and it runs but it doesn't sound right. I think it is too loose but that's the tightest I could get it. It's not skipping any teeth
Last edited by RobinsonRicer; Dec 12, 2013 at 03:30 PM.
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From: New York
I actually watched that video twice over the past two days.
I stopped by my mechanic, the master tech took a quick look with the engine running. He said that when the tensioner is too tight it will make a whining sound. I thought it was the power steering but was concerned because I was hearing something else at first.
But he said that with these engines if they're a tooth off you can tell right away and that the engine was running really well. Just that with time the belt will loosen and the whining will fade.
Funny, that belt felt too loose. But it could be that it tightened with the engine running. But all appears to be good. If my car dies I'll know why.
I wont look a gift horse in the mouth, my car doesn't behave for me during repairs too often. Not fun changing the belt in 20˚ weather over 3 days.
Thanks for your help guys.
I stopped by my mechanic, the master tech took a quick look with the engine running. He said that when the tensioner is too tight it will make a whining sound. I thought it was the power steering but was concerned because I was hearing something else at first.
But he said that with these engines if they're a tooth off you can tell right away and that the engine was running really well. Just that with time the belt will loosen and the whining will fade.
Funny, that belt felt too loose. But it could be that it tightened with the engine running. But all appears to be good. If my car dies I'll know why.
I wont look a gift horse in the mouth, my car doesn't behave for me during repairs too often. Not fun changing the belt in 20˚ weather over 3 days.
Thanks for your help guys.
Last edited by RobinsonRicer; Dec 12, 2013 at 03:38 PM.