TouringAccord

before adjusting tension, you have seated the belt by rotating the engine 5-6 times counter-clockwise correct?

could the spring on the tensioner be worn and not applying enough tension to the belt?

hondacivkev

Yes, I did rotate the engine, and I also put new springs on.

The direction of counter clockwise is while standing on the driver side of the car looking at the pulleys, yes?

TouringAccord

yes

hondacivkev

On step 28, in the picture, the tensioner seems to be all the way up (all the slack is above the temporary bolt you put in)

Is the tensioner at its maximum tension at this point, or at its least?

bobinda808

sorry if i missed this on another page but i pushed my front balance shaft seal in too far. do i need to dig it out and put a new one in there or can i just let it go like that?

nus_dogg

Maximum tension at that point. If you unhook the spring, it'll drop down and it'll be the least tension IIRC.

TouringAccord

the picture in step 28 in for description purpose only. But in the picture, the tensioner would be at maximum tension as nus has mentioned. Also, like nus mentioned the pulley all the way up is max tension and the pulley all the way done is least tension.

IIRC, while performing step 24, the belt will probably feel the loosest somewhere between the crank and the water pump while feeling the tightest between the cam and crank.

nus_dogg

And you are right!

I always do it on my h23 manual conv H22 and the side where the cams & crank has the most tension. This is where it sets itself's proper tension for the timing and balancer belt to where it won't whurr/wine at idle when you do the three teeths counterclockwise and loosen & retighten the adjusting nut if I'm not mistaken.

hondacivkev

After I replaced the timing belt and started it up, I noticed the idle at around 1300 rpms. This was a cold engine with the AC on. I didnt let it run more than 15-20 seconds because it was leaking so much oil.

I also had replaced the distributor seal.

Is my idle under these conditions ok? If not, what would the main culprit be? Off a tooth with the belt, or I didn't put the distributor back where it is supposed to be?

civic nation

iTrader: (5)

thanks for the write up it really helps . All pictures are still there too excellent

TouringAccord

I'm not sure 15-20 seconds is enough time to really say if your idle would have stayed there or dropped. After fixing the oil leak, turn the ac off and let the car run. See what the idle is at then and determine if there is a problem, or if it's normal.

TouringAccord

you're welcome

L2ILL

Yes this is a very confusing part to the job.

Should we want there to be maximum tension?

I think this job is amazing for what a simple thing it should be... i mean to turn around and have to put some bs bolt back in to hold it in place...then fuggin go back and loosen the adjustment bolt...
im fuggin praying I do this right....I will never embark on this job again.
Thank god i bought the 03 engine that never needs this to be done to it.
I mean WOW...how can these tensioners be called adjustable and they do not self adjust.?? we're dialing them in!!! and if we do it wrong we botch up the belts... confusing and bs.
This is taking me really long just becuz of all this exact type of nonsense.
I've become religious admist it all.

hondacivkev

I just finished mine today. I ended up having to do it twice in a row because I screwed up the oil seals. >

Taking it all apart and putting it back together the second time took way way less time.

The new belt is a tiny bit noisy. I'm not sure if I over tightened it, or if its just a new belt.

TouringAccord

You want the spring/tensioner and tensioning procedure to set the proper tension. It's not a maximum or minimum thing.

you're putting the bolt in to hold the timing belt tension while you install and set the balance shaft belt tension. you only need to do this when installing new belts.

they are called adjustable because, well,they're adjustable. They aren't self-adjustable and nowhere are they referred as such. If you ever need to adjust the tension... remove the upper side timing cover to gain access to the cam gear, set TDC, loosen the adjusting nut 2/3-1 turn, rotate cam gear 3 teeth counter clockwise, tighten adjusting nut.

L2ILL

How'd u screw up the oil seals?

I could see it overtightening...or even staying too loose....the process does not seem to have any logic behind it...the "tension" ing seems to be almost a crapshot....what if dialing back cam gear 3 teeth does not for w/e reason supply enough tension? What if you didnt exactly open up the so called "adj bolt" exactly 2/3rds?

Way too much room for error.

TouringAccord

and that right there is exactly why I've always chosen to replace that little spring, for the piece of mind that I am getting the right tension.

L2ILL

Is it a repeat for the balance belt?

I have new springs to put on it.

TouringAccord

you mean when adjusting the tension after everything has been put together and the engine has been running? you adjust the tension on both belts at the same time.

L2ILL

wow you've got to be kidding me....get it all up and running and re-adjust again?

is that in the write-up? going to go back and check.

TouringAccord

no no no.... once you do it the first time it's set. if you ever need to adjust the tension, like say the belt is too tight and whining after install, you can adjust without taking everything apart.

closhonda

Hi Guys…
sorry if this is going to be a seriously NOOB question here but here is what I have done and I can't for the life of me figure it out.

For one I removed the entire engine since I had to get a replacement block.

While the engine was out I had to replace the oil pump (Due to the JDM engine not having the crank sensor), water pump, seals, timing belt and balance belt along with tensioner.

Now on to the questions.

1. I’ve checked and double checked that my TDC lines match on the crank, cam and cover but somehow when I turned on the car and hit it w/ the timing light I’m WAY off. The 3 marks aren’t even close much less is the 1 mark. What can be the problem here?
2. Step 18- I had the belt off and placed the timing sprocket to line up w/ the oil pump manually. Was that the correct way?
3. Step 20- Was I supposed to have tension on the tensioner when installing the belt? Reason I ask is because Step 21 says loosen and retighten the tensioner. Why would this step be required? If you have it loose then put tension on the tensioner?
4. Step 22- The tensioner needs to be loose again correct to install this belt?
5. Step 24- When you say on the write up to loosen the tension bolt and rotate the crank to go 3 teeth on the camshaft then tighten the tensioner. Am I missing something here? Doesn’t both(Crank and camshaft) move forward and piston 1 is descending at this point? Can you please clarify what you mean by this? What is actually happening here?
6. Step 25 – Check you’re still at TDC on the crank, cover and cam. I don’t understand this portion. If I rotated the crank on step 24 isn’t it advanced 3 teeth so how can it be TDC unless I rotate the crank until I go a full turn?
Car is on
7. Why would it show that it’s TDC on the marks everywhere when I rotate the crankshaft but when the car is on it is way off? Unless I’m reading the gun incorrectly.
8. I’m supposed to be looking right at the cover making sure mark lines up right?
9. BIGGER problem when I turn on the car the engine is revving from 2,500 down to 1,100rpm’s like if someone is constantly pumping the gas pedal. What could be causing this?
10. I have a broken sensor that belongs on the back of the intake manifold. Goes right in the center. Could this be an issue for the revving? I highly doubt it since it doesn’t have a vacuum connection.

Thanks for all the help guys.

TouringAccord

yes, in this step you want the dimple on the drive gear to align with the pointer on the oil pump and piston #1 to be at TDC.

No, you do not want tension on the belt when trying to install it. Step 21 says to loosen and retighten the tensioner nut. When installing the belt, you lock the tensioner so there isn't tension on the belt. Then after installing the belt, you loosen the tensioner nut so the tensioner can apply tension to the belt, then retighten the tensioner nut to lock the tensioner in place.

I assume you are referring to step 32? step 22 doesn't have a belt being installed. But yes, when installing the balancer shaft belt you don't want tension on the belt, but make sure you lock the timing belt tensioner in place (step 28) before loosening the tensioner nut.

By loosening the tensioner nut and rotating the camshaft 3 teeth, this applies the proper amount of tension to the belt.

yep, after loosening the tensioner adjusting nut and rotating the camshaft 3 teeth and locking the tensioner adjusting nut, you rotate the engine again to verify nothing has changed and the engine is still at TDC.

Are you referring to the IACV? Does it have coolant lines as well as an electrical connection going to it? If so, then yes, this is likely the cause.
If this isn't the sensor you are talking about then look for a vacuum leak, maybe a bad gasket or broken hose.

closhonda

Thanks so much for the response I greatly appreciate it.

Now the question is why the heck when I put the timing light to it…. it’s way off if they all line up when you turn it manually? From your response to my questions it seems I was on the right track.

No coolant lines go to this sensor but I do know it has an electrical connection. I’m trying to find it on hondapartsnow but I don’t see it. It seems the sensor is white w/ a grey connection I wonder if this explain the engine revving like that. it’s just VRrroommm Vrroommmm Vrrooommm LOL I’m like wtf!

closhonda

I just FOUND IT... it's the air temperature sensor. This can't be why the car is idling like that can it?