sgull

After replacing the cylinder head on my 92 Accord 2.2L I'm at the point now of wanting to replace the timing belt, get it fitted over the cam sprocket. Despite the description in my repair manual and looking over the various how-to's, I still seem to be at a loss. Am at the point as shown here in the first photo, but need slightly more slack to get the belt fitted all the way on. I've got the "adjusting nut" (as shown in the second photo) loosened but that's of no help. Obviously I'm unclear on the proper method of doing this, and would sure appreciate any comments from those more experienced with this. Thanks.

G_OHH562

Try Starting The Belt From Top To Bottom Instead.

sgull

I don't have the lower belt (balancer belt) removed. If I wanted to try starting the timing belt from top to bottom I'd have remove that first. Is that what's typically done to accomplish this? I really need some slack as I mentioned and doesn't seem like merely trying to start the belt from top to bottom instead will give me that.

molsoncanadian

Take the spring off the Timing belt tensioner and that should give you a bit more slack to slip on the belt then put the spring back on after the belt is on right. Also keep the adjusting nut loose while doing this.

The spring on the right side of the tensioner in the picture you posted

sgull

The spring on the right side of the tensioner in the picture I posted seems to only affect the pulley on which the balancer belt goes on. If I take of the spring for that tensioner it gives me slack on the balancer belt but not the timing belt. The pulley for the timing belt is behind that and is separate.

MAD_MIKE

Is the lock nut loose?

sgull

You mean the bolt (or nut) shown at the bottom of this photo, through the bracket with the spring? That?

sgull

I'm still confused. I tried loosening the nut through the bracket as shown in the photo of my last post, which allows the lever to be pushed down but that still doesn't give me slack on the timing belt. It's the one I'm pointing to in the first picture here. Then there's the nut (or bolt) through the arm of the timing balancer belt adjuster where I'm pointing in the second picture here. Either one of these supposed to be the locknut mentioned by Mad_Mike?

MAD_MIKE

How it normally is...

Install the cam timing belt, line up all the dots and lines and what have you, set tension, verify all the lines still line up and then with a borrowed timing cover bolt you lock down the cam timing belt.
This allows you to leave the lock nut loose and then set the balance shaft timing. take the slack out snug down the nut. And remove the borrowed timing belt bolt(small 10mm head).

If all is well, install the timing covers and the rubber O ring around the lock nut.

MAD_MIKE

With the borrowed bolt installed, I don't think you will have enough slack to install the cam timing belt. Try taking it out.

MAD_MIKE

Oh and in that picture you have the tensioner is at max tension, you need to push the roller down to give you slack. When the spring is slack it is at max belt tension, when teh spring is stretched it will allow the belt to lack tension.

Unloosen the bolt, push the tensioneer down, lock the bolt down and that should give you the slack you need, with the belt on release the bolt and the spring will take the slack out of the belt. If you have the cogs correct, everything should be timed correctly.

sgull

I loosened the bolt pictured in my post #7 here, the one through the slide bracket with the spring connected (that was the key). Then removed the spring, which relieved tension completely. That allowed me just enough slack to get the timing belt onto the cam sprocket finally. Then I pulled the spring back up with pliers and hooked it back on its pin then tightened that bolt again on the slide bracket. I was careful from the beginning to make sure all dots and lines match up so I'm not losing my original #1 TDC position which I set before removal of the belt to begin with. Thanks.

TouringAccord

don't install or tighten that bolt yet. you have to first set the tension on the timing belt and then you use that small bolt to temporarily lock the timing belt tensioner in place while you install and tension the balance shaft belt.

sgull

Which small bolt are you referring to, so I can be clear. The bolt through the slide bracket with the spring, pictured in post #7?

Also, I haven't removed the balance shaft belt. Apparently I was supposed to? Is that necessary whenever the timing belt is removed? Actually I never completely "removed" the timing belt either, but I just slipped it off the top of the cam sprocket and left it in place otherwise around where it routes below.

MAD_MIKE

When working on the head/belts, usually the timing belt has to be removed.
That requires removal of the balance shaft belt, and then the timing belt.

Upon reinstalation, the timing belt is first installed and the cam to crank phasing is verified, and slack is taken out but rotating it three teeth.
However, since the balance belt still would need to be installed you cannot lock down the timing belts adjuster with the 'adjusting nut'...


... because this nut also sets tension on the balance belt adjuster.
So you temporarily borrow a bolt from the timing cover and use it to lock down the timing belts adjuster via the 'timing belt adjuster arm'. Then the balance belt can be installed futzed with and the slack taken out of, and finally the 'adjusting nut' can be torqued down. And the borrowed bolt for the 'timing belt adjuster arm' can be removed.

But since you didn't remove the balance belt, you will only have to make sure that the timing is correct and the tension is correctly set for both belts before locking down the 'adjusting nut' and getting everything back together.

sgull

Upon rechecking for timing marks being positioned correctly, I can verify that
1. The timing pointer is perfectly aligned with with the TDC (white mark) on the flywheel (or flex plate), and
2. The camshaft pulley is aligned so that the word UP is at the top of the pulley and the marks on the edge of the pulley are aligned with the surface of the head, and
3. The mark on the crankshaft pulley is aligned with mark on the engine block behind it, and
4. The distributor rotor is pointing at #1 position spark plug wire terminal on cap.

Those items together, as I understand, supposedly are indicative that the engine is set at #1 TDC, unless I am mistaken. However, although the four above are as described, the groove in the shaft on the front balancer pulley is not aligned with the notch on the engine block (oil pump body).

Question: Because the groove in the shaft on the front balancer pulley is not aligned with the notch on the engine block (oil pump body), does that indicate that despite the four situations I listed above, the engine is most certainly not at #1 TDC? As I understand so far, that does indeed mean the engine is not at #1 TDC, but I would like to have that confirmed so I am clear about this.

Should I remove the balancer belt, then turn the front balance pulley to where the groove on its shaft is aligned with the mark, then (while using a a rod through the maintenance hole on the side of the block to hold the rear balance shaft in place) re-install the balancer belt?

Any further comments appreciated. Obviously I'm rather fuzzy on what's going on at this point, which isn't good.

sgull

In followup to my previous post (#16 here) I now understand because of the four listed indicators I mentioned are the case, that the engine should now indeed be at #1 TDC position (that the balancer shafts do not not necessarily serve for setting engine timing as do those other indicators) , and that the groove on the front balancer pulley not lining up means it is out of proper alignment and should therefore be aligned, and that I should probably check the rear balance shaft for proper alignment too. I assume it will be out of proper alignment also and I'll be needing to take care of that. Any comment(s) appreciated.