JDM_SOHC

Ok so it's almost 6pm on a sunday and I'm finally getting done puttin all my **** back together on my car from doing my HG. Well I loosened the 14mm tensioner bolt because I was gonna replace the water pump, but I changed my mind and just put the bolt back in and tightened it up, finished the job and when it came time to put my timing belt back on, I noticed the belt went on fine but has about 1/2" slack on the front side, which I'm assuming is because I obviously loosened the tensioner. Well I'm in no financial situation to go buy a compressor and my 1/2" extension broke off inside my 17mm socket trying to remove the crank pulley bolt. So now I ask this, is there any way to put some tension on the tensioner without removing the lower timing cover? I've read people say yes and others say no, motor is a d16z6 btw. Thanks in advance.

bigD

you dont need to remove anything, loosen the tensioner, rotate the crank pully a couple of teeth on the cam gear and tighten the tensioner back up.

JDM_SOHC

so just stick a 17mm on the crank pulley, go counterclockwise about 90 degrees, and tighten back up..??

bigD

yep the tensioner tightens the belt when you rotate the crank

JDM_SOHC

ight cool thanks ill give it a shot

JDM_SOHC

also, by loosening that 14mm bolt I didn't fukk anything up right..??

bigD

if your talking about the tensioner bolt you need to loosen it first then rotate crank then tighten tensioner

JDM_SOHC

gotcha... ight ima go give it a whirl.. just saying for instance, this doesn't work would that mean my tensioner is shot?

thumper64

It's going to work unless you do something stupid.

JDM_SOHC

well seeming how I never manage to do anything stupid, or outside the manuals guidelines I'm figuring I should be all good. To remove the head I slid the belt off the cam pulley, and to put it back on was way to much tension so I just loosened that bolt while the belt was about halfway on the cam pulley an it gave me enough slack to slide the belt onto the cam, but like stated before once that happened all tension was lost. Now that it's morning I'm going to go give it a shot with the rotating of the crank I'm just hoping I don't have to remove the crank pulley eventually, I'm just financially strapped right now so I'm not in any situation to go spendin more money than I have to. I'll post back with an update, thanks again.

JDM_SOHC

ok well it took about 5 or 6 revelations before I could get the belt to it's tightest point before it gained slack again, and I tightened up the bolt. the left side of the belt has about 1/8" play and the right side "water pump side" has about 1/4" play, numbers arent exact just guesstimate.. heres a lil vid I shot to help explain...

ALLDATAdiy INFO

The video isn't there, I would like to help you out.

JDM_SOHC

Sorry, it's posted I guess i'm the only one available to view it... Heres the url...

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...=VIDEO0005.flv

JDM_SOHC

afternoon bump

bigD

looks fine, turn the crank a couple of times and recheck if its the same you should be fine.

JDM_SOHC

ight i'll go recheck, thanks bro.. after i got it tensioned up i left it be, brb..

shawn_crx

Double check your timing... by removing the belt from the cam, it could be off by, unless nothing moved and put back in the same spot.

JDM_SOHC

well i set TDC on the crank and put the cam to TDC with the "UP" mark an the TDC arrows on the timing cover, I've always done it that way and seemed to be pretty well off, right? The only timing issues I've never been able to mechanically set are the dizzy's #'s since I don't have a timing light. I know I should invest in one, or take my car somewhere to have it done, but I've always just assumed it was alright considering when I rotate my dizzy I never hear or see any relevant changes.

JDM_SOHC

well i rotated the crank a few turns, an sure enough it started to give me some unwanted slack in my belt. because there was slight tension on the belt when i loosened the bolt I think I moved the tensioner a little bit causing me to get this slack. i'm hoping I can somehow get to it without removing the crank pulley, i'm really not in the mood or situation to do that..!?!?!

JDM_SOHC

so no way to get some tension on there now, w/o removing crank pulley right..?? i was thinkin about takin out the tensioner bolt, an maybe tryna use it to push up on the tensioner a little bit, since there's not much room to do anything..

JDM_SOHC

i removed the belt, and kinda pushed up on the tensioner with the bolt and retightened it with the belt off, seems like it might be a little more tension on the belt, now the fun part GETTING IT ON THERE lol... I've done it plenty of times like this so hopefully this way works..

AbitAvenger

i wonder why it slacked back up?

JDM_SOHC

Yeah that's what I was tryna figure out too... I took the belt off w/o removing the tensioner, crank pulley etc, just by sliding it off, an it usually is a P.I.T.A to get back on but it goes on, this last time it wouldn't go on for **** tho so I had to loosen that bolt and when I did it slacked up real bad... I've heard 1/4" play is ok though, I'm just gonna be super heated if I bend some valves due to this whole shitty issue ya kno... Times like this I wish I was rich lol...

AbitAvenger

well anyone know why the timing belt slacked up? whats the correct way to do this? cause I definitely have done it your way before and had it work like 50% of the time lol

JDM_SOHC

lol yeah I'd like to know as well..