Setup:

B18A1 block
B18A1 Head
Crower Valvetrain
Stock cams
JE pistons low compression
Eagle rods
Race Bearings
Type-R oil pump
LS Water pump
LS timing Belt
B18A1 Head gasket

Need some help guys. I align all my timing marks, and install my belt. Release the tensioner, tighten it back up, and turn the motor over a few times counterclockwise by hand. The timing belt looks like at certain points it gets super tight and then loose at different points. The belt will stay on the motor and let it run, but when you decelerate, it seems like one of the cams jumps 180 degrees for some reason. The timing belt remains on completely, but the timing is all out of wack. This has happened three times in one night. No idea why this keeps happening. Checked different belt brands, same result. Valve Adjustment done perfectly. Any direction on what i could do to fix this could be awesome. All internal parts on the Head and Block were installed by a very reputable machine shop. Please help. Thank you all in advance.

 

If the belts are new and the cam gears and water pump are not abnormally worn, and you are certain that it is correctly and properly timed; then the tensioner is probably the cause.

Are all of these parts new? Did you just put the motor in, or did this "just all of the sudden" occur?

 

Just put the motor in the other day. The tensioner is brand new too. Any way i could have installed it the wrong way?

 

pretty sure you need a gsr timing belt with that itr oil pump.

 

And an LS water pump doesn't work with a gsr/type-r timing belt. So i need a gsr/type-r water pump and timing belt and it shouldn't jump teeth anymore? Or am I still missing something?

 

put the belt on with all the marks lined up then rotate the crank so the cam gears move 3 teeth then tighten the tensioner bolt...this sets the tension of the belt vtec belt for vtec water pump, non for non

 

rotate the crank counter clockwise only

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ramma &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Setup:

B18A1 block

LS Water pump
LS timing Belt


</TD></TR></TABLE>

^^^ this is correct, ^^^


if you use a gsr/itr water pump on the b18 block, you need the p72 timing belt.

 

Agree that its most likely the tbelt not being tensioned properly.

 

the problem is your valvetrain. to tension the belt, you're going to need to pull on the tensioner with a coathanger or hook of some sort. the little factory spring can't pull enough on the tensioner to overcome the stiffer valvesprings.

 

i wouldnt do it like that man...over tightn the tensioner and it will squell and burn the bearing..stiff springs or not i allways do like honda says never had a problem

 

I've had this same issue with crower valvetrain. I certainly don't need instructions on putting proper tension on timing belts because I've done them for years, but I nevertheless had the issue.

The only solution is to get ALL slack out of the timing belt. The stock tensioner just simply doesn't pull it all out by releasing the bolt, letting the spring pull tension, then retightening....especially if your using a Greddy style new belt which is stiff as it is. Couple that with stiff valve springs and any tiny bit of slack will show itself.

 

i haven't had a problem, been like 20k miles. the tensioner wasn't new either. as long as you don't pull extremely hard, theres no problem. its the only way i've got it to work with crower valvetrain.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ramma &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Setup:


Need some help guys. I align all my timing marks, and install my belt. Release the tensioner, tighten it back up, and turn the motor over a few times counterclockwise by hand. The timing belt looks like at certain points it gets super tight and then loose at different points. The belt will stay on the motor and let it run, but when you decelerate, it seems like one of the cams jumps 180 degrees for some reason. The timing belt remains on completely, but the timing is all out of wack. This has happened three times in one night. No idea why this keeps happening. Checked different belt brands, same result. Valve Adjustment done perfectly. Any direction on what i could do to fix this could be awesome. All internal parts on the Head and Block were installed by a very reputable machine shop. Please help. Thank you all in advance. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Put the timing belt on and tension as needed. When you are turning the motor over by hand, get the extra slack you are talking about between the crank and intake camgear. Use a breaker bar of sorts (tire iron works pretty well) to pry on the tensioner (since the spring obviously isnt cutting it) while tightening the tensioner bolt. Basically what someone else said... but just make you arent trying to take slack out between cam gears as that... wont happen.

 

I had to use the coathanger method to get mine tight, there was no other way on my car. I am running 100lb seat pressure springs and a GReddy belt and that factory spring does not even budge the belt, and the spring is brand new.

 

you know whats funny, all these stupid *** methods of tightening the belt. i run a bigger cam profile and more spring pressure then all of the above posters and have no problems with my belts ? user error anyone !

 

I dont know how much error is involved with following a manual a dozen times and it not working, I have done it before on other cars and it works fine...... If your ever down my way I invite you to try to tighten my t-belt the OEM way

 

ill be passing through your area about 8 am tommorrow. although i wont have time to stop in for coffee and doughnuts.

im not sure what the oem way is of properly tensioning the belt. but ill tell ya how i do it.


1. set crank at tdc
2. set cams at tdc
3. put belt around water pump and crank pulley
4. put exhaust side of timing belt on
5. put intake side on
6. remove all slack on exhuast side by slightly moving the exhaust cam toward the intake side(carefuly, not to jump teeth on crank or cam pulleys)
7. remove slack in between cams by slight moving the intake cam toward fire wall.
8. tighten tensioner.
9. done.

 

coat hanger trick?

 

i also run super stiff springs and a killer cam setup and dont have issues with the timing belt

ls\vtec with ls belt and water pump.... no problem yet

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDMB20TDA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">coat hanger trick?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

abortion ?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mec. pedri &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i also run super stiff springs and a killer cam setup and dont have issues with the timing belt

ls\vtec with ls belt and water pump.... no problem yet</TD></TR></TABLE>
why run a water pump that cannot efficiently supply coolant throughout at highrpms?

and with ur combo and a thin gasket+milled head sometimes the tensioner needs convincing.

 

Found out the problem was the tensioner that i got from a parts store. I replaced it with an OEM honda tensioner and the problem went away. Thanks for the help though guys, this had me going crazy for days.