stevescivic

does everyone else here find that installing the timing belt on the 1.7 liter engine just a little harder to install than the 1.6 D series?

I found that the installation method is exactly the same as the 1.6 D but when I had to pull the belt over the camshaft gear I found I really really had to pull the belt up with a lot more effort (despite a loosed tensioner) to get it over the cam gear.

I tensioned the belt the same way as the 1.6 D engine too by advancing the timing belt 3 teeth before tightening the tensioner.

Did I do anything wrong when I installed the belt? It doesn't make any weird noises or anything and its been driving for over 3 weeks now.

Thanks

phootbag

I put the belt onto the cam sprocket first and secure it with a clip, then put it on the crank sprocket. Never tried it the other way.

stevescivic

I've always done it in such a fashion that I've always pulled the belt over the cam sprocket.

I don't think there is necessarily a right and wrong way of which way to pull it on is there?

Cam or crank sprocket is all the same I think.

Boilermaker1

1. Crank
2. Tensioner
3. Pump
4. Cam

Thats the order in the manual.
Its not all that hard to get on, you just need to pull a little, and make sure the tensioner is released.

stevescivic

that is the exact how I did the t-belt. It just seems that I have to pull a lot harder on the 1.7's belt than I do for the 1.6's belt.

The 1.6's are so easy I can do them with barely any effort.

The 1.7's tensioner even after it has been loosened is so tight that I really have to pull and pull to get the belt over the cam gear.

stevescivic

I just realized why I have to pull so much harder to get the t-belt on a 1.7 engine than I did for a 1.6 engine. It turns out that the tensioner for the belts are designed different such that the 1.6 liter motors simply needed the 14mm tensioner bolt loosened to release the tension on the belt.

When I installed the t belt on the 1.7 engine I did the same thing as I would on a 1.6 motor by loosening the tensioner bolt a few turns but I was scratching my head wondering why the tension seemed so tight. The step I forgot to do was use a ratchet with a hex key head to deflect the tensioner's spring force away from the belt. So how I installed the tbelt was essentially pulling up on the tbelt very hard to make the tbelt itself deflect the tensioner pulley so that I could slip it over the cam gear.

I guess my only concern is: Despite me not following the factory install procedure do I run the possibility of the tbelt snapping or rippping b/c I didn't untension the tensioner with the ratchet deflecting method?

I did the following in the exact order.

1. Set engine to TDC
2. Remove all the stuff that is related to the tbelt
3. Loosen the tensioner bolt
4. Slipped off the belt
5. Installed new belt and instead of using ratchet to deflect tensioner I pulled up hard on the tbelt to get it over the cam gear
6. Turned crankshaft forward 3 teeth to tighten belt (even though it was already very tight)
7. Tightened tensioner
8. Rotated the crank 3-4 complete rotations making note of the t-belts position to ensure it was still lined up properly.
9. Loosened tensioner again
10. Move the t-belt forward 3 teeth again just in case
11. Tightened tensioner again
12. Re-installed everything
13. Drove car. No belt noise whatsoever and engine running smooth.


Sorry for continually bringing this up I'm just paranoid the tbelt will break.

phootbag

When I install these belts I clip the belt onto the cam.
Then I route the belt over the pump and crank.
Then use the 6mm hex key to pull on the tensioner.
Then slip the belt over the tensioner.
I never loosen the 14mm tensioner bolt.

stevescivic

yeah so from what I've read on this thread everyone has some form or way of doing the t-belt.

I guess at the end of the day as long as the belt tracks properly, all bolts and nuts are tight and the belt is tight as the tensioner allows it be then its probably all good then?

s13_240sx_92

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevescivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah so from what I've read on this thread everyone has some form or way of doing the t-belt.

I guess at the end of the day as long as the belt tracks properly, all bolts and nuts are tight and the belt is tight as the tensioner allows it be then its probably all good then?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

As long as the belt hasn't faced any "trauma" when you were putting it on you should be all good.

I just found taking off all the crap to get to the belt was a PITA for me. Stupid alternator took me forever.

phootbag

I have always felt that it's better to do a job right than to do it fast.

I like the tensioner on these. Really easy to work with.

I had a tensioner spring on one fail at 30k. Fried the belt ( completely obliterated ). Amazingly, no bent valves. Not sure if this engine is even an interference engine.

stevescivic

I agree that patience and following the necessary steps is key to having a successful install. In my case I did not have a service manual for the 1.7 engine and from people told me at the dealership they said it is exactly the same method of install as the 1.6 which of course is done slightly different.

To answer your question about the interference engine - yes ALL honda engines are interference.