I have everything back together on my 97 Accord 4cyl. (Non-VTec) engine after replacing the Timing / Balance belts and water pump. It's all in time and ready for the Lower Timing Cover.

There is so little room I can't figure out how to get it reinstalled in one piece. The one I have now is a replacement from the dealer since I cracked the original when I removed it.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I'm coming in from the bottom but the timing indicator that protrudes gets in the way. When I finally manage to get the cover ready to raise it into position, then the narrower top portion gets hung up on the front balance shaft pulley on one side and on the tensioner spring and spring mount pin on the other. I don't seem to have enough room to hold the cover far enough away from the engine due to running into the metal fender well to get around these obsticles. Then engine is still off its mount and I've tried lowering it on my floor jack until it won't go down anymore. I've also tried raising it up but this doesn't seem to help either.

What am I doing wrong? What can I do to get the lower cover on?


Also, normally what does a used Timing belt with 121,000 miles on it look like?
I couldn't verify that this car had ever had the belts replaced so I couldn't let it go undone, but the belts I removed (Honda Branded) look great with no visible cracks on the top or bottom sides. They look almost as good as the Goodyear Gatorback belts I reinstalled. Is this typical for belts with this many miles on them or had they already been changed?

Thanks for any/all help.

 

i loosed up my four bolts on my front subframe to get the lower cover on my h22 back on. That sucks that the timing pointer gets in the way, maybe that will lower the engine enough or try dropping the front mount. Good luck, ill be doing my moms t and b belt + w-pump on her 98 F23a1 accord in the spring so let me know if this works.

 

remove the 2 driver side bolts from the frt beam, loosen up the pass side. stick something between beam and frame to keep it lowered enough ..if still problem, snip off a piece where the timing notch is on lower cover

 

Thanks for the responses, dropping the subframe down gave me enough room to get the lower cover on.

regarding my comments on the appearance of the belts I removed, do these sound like they could have been the originals??

"Also, normally what does a used Timing belt with 121,000 miles on it look like?
I couldn't verify that this car had ever had the belts replaced so I couldn't let it go undone, but the belts I removed (Honda Branded) look great with no visible cracks on the top or bottom sides. They look almost as good as the new belts I installed. Is this typical for belts with this many miles on them or had they already been changed?"

Thanks again.

 

Glad to here you got it done.