92 EX F22A6

Did my timing belt (and other stuff) as a noob. Changed belts, tensioners with an aftermarket kit. When I cranked it up it rattled like hell.

Because I was worried about the other stuff, I had a mobile tech out today to check over what I'd done and get me squared away. He basically cleaned up/eliminated most of the other stuff and felt it was due to a badly tensioned timing belt which he retensioned and got me in good running order. I drove it around the block a few times and then parked it until tonight.

When I cranked it up tonight, it was back to making the same rattling noise. I'm pretty sure when I pop the upper cover off next time I'm going to see another loose timing belt.

What the heck is going on here? Any ideas other than try the retensioning again?

Springs bad? Adjusting nut wrong side of the lower cover (I put it outside per my references)?

 

There apparently was a bad batch of timing belts (OEM Honda) sent to a mechanic near me, they apparently expanded and loosened up very soon after being installed.

Possible you have one of those.

 

Do you have just one belt or an extra small belt for the balancer shaft. If you have the small balancer shaft belt and you tried to make it tighter than the normal spring tension of its tensioner then the metal bracket that the spring pulls on will rattle. the spring does not pull hard enough to make many people happy about the tension of this small belt but it is all the tension that it needs.

I have seen folks tension by hand to their satisfaction then just toss this metal bracket and spring with no more noise issues nor did the car come back for any timing belt issues (yet).

 

Update:

I have a timing belt and balancer belt.

Originally, I probably had done a less than adequate job tensioning the belts. I did read up enough to avoid put extra manual tension on the tensioners. And I did do a 3-tooth tensioning (per my references) but I came back at the last minute and switched the adjustment nut from inside the lower cover to outside (I'd had a lower cover cut by alternator belt and crank pulley which I suspect was because the nut was inside the cover). I may have not done a good retensioning after this adjustment nut relocation.

The mobile tech came out and got me running, but I suspect he didn't retighten the adjustment nut as much as needed. As I said before, he was used to the nut being inside the cover and I had mine outside. Not sure if the difference would matter.

So tonight I just loosened the adjustment nut and turn the crank about 2/3rd's of a rotation until I was in a spot where I didn't have the loosey-goosey feeling which I presume is top and bottom of the piston travel.

Retightened the adjustment nut and it started and ran fine. Hopefully this one will hold now.

There's certainly no subsitute for a little experience.