I've been hesitant to do any major engine work because the timing belt has been scaring me away but I'm going to have to suck it up..

To do the valve seals, I have 2 options;

1) Remove the head
2) Use the rope trick (I don't have a big compressor)

I'm going to go with #1 since I want to replace the head gasket, too.

For #1, do I have to remove the timing belt?

If so, do I just set piston #1 to TDC? How do I know which way to put the belt back on? Do I mark it like this;



What if I use a new belt? Do I just transfer the marks over to the new one, at the exact same spots?

I heard that the "teeth" are supposed to go on the exact same way they were on before.

I'm a newb and I'm just trying to see if I'm anywhere close to the way things are supposed to be done, or else I'll have to pony up $$$ to get it done.

 

belt doesn't matter. only the crank and cam gear marks.
while you are doing all this replace the belt, water pump and crank/cam seals. make sure the head is on #1 before you set it back on the block.
and if you do take the head for a valve job, go ahead and do the clearances on a bench first.

 

So putting on the TB the exact same way is only if you don't set it to TDC?

Bold: Do you mean after I'm done doing the piston #4 valve seals, turn the crank to get it to #1 TDC again?

And can't I do the valve job myself? It looks pretty easy, just stick some feeler gauges in there before putting on the valve cover.

Edit: Will I need an impact gun for any of this? Esp. the seals

Sorry I'm a newb.. A week ago I didn't even know 1/2 as much LOL

 

the belt doesn't matter how it is. at all. ever.

no impact needed unless you pull the crank pulley to change the tbelt/crank seal, you will need a torque wrench to put the head back on and follow the pattern.

*if you pull the head* ...
-valve job = machining/recutting the valve seats. you can technically do a minor clean yourself with some compound, but I would highly suggest taking to a shop for it and have the head milled *only what is need*.
-you are talking about valve clearances, which is what I say do on the bench before reassembling the motor. it is much quicker.
-once getting the head back and setting clearances, turn the cam up, TDC for #1, and make sure the piston is at TD. if you bend a valve putting it back together you will have to shoot yourself.

at this point it is nothing but bolting it down and putting everything back together. it is easy as hell and once you know this stuff, you could do it in 45min, but by all means, take your time.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate your help. I'm looking around for a shop in my area to do the extra head work.

About bending a valve; Does this happen if you just throw the head on? My dad will be helping set it down from directly above.

If all goes right I'll start the project next week. I'll be sure to take pics/video for posting on here or Youtube.

Here is a very basic plan (mostly for my reference but please suggest anything I might have missed);

1) Prep work
2) Remove valve cover
3) Remove head
4) Either do valve seals myself or take to shop
5) Valve clearances
6) Replace Head Gasket (+ other gaskets, might get a intake/exhaust set)
7) Bolt head back on
8) Valve cover gasket (+ new spark plugs & seals)
9) Cross fingers

If the new seals/HG stops the smoke I'm having then... no homo LOL

Thanks again

 

You should always set the crank to TDC on the #1 piston before removing the timing belt. For extra precaution I also mark the timing belt and crank/cam sprocket teeth before removing the belt, and then transfer the marks to the new belt. I'm also very paranoid and even count the teeth on the old and new belts to make 200% sure I got the correct belt.

 

does the crank pulley have to come off in order to change the timing belt?

 

i can break it down better if you like..

-dist (replace o-ring)
-exhaust manifold (gasket is almost always reuseable)
-intake (replace gasket)
-valve cover (replace gasket + tube gaskets)
-upper timing cover
-put motor on #1 TDC
-slide tbelt off cam gear
-take off cam gear (replace cam seal, torque bolt to 27lbs with loctite)
-rocker arm assembly (replace o-rings)
-unbolt head
-remove water temp sensor, guage sender, inner tbelt cover
off the top of my head, that should be al of it.

I would price individual gaskets vs a head gasket set. I have seen the sets cost more than all combined.

if you do not mess with the bottom end tbelt items, to reinstall, you can set the cam gear in the belt then slide the gear onto the cam.

 

Unbelievable, thanks night.. Just goes to show I still have a ton to learn.

I probably will buy individual gaskets since the sets seem to come with too many.

I printed out about 20 pages from the manual so I'll something to look at and I'll probably be printing out some posts from H-T as well. I'll also be referencing a bunch of Youtube videos and this thread in particular: http://hondaswap.com/general-tech-ar...ts-pics-71528/

PatrickGSR94, that's what I'll be doing too. I'm thinking happy thoughts to psyche myself up (LOL) but getting the timing belt wrong would be devastating, both to my pride and wallet.

 

one question, what car? engine?

 

1988 Honda CRX DX D15B2.. prob. should have mentioned that in the OP LOL

 

please confirm this from the last sentence above because I DO NOT want to mess with my timing belt when removing the head; all I want to do is remove the cam gear with the belt attached OR better yet just slip the belt off the cam gear and let it loosly lye there. This
project is to only get it running again, as this car is hardly ever driven...a poorly maintained coolent system blew the gasket and the car
NEVER got hot....the timing belt was shiny, not dried, and no cracks, so I do not want to mess with it...please reply thank you

 

Confirmed.

 

grumblemarc-

thanks for the confirmation. I also discovered the cam gear retaining tool or I may even use a C-clamp. please send me some feedback.

thanks

 

What are you worrying about, not putting the belt on at the exact same spot?

 

No it's not that, I'm trying to figure out how to retain or wedge the belt not to slack after unbolting the cam gear...I don't need to change the timing belt and
get into to much work below....thanks

 

D series and b series dont have auto tensioners on them. Tension is set when you install the belt, then locked down. You could pull the belt out and if you didnt touch the tensioner bolt you could wrestle it back on.

 

I think it will end up being easier (and safer) to just go ahead and remove all the timing belt covers, and the belt. You can let it hang on the engine mount if you want to. That little tensioner access hole in the timing belt cover is a PITA to deal with and really doesn't allow much access at all. And trying to get the belt on with the tensioner still set? Yeah I don't see that ever happening. It's difficult enough as it is to get the belt over the cam gears with the tensioner set to full loose.

 

Someone needs to come up with a tool that safely(without damaging belt)clamps at the top open lip of the bottom timing cover that has an
attachment clip that'll slide onto and hold the belt; this done on ea
side, then one can remove the timing gear and just let the belt kinda
just relax....

 

 

I'm slipping the timing belt off the cam sprocket ONLY to remove the head then will slip belt back on when reinstalling the head

 

You're making it out to be way more complicated than it is. You're going to have to remove tension/reset tension to "slip" the belt off/on anyway. Why not just take people's advice and remove the covers and do it the right way? Less chance of screwing up/damaging the belt.