Ok,

I've got the crank and piston 1 set to TDC currently; I'm working on getting my timing belt + cam's back in place.

Does the below look acceptable? or is it too off?


Don't mind the screw driver...

Also; for the belt tensioner, I've tightened it back up, the belt shouldn't remain loose as depicted in the above image, should it?

Or, do I have the belt not set properly?

Thanks.

 

If you turn the cams just slightly counterclockwise do the TDC marks align?

 

As in, pull the belt off and give her a twist? or crank the crank pulley counter clockwise?

 

This^...just a tiny bit to see if the cam TDC marks line up as shown in the diagram. Yours are not perfectly aligned, but it's probably due to the loose belt.

 

Understood:

Results below, it looks like they aligned properly once I cranked over a smidge.

You can see the notches just barely


Here are the gears

 

Looks good.

 

Now to the tension issue;

My belt isn't taught at all, I've adjusted the tensioner back to where I found it when I began, If wanted I could slide the belt back off of the gears.

Am I missing something? or just not understanding the use of an auto adjusting tensioner

 

-----------------------

 

Ron, what site are you pulling these diy pics from?

 

Awesome; I just didn't rotate the crank 5-6 times counterclockwise.

I'll loosen the adjusting bolt tonight, give it a few cranks over and be done with it.

Thanks Ron

 

96-00 Civic service manual

 

Ok,

First things first, shitty torque wrenches suck...

Alternately, it seems no matter the amount of force I apply to the adjustment bolt, I cannot get the stupid belt to stay taught.

I've set TDC, cranked it to be 3 teeth off, both the belt between the cam gears, and the belt to the LEFT of the cam gears (if I'm facing it) are taught, the belt to the RIGHT, is not.

Did I put the belt on improperly?
should I have gotten my slack from the left of the belt and not the right when installing? or vice versa?

 

Hope this helps, and works for me.....

Get a jig or way to hold the crank @ TDC cyl1 (single mark on pulley)

Set cams with both marks facing each other and arrows up

Make sure belt tensioner bolt is lose, with you facing the gears you should be able to route the belt straight and tight up towards the cams as not to leave any play down there. exhaust cam side grab with left hand firmly, and intake cam side grabbed with your right hand.
Pull upwards with more force with your right hand cause this is where you will notice the amount of play the tensioner has to give. when you feel that slack max out, and both of your hands are pulling up the belt, slip that F%$#er over the camgears.
This will only work if you can get the crankshaft to stay at TDC position due to when pulling up that intake side of the belt will surely turn the motor over a tad since you will be pulling that belt up with force.
Then follow manu specs for setting belt tension.

 

It's possible the tensioner is kaput.

 

I'm considering that as a good possibility, if I pull on the intake side of the belt, it doesn't give slack like it does when the bolt isn't torqued.

I think I'm going to undo most of it tomorrow and do what beecee mentions

 

Absolutely,

And OP it is best you understand exactly how this tensioner functions, as the tightness of the bolt has no impact on its adjustability. It simply locks it down in place, and slides and pivots with tension applied from that spring when the bolt is losened enough, (and I losen that guy 3-5 turns to assure smooth adjustment.

like said when pulling up the intake side of that belt is when you should check tensioner for proper function, as you will feel the total slack and tension from the spring. at its max range of slack while pulling is when you stab it over the gears.
leave tensioner bolt loose, and crank iy over a few times past TDC, then return to TDC, and tighten to spec the bolt, check it over, and be done.

 

well then it sounds like its probably functioning proper as there will be no adjustability while tensioner is in its fixed position.
After loosening it is where you need to pull up to get max adj. then slip it over.

 

Beecee, I took your advice, grabbed from the Intake side and pulled hard, set it on the cam gears and stretched it over the exhaust.

It took four or five attempts to make sure that the silly pulley didn't move.

I've checked TDC (white notch!) and shes golden, I look at the two notches on the cam gears and shes good.
I just need to make sure she is taught enough!

Input / Advice welcome

Sorry for the poor vidya quality, it's late, I'm tired and frustrated lol
I think I got it right though...

 

You got it for sure,

the tension of the spring on the tensioner is what dictates the over all tension of the belt, Ive seen some slacky loose belts function and rev up fine but its scketchy.
Def dont make it too tight, which requires a slight pry on the tensioner while loosened, then tightened(Not recomended)
As the spring rate of the tensioner is designed to apply proper tension to the belt by turning the engine over counterclockwise at the crank with tensioner loose. then stop, and tighten.

If you reverse the natural rotation direction (counterclockwise) expecially while tensioner was loose. you will run into unwanted slack.
only turn counterclock while using the factory procedure for belt tension.

looks like she will be running soon,
keep it up!

 

Awesome guys :D

Thanks much for the help!!