99 Civic - Need help putting timing belt!
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99 Civic - Need help putting timing belt!
I have a honda civic 1999, im putting a new timing belt I lined up the crankshaft with the harmonic balancer to the arrows on the cover and i lined up the camshaft to the arrows on the side. When I slide the timing belt on all the tension is on the right side and theres slack on the left so when i tighten the pulley, it turns the crank counterclockwise about 1/2 a tooth even a bit more i tried to move all the slack to the right but i cant. I already tried searching this up but I didnt come across anything. This is my first timing belt ive ever done on my own. thanks for the help. Im also new to the forum.
Re: 99 Civic - Need help putting timing belt!
Yeah, that's definitely the wrong way.
Proper tensioning procedure. Yes, this is for a B series motor, but it's the exact same procedure for D and B.
Proper tensioning procedure. Yes, this is for a B series motor, but it's the exact same procedure for D and B.
Now that we have that all stitched up, we can move on to properly adjusting the timing belt tensioner. There's a small rubber plug covering your timing belt tensioner bolt - remove it. If at this point you haven't torqued down the tensioner bolt, go ahead and do it. 40 ft/lbs. Start off with the motor at TDC. Always rotate the motor counter-clockwise! Rotating clockwise will prevent the tensioner from properly seating with the belt, and you'll have to start all over again.
Rotate the motor six times, counter clockwise, returning it to TDC. This will fully seat the timing belt. If it slips, jumps, or hops, stop, pull it all off, and try again. If you're re-using an old belt, you're stupid, and need to buy a new one. Never reuse an old timing belt.
Once you've rotated the motor six times and have returned it to TDC (white mark on the crank pulley lines up with the notch on the lower cover, "UP" arrows on the cam gears point up), loosen the timing belt tensioner bolt one half turn. Do not fully remove it. Rotate the crank approximately three cam gear notches. Once you have it rotated, the white TDC marker on the crank pulley should sit about like this:
Crank rotated three notches off TDC
Now tighten the tensioner bolt to 40 ft/lbs. Reinstall the rubber plug. Retorque your crank nose bolt (130 ft/lbs for stock, 140 ft/lbs for ARP), and you're done!
Rotating the crank, tensioner bolt visible
All stitched up and done!
Honestly, I was hoping this procedure would be...I don't know, more difficult? More time consuming? I've spent more time typing this how-to than I spent actually doing the work. Maybe I'll go ahead and create a table of contents for my build thread.
Rotate the motor six times, counter clockwise, returning it to TDC. This will fully seat the timing belt. If it slips, jumps, or hops, stop, pull it all off, and try again. If you're re-using an old belt, you're stupid, and need to buy a new one. Never reuse an old timing belt.
Once you've rotated the motor six times and have returned it to TDC (white mark on the crank pulley lines up with the notch on the lower cover, "UP" arrows on the cam gears point up), loosen the timing belt tensioner bolt one half turn. Do not fully remove it. Rotate the crank approximately three cam gear notches. Once you have it rotated, the white TDC marker on the crank pulley should sit about like this:
Crank rotated three notches off TDC
Now tighten the tensioner bolt to 40 ft/lbs. Reinstall the rubber plug. Retorque your crank nose bolt (130 ft/lbs for stock, 140 ft/lbs for ARP), and you're done!
Rotating the crank, tensioner bolt visible
All stitched up and done!
Honestly, I was hoping this procedure would be...I don't know, more difficult? More time consuming? I've spent more time typing this how-to than I spent actually doing the work. Maybe I'll go ahead and create a table of contents for my build thread.
Re: 99 Civic - Need help putting timing belt!
Post pictures of the crank pulley and cam pulley with the motor at TDC. Also, as RonJ asked, specifically what motor do you have? Is it stock, or modified?
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Re: 99 Civic - Need help putting timing belt!
They dont align with the arrows on the back cover, because thats the way I have it. I will post pictures on Tuesday so you guys can take a look. Thanks for the help
Re: 99 Civic - Need help putting timing belt!
12 o'clock relative to the motor, yes, but the motor probably has a slight cant to it, so don't trust it - go by the side markers lining up with the flat of the head.
If you really want to do it perfectly, take off your valve cover and look for a guide hole. It should be a small hole, about 5mm, that goes through the cam holders down into the cam, near the cam gear side of the head. Insert a 5mm punch through that hole, and it'll hold your head at TDC while you set your timing belt. Make sure you remove the punch! Bad things happen to people who forget to remove that punch...
If you really want to do it perfectly, take off your valve cover and look for a guide hole. It should be a small hole, about 5mm, that goes through the cam holders down into the cam, near the cam gear side of the head. Insert a 5mm punch through that hole, and it'll hold your head at TDC while you set your timing belt. Make sure you remove the punch! Bad things happen to people who forget to remove that punch...
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Apr 1, 2008 07:10 PM