2000 Civic EX, 1.6 SOHC, Automatic. 2DR. 99K miles.

A few years ago I replaced the water pump. While in there I decided to replace the timing belt.

I followed Haynes as well as a few online tutorials, youtube, etc. But it's always nagged me that there were never any "idiot proof" ways of determining the precise fitment of the belt. No matter how careful it seemed possible for the belt to be, at the very least, one maybe two teeth offset from ideal.

Of course the car runs fine. But it nags me. I might be sacrificing a bit of performance/efficiency if the belt was installed this tiny bit off...no?

So is there a fool proof method? Something like finding TDC through a plug hole and lining up a mark on the camshaft pulley with the block? This would seem to make sense but I was not able to find such a description. Maybe I just missed something right in front of me?

Thanks,
Yours, truly..

...the one idiots guides were written for

 

 

I hope this does not upset any forum protocol.
I joined a few hours ago. I followed up the email I received for registration.
I posted a question concerning an online order i made with the store RockAuto.
I was met with a dialog box informing me that I'd need to await moderator approval for the post.
No problem. I expected that.
I posted this question, as well, concerning my timing belt.
This post appeared immediately.
I PM'd a moderator to ask if my first post was lost, or if it might have been deemed somehow inappropriate.
Some time went by so I reposted my first question regarding the problem with an online order.

Still nothing.

Am I breaking some rules here? The post includes a screen grab of my online order receipt. Is that forbidden?

Thanks for any help here

 

set the crank pulley to TDC
set the cam gear to TDC
loosen timing belt tensioner
install belt
tighten tensioner
rotate COUNTERCLOCK WISE the crank pulley 2 complete revolutions and set crank pulley back to TDC position

Yes, some people think these motors rotate clockwise, which they don't.

 

This is precisely the way I did the installation. But it seems to me entirely possible to follow this to the letter and still be off at least one tooth on the timing pulley.
I had a really difficult time ascertaining the TDC position on the crank pulley with any precision within a tooth in either direction.

 

I did mine without the timing belt cover as a guide for TDC and it is perfect every time. Remember, the cam gear markings are not "parallel" to the head. Left side mark sits under while the right side sits above



^^^ this isn't at TDC but you can see the small markings on the cam gear as reference....

 

Wait a minute. You're asking if there is an easy way to know TDC for properly installing the timing belt.? I will then assume you have all covers off and are right at the point where you need to tension the belt properly.

There's an arrow and a mark on the crank drive pulley to tell you when it's at TDC, found here!

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/2...t-96-00-a.html

 

This is covered in this video:
Starts at about the 12:45min mark. Covers how to align the cam/crank from the perspective of the
cam and from the perspective of the crank.

 

 

This would likely also require an adjustable cam gear if you were out for that kind of precision. As well as all cam specifications etc.