hey guys... I need to remove the timing belt tensioner bolt on my 98 ls integra and was wondering if it would be okay to do so. The car manual says "not to remove only to adjust but I need to do it b/c my bolt isn't seated corretly. Thanks!

 

If it is not seated correctly, then someone removed the bolt at some time...which you know is not recommended. It is not necessary to take it off to do any work. The belt will be loose enough to remove with 1-2 turns of the bolt.

The manual tells you not to take the entire bolt off because you'll never get it back in the right place w/o taking the whole plastic shield off and realigning the tensioner into the track.. big headache. Also, if you remove the entire bolt, then the tensioning spring may fall out.

 

what do you guys recommend I do. The tensioner is on fine and secure but the bolt looks 'cockeyed.' I don't know why it would b/c this is the first time the timing belt has been worked on. thanks


also, can someone tell me whether the timing belt guide washer (the gold washer piece that sits behind the crank pulley but before the belt) faces with the indentation inward towards the engine or outwards towards the wheel. Thanks