Del Sol, civic 1994: New Conitech Timing belt installed and reused tensioner and spring as it sounded fine when spun in hand. Now when it warms it sounds strange, a vibration noise (see video link below). I think it's too tight, the timing belt. I checked all drive belts and loosened and it's still sounding. The sound come from waterpump side (AISIAN pump, replaced). See pics please, showing I barely can get a 90 degree turn on the longbside and not much deflectuon from my extension pressing on slack side of the timing belt by firewall. I followed Eric the Car guys advice and held the cam while wrenching the crank... but just wondering your thoughts on troubleshooting, or next steps. I thought, just loosten and tighten the tensioner nut, but would that be right? Here is the sound it makes: Video

 

I am more familiar with Bseries engines, but this sounds like classic overtightening. When it warms up and the block/head expands, it will add more tension to the belt.

I did not like how ETCG does some stuff, and this is one of them. On my B16, I tensioned by turning the cam clockwise three teeth.

I would not just loosen and tighten the tensioner nut because it probably needs that three tooth rotation to set tension correctly.

 

Thank you Grade50!

 

When I tightened the tensioner bolt, the timing belt becomes tighter. I didn't follow the process of three teeth, but decided to leave a slack and not tighten the tensioner bolt too hard. I'd need a torque wrench to know the tightness is 33ft.lb. The belt noise went away. the front and rear of upper belt has nearly the same slack. I'd like more on the back side. Question: How may I gauge its not super slack as to jump a tooth? The only exposure is no upper timing cover. I suspect there is something on the bolt that creates the tensioner to walk down and stretch the belt. Any advice on testing the belt is much appreciated.

 

The three teeth is for removing the slack from the drive side of the belt. By drive side I'm talking about the left side (what you call the long side) when you are standing in front of the engine looking down at the timing belt. Tightening the adjustment bolt should not change the tension on the belt. Did you follow the steps like in the images below? Yes the images are for a 96 -2000 but the steps should be the same. It's just standard timing belt tightening.

 

When I tighten a timing belt I take the slack out of the long side by turning the engine over by hand. You don't need to go exactly three teeth. All you're doing is making sure that you turn the engine enough that the belt starts turn the cam shaft. The camshaft resisting turning is what sets the tension on the belt. Once you have that tension set (on the long side) you just loosen the adjustment bolt and let the spring pull the slack out of the belt. On a new spring that should be enough. On a used spring I always use one finger to put a tiny bit more pressure on the adjustment pulley while I tighten the bolt. By tiny bit of pressure I mean take your pointer finger and put the side of the second knuckle (the joint that's closest to the end of your thumb) against the pulley and push sideways. most likely you won't even see the tensioner move. You just want to make sure that a bit of grit isn't possibly holding the pulley from sliding.

 

For what it's worth, I overtighten my b-series belts (quite a bit probably) on high-lift cams so the belt doesn't slip. I've never had odd noises introduced in doing this.

Make sure you didn't drop some debris into the bottom of the timing case. You don't see any rubbing marks on the belt? Make sure all covers are tight and all hardware is accounted for

 

There must be something wrong with the bolt for the adjuster. Cant remember if there's a washer, but maybe there's crud or something grabbing at the pulley when tightening. There should not be movement of the adjusting pulley when tightening it.

Was the timing cover maybe missing the plug for the adjusting bolt and let dirt in?

 

Question, Should I purposefully loosen the timing? I followed the " 3 teeth past TDC" procedure" on a cold engine. See below video; when I give gas it makes a high noise.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l8y...w?usp=drivesdk

You can see I have the upper timing cover off so I can apply pressure against the spring while tightening the tensioner bolt. Not sure if going off procedure is same. Maybe temporarily to confirm if the belt is indeed too tight

Thanks Seizerheday, Are you lossening the tension by applying the finger pressure?

YBLEGAL, thanks: my engine is D-series D16Z6.

Grade50, I tested the idea that my tensioner bolt was moving the tension. I no longer think that.