Alright, well my timing belt just felt loose so i tightened it(set to TDC crank a few times ccw back to TDC, loosen tensioner 1/2 turn, move 3 teeth cw, tighten tensioner 40ft/lb, rotate ccw and check).

the intake side is pretty dang tight(moves just a teeny bit), while the exhaust side has about 3/4-1" of play. I loosened A/C belt to do the tightening and then tightened it back up(how much play should there be?) and when i took it for the test cruise it hesitates quite a bit at partial throttle(maintaining speed).

any ideas? A/C or timing belt too tight? i wont drive around like this so quick helpful replies are greatly appreciated. thanks.

 

the valves arent tapping are they? u arent off by a little are you??

 

they dont sound like they are. just a little loud like usual(need adjustment i think). they gears dont look off either.

 

I believe that's where your problem lies: you want to crank 3 teeth CCW. Adjusting the A/C belt won't do anything to your hesitation.

-Jeff C.

 

Did you recheck ignition timing?

Steve

 

Hondas rotate ccw. 3/4-1" of play is too much. This will cause hesitation because the slack in the belt causes a delay in response as the engine changes speeds. Your other belts won't effect the tension of the timing belt. You aren't getting the slack out because you are rotating the motor in the wrong direction. I have never been able to tension the belt completely with just the stock tensioner spring taking up the extra slack. I made a lil hook at the end of a coat hanger wire to hook the base of the tensioner spring. Turn the engine over a few teeth(ccw) and get the slack between the waterpump gear and intake cam gear(belt should be taught on EX side and between the cam gears). Pull up on spring to remove slack, tighten tensioner.
FYI - Pull just hard enough to take the slack out. I was replacing my brothers timing belt and told him to pull the slack out, he unwound half the spring in one quick pull. Solution was to remove the now mangled spring and hook the arm/tang on the tensioner where the spring was attached, remove slack, tighten tensioner.

 

well it looks like when the cams are at TDC, the crank isnt. It jumped a few teeth, thats going to be fun to fix! any helpful hints to get everything lined up?

 

Put the crank at tdc first, then **** the ex gear slightly left and slip belt on, turn the cam bolt cw, belt should be taught between crank and ex gear. **** IN gear slightly left, slip on belt, turn cam bolt, belt should be taught between gears and gears should now line up. Turn a couple teeth via crank pully(ccw), get the slack between water pump and intake gear, tighten tensioner. Turn over by hand and check gears and tension.

 

amazing description!!!

x 2

t..

 

Thx. It pissed me off enough times trying to do it by the book.

 

there are 4 notches in my crank pulley. 3 in a row(pretty close together) and one more an inch or so after those. which one represents TDC?

 

The white one by itself is your tdc. The other 3 are the factory timing marks, 14btdc, middle is 16btdc, and 18btdc.

 

thanks. I am trying to do the belt right now and there is just too much slack. after putting the belt on both gears(they line up and so does the crank). tight between crank and exhaust and gear to gear, but quite a bit of slack between intake and water pump. then i rotate it ccw a few teeth, tighten tensioner and start cranking it over ccw, the intake keeps jumping a tooth. help?


[Modified by blufke, 1:55 AM 3/7/2003]

 

Take a coat hanger and make a long straight piece from it, doesnt have to be perfect. You can bend up one end for a sort of handle, and the other make a V shape with the tip(take a pair of pliers and grab the end 1/4" up, bend it to look like a V). You will use this to hook and pull up on the tensioner spring, this will remove the slack. Once you get it all lined up, don't turn it yet, hook the bottom of the tensioner spring and gently pull up(with the tensioner loose, slack intake side). You can check as you pull up by touching the intake side of belt. While you hold the tension with the wire, tighten the tensioner. Now roll it over and check.

 

thanks, roommate is here now so i can give the coathanger thing a try.

 

got it on and nice and tight. used the coathanger hook trick to pull up on tensioner. had to loosen it more than 1/2 turn too. thanks for all the help.

 

If the timing belt hums, you know it's tight. Music to my ears when an engine sings.

 

its humming now, very nicely.