Timing belt opinion.

[Lofty]

Alright. My car has 103K miles on it, that's how it bought it.
When I look at the timing belt, it looks fine, no cracks or anything, not a lot of play when I push on it.
I'd love to replace it, but you have to pull the engine don't you?
It looks okay, but if I snapped it, it would mean I have to sell the car, because I'm broke.
What do you guys think I should do?

 

[92AWDHX40]

You dont have to pull the engine it stays in the car get the dsm manual for our cars, it walks you through it. also if you have any doubt change the belt, and the tensioner. I know how it feels to
have a timing belt go out. Replace it!!!!

 

[Lofty]

You dont have to pull the engine it stays in the car get the dsm manual for our cars, it walks you through it. also if you have any doubt change the belt, and the tensioner. I know how it feels to
have a timing belt go out. Replace it!!!!

I ordered a haynes, it should be coming soon

Thank you.

 

[dsmpat95]

When you do change your timing belt take your time, if not it could be a costly mistake.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Yes what he said check and double check, everything.

 

[kris_stewart10]

chilton is better and when i pull my engine i am replacing mine

 

[1992awdlaser]

As already said you don't have to pull the engine. Once you get used to doing them on these cars(will only take you one or two times to be used to it) it will take no time to do. I can do one in about an hour without a problem, faster if I needed to.

 

[JusMX141]

It will seem hard the first time (impossible if you don't have the right tools), but all in all a timing belt job is one of the more painless things to do to our cars. I'll change a timing belt over a clutch ANY day.

Do you know if the belt had been replaced around the 60k mark as recommended? If not, there's a chance the belt is the original....and no matter how good it looks, it can begin to throw teeth without warning.

I would do a complete service if I were you- all the belts (accessory belts can be changed anytime but they'll be removed for this job so you might as well replace them as well), timing belt tensioner, tensioner pulley, idler pulley, balance tensioner pulley.

If any car comes to my shop for a timing belt service and the engine has over 100k, it gets new cam seals as well. I've yet to pull a SOFT cam seal out of a 100k+ car...they're all hard as a brick, and asking to leak oil all over your nice, new timing belt. It takes an extra 15 minutes to zip the cam pulleys off and change the cam seals (requires valve cover removal) while you're doing a timing belt job.

The best deal I've found on the proper timing tools is: Tools : Jay Racing

 

[Lofty]

It will seem hard the first time (impossible if you don't have the right tools), but all in all a timing belt job is one of the more painless things to do to our cars. I'll change a timing belt over a clutch ANY day.

Do you know if the belt had been replaced around the 60k mark as recommended? If not, there's a chance the belt is the original....and no matter how good it looks, it can begin to throw teeth without warning.

I would do a complete service if I were you- all the belts (accessory belts can be changed anytime but they'll be removed for this job so you might as well replace them as well), timing belt tensioner, tensioner pulley, idler pulley, balance tensioner pulley.

If any car comes to my shop for a timing belt service and the engine has over 100k, it gets new cam seals as well. I've yet to pull a SOFT cam seal out of a 100k+ car...they're all hard as a brick, and asking to leak oil all over your nice, new timing belt. It takes an extra 15 minutes to zip the cam pulleys off and change the cam seals (requires valve cover removal) while you're doing a timing belt job.

The best deal I've found on the proper timing tools is: Tools : Jay Racing

Alright, I was planning on replacing my other belts, so I might as well do the timing too while I'm at it.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Tuning Spirit]

Don't forget to use a cam gear tool to lock the cam gears in place. This prevents any unsureties later when the belt goes back on. If you don't have one, one way to do it is get a small piece of metal or wood to sit between the gears to stop them from rotating, but be gentle with the belt removal if you do so.

 

[JusMX141]

I've never used a tool to hold my gears in place. Once the engine is set to TDC and the marks all align (dowels facing up on the cams), pull the belt. Reinstall it with the engine in the same position, making sure all the marks align. You'll possibly need a second set of hands to preload the exhaust cam gear to the firewall a little while you're sliding the belt on. If you put the belt on with both cams in a resting position, the alignment will be off a tooth or so.

 

[1992awdlaser]

This is what I do:

Put only the bottom tensioner bolt in a little so the tensioner can rotate counter clockwise so it won't be touching the tensioner arm.
Start with the crank and oil pump gears.
Remember to make sure the oil pump gear is in phase.
Once the belt is around them it will hold itself around them.
Slip it around the tensioner pulley and idler pulley.
Put it around the intake cam gear and use two or three clothes pins to hold it in place.
Then rotate the exhaust cam clockwise and make sure you intentionally rotate one tooth too much.
The exhaust cam will line back up when the grenade pin is pulled.
Pull up on the tensioner pulley or use the tool if you have it and then tighten the bolt.
Lift up on the tensioner arm so you can swing the tensioner under it.
Then put the top bolt in the tensioner and tighten both down.
Pull the grenade pin.
Then the cam gears should be lined up perfect and you can rotate it six times to verify everything.