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2G Lower timing cover fitment issues

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GregoryRyan

Supporting Member
167
113
Jul 22, 2013
Millstadt, Illinois
So I recently had an engine built by a member on the forums here and I am in the process of trying to bolt-on misc. parts and pieces to get the engine ready to go into the car. The timing covers weren't on the engine and I'm now having issues with the lower timing cover. The cover seems to have two issues, one with it hitting one of the timing pulleys and one with a mounting hole not having anything to mount to. If I am missing something please let me know. I'll post some pictures but any help or guidance towards this issue would be greatly appreciated.

  • The first picture is just of the timing side and shows generally where I think the issue is
  • The second picture you can see inside the cover where it is hitting the timing pulley nearest to the water pump.
  • The third picture shows where the timing cover seems to not have anything to mount to
  • And the final picture just gives an overview of where the two issues are (i think)

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For starters your tensioner pulley is on backwards. The lip faces inside not outside. You're also missing the steel guards that bolt the cover to the block as well.
 
Thanks for the response @Tyeler18

I assume in order for me to turn the tensioner pulley around to face the correct way Id have to remove the timing belt? Same with the steel guards? Do I have to take everything apart to get these on? Would turning the pulley around resolve my timing cover fitment issues?

Like I said in my first post, I haven't put any of this stuff on since I had someone else build this engine. I received the engine just as it sits now, so I am just trying to put things back together. I am hoping this was just an oversight on the builders part and that the rest of the engine was built to spec.

Thanks for any following responses or help.
 
I just got the block a few days ago and haven't touched anything aside from getting it up on the stand. And yes its a 7 bolt.

Honestly, I am quite new to this so I am feeling my way through getting this back together. Knowing even what needs to be put on and where will be a learning process. So please be easy with me.
 
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I just got the block a few days ago and haven't touched anything aside from getting it up on the stand. And yes its a 7 bolt.

Honestly, I am quite new to this so I am feeling my way through getting this back together. Knowing even what needs to be put on and where will be a learning process. So please be easy with me.

Understood, I'll answer your questions concerns below:
  • The first picture is just of the timing side and shows generally where I think the issue is
Okay
  • The second picture you can see inside the cover where it is hitting the timing pulley nearest to the water pump.
You're sure the cover is hitting the timing pulley? It should be close.
  • The third picture shows where the timing cover seems to not have anything to mount to
You're missing the metal shields. Call JNZ tuning and tell them you need all the metal shields that the timing cover bolts to on a 2g 7 bolt.
  • And the final picture just gives an overview of where the two issues are (i think)

Whoever did your timing should not be trusted IMO. The timing tensioner pulley is installed incorrect. Please search this site for timing installation on a 2g to see that your pulley is not the same as the others.

-Brady
 
Thanks for the response @Tyeler18

I assume in order for me to turn the tensioner pulley around to face the correct way Id have to remove the timing belt? Same with the steel guards? Do I have to take everything apart to get these on? Would turning the pulley around resolve my timing cover fitment issues?

Like I said in my first post, I haven't put any of this stuff on since I had someone else build this engine. I received the engine just as it sits now, so I am just trying to put things back together. I am hoping this was just an oversight on the builders part and that the rest of the engine was built to spec.

Thanks for any following responses or help.

The belt can stay on, but the tension will need reset. Not that it matters. I see now with the other responses the tensioners is adjusted the wrong way along with the pulley being on backwards. Id be skeptical of anything on that engine just by looking at the way it was assembled on one of the most vital parts of the engine.

You can sneak the guards in. There's guards for the head as well, but you may as well put it all together with the belt loose/off since youll be redoing timing anyways.
 
This is just me...BUT if they couldn't even install the tensioner pulley correctly, OR the timing cover plates...makes me question if they even knew what they were doing when assembling the motor?
 
First of all thank you all for responding, I very much appreciate it.

I planned on going around to different bolts and parts to check if torque specs matched that of the service manual. Seeing that the engine I purchased/had built wasn't completely done to spec should I really pull things apart and check everything? The engine was completely rebuilt from bored .02 over, with new rods, rings, seals, bearings, valves, guides etc. If it were you what would you do?

Lastly, I have never done anything timing related with these cars before, do any of you have a suggested link/post I can reference? I plan to use my manual but I am not exactly sure where I should start with this tensioner. Id prefer to not have to buy another new OEM timing belt or any timing related parts because the tensioner needs to be flipped around due to the builder not doing it right. Id like to do it the right way the first time.

Thanks for any guidance. I really appreciate you all taking the time to offer help.
 
I would be going through the entire thing checking clearances and retorquing everything. Who knows what else they did incorrectly seeing as how the timing is wrong which is a fairly easy part of the build compared to assembling the internals properly. It's unfortunate to be doing it over, but it'd be better to find now than 20 miles down the road when the block is scattered into pieces.

Fixing the belt won't require buying anything. You need to repin the tensioner, which should pin as it sits if they attempted to set tension properly (aside from turning the pulley backwards). Zip tie the belt to the cam gears and hold tension on the tensioner side of the belt when removing the pulley, flip pulley, and reset the belt over the pulley. You'll need to readjust belt tension with the pulley again. Fairly simple job for someone thats done it more than once. VFAQ.com under "engine" tab has the FSM for setting belt tension.
 
First of all thank you all for responding, I very much appreciate it.

I planned on going around to different bolts and parts to check if torque specs matched that of the service manual. Seeing that the engine I purchased/had built wasn't completely done to spec should I really pull things apart and check everything? The engine was completely rebuilt from bored .02 over, with new rods, rings, seals, bearings, valves, guides etc. If it were you what would you do?

Lastly, I have never done anything timing related with these cars before, do any of you have a suggested link/post I can reference? I plan to use my manual but I am not exactly sure where I should start with this tensioner. Id prefer to not have to buy another new OEM timing belt or any timing related parts because the tensioner needs to be flipped around due to the builder not doing it right. Id like to do it the right way the first time.

Thanks for any guidance. I really appreciate you all taking the time to offer help.

If you do a timing job, you’ll need these:
https://www.jnztuning.com/product_i...=3040&osCsid=e41deec049a5f5b1bade262195fbf089

It will make the task much easier.
Also,
http://www.vfaq.com/mods/timingbelt-2G.html

Best of luck, deffinelty go over that engine. I would contact the member who built that before you do anything, could have been a mistake or maybe their inexperienced. Either way, they should be liable to fix it.
 
Thanks, @Kenny07 and @Tyeler18

At this point, I really don't even want to deal with the builder. Not saying he is a bad guy or anything, as he was pretty good throughout the process of the build and everything. I just don't want to deal with the back and forth, and would rather just get it done myself.

I did find the steel mounting plates for the timing area that have the crank position sensor on it but looking at it there seems to be no way to get them to mount up without removing things. This is just beyond frustrating that I even have to go through and deal with all of this stuff. I am also slightly freaking out that I am going to do something to ruin this engine, mess up the timing, etc.

And now I am second guessing myself that I am going to forget some important sensor, piece, bolt, or bracket. This is just stressful. I probably should have paid the extra 5-600$ and had a local shop build the engine instead, but hindsight is 20/20.
 
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Thanks, @Kenny07 and @Tyeler18

At this point, I really don't even want to deal with the builder. Not saying he is a bad guy or anything, as he was pretty good throughout the process of the build and everything. I just don't want to deal with the back and forth, and would rather just get it done myself.

I did find the steel mounting plates for the timing area that have the crank position sensor on it but looking at it there seems to be no way to get them to mount up without removing things. This is just beyond frustrating that I even have to go through and deal with all of this stuff. I am also slightly freaking out that I am going to do something to ruin this engine, mess up the timing, etc.

And now I am second guessing myself that I am going to forget some important sensor, piece, bolt, or bracket. This is just stressful. I probably should have paid the extra 5-600$ and had a local shop build the engine instead, but hindsight is 20/20.


Ok if you're not going to name the member on here that built the motor, I'm going to call you liar and say you bought this motor randomly off of some backwards hat wearing tatted up Facebook Instagram mechanic.

That engine is garbage. I dont trust a single nut or bolt on it.

Its not even worth my time to describe everything that is wrong with that motor. Dont waste your time, get a known running stock motor
 
Ok if you're not going to name the member on here that built the motor, I'm going to call you liar and say you bought this motor randomly off of some backwards hat wearing tatted up Facebook Instagram mechanic.

That engine is garbage. I dont trust a single nut or bolt on it.

Its not even worth my time to describe everything that is wrong with that motor. Dont waste your time, get a known running stock motor

I wouldn't go THAT extreme...L O L BUT I do agree with most of it. Id chalk it up and get it gone through myself. It will be a good learning experience, and there are PLENTY of how-tos for it all and YouTube vids. No reason to mess anything up.
 
@streetraceboi I agree, at this point, I am planning on going through and checking things for myself. As you said, it will be a good learning experience and will give me some semblance of peace of mind. Plus, now would be the time to do it while the engine is out of the car and on the stand.

I will not, however, be naming the member who built the engine. Call me a liar, wont hurt my feelings. From what I can tell he did a good job on most of the engine, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he is human and made a few mistakes. No witch hunts here.

To those who have commented with a level head and kept the post on track, I very much appreciate it. People like yourselves are the ones that keep this community alive, positive and well. Thanks for your time.
 
I don't see how it could have properly tensioned with the pulley backwards. Since it cant be adjusted since the holes are on the backside? :shrugs:
 
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