Doing Timing Belt and 60k stuff Need Help Bad

[notdrphang]

Hi my name is Adam and this is my forst post on shoforum.com. I have been browsing around the site as well as shotimes.com because I am trying to get as much of the 60k done on my 129k 91MTX as I can. My waterpump bit the dust and I figured this would be the perfect time to replace everything.

I have almost gotten everything apart but I was wondering if you guys could provide me with as much info on getting the timing belt correct as you can. I have searched the board and the info was kinda confusing

I got my top timing cover off and the dot on the cam pulley was at about 6 oclock and the white line on the timing belt was at about 12 oclock. It pretty much perfectly lined up with the big timing mark at the top of the engine located behind the cam pulley. I dont know if the belt has ever been changed but it just did not look right to me compared to the guide on shotimes.com. Also there was only one white line on the top of the belt. What is the deal with that ? Was my belt even installed correctly? The car ran pretty darn good though.

I have been working on cars for a year or so now but I have never done a timing belt. I need as much info on what works and what does not. I get the general idea but there are some blank spots that need to be filled in. So if you guys dont mind explain it as you would explain to a child

One last thing, here is the way "I" understand the process.

I was going to turn the motor with the old belt on till the dots on the cam pullies lined up with the big marks behind the cam pullies. Then I was going to remove the old belt and install the new one with everything looking like http://www.shotimes.com/php-bin/images/22.jpg

I am also going to pull the crank pullies to do a new front main seal. Is the outter part of the crank shaft notched so the pullies will reinstall one way?

sorry for any crappy grammer I have been working on the car all day and I am very very tired. I need all the advice I can get.

Thanks,
Adam S

<small>[ November 08, 2002, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: notdrphang ]</small>

 

[luigisho]

Not sure if you want to check out the 60k video from sho nut performance or not. That is a great tool to pick up on how to do all the 60k maintenance stuff.
Anyway, you seem close to getting where you need to go. You need to remove the crank pulley and the rest of the timing covers. Then you can access everything. The t-belt sounds good. The white marks on the belt will not line up with the timing marks after a turn or two. Get the cam pullies lined up properly and remove the belt. Line up the crank timing mark and install the new belt. Backtracking, with the belt off you can change the seal and I would recommend a new crank position sensor (needs to be gapped .030" from the bottom of the sensor to the 3 vanes on the crank that spin by it) so you don't have to go back in there again anytime soon.

 

[projectSHO89]

Adam,

Welcome!

Sounds like you jumped right into the 60K. Cool!

Scott patterson (sdpatt) has posted some excellent info on the service you are performing. One of the better ones, with photos of the timing belt installation, is here: http://www.shoforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=003023#000009

Just so you remember, the white marks on the timing belt are only important for the very first time the belt is installed. After that, they can be ignored as they will probably never line up again. This is completely normal.

Just be sure that the cam index marks are at 12 o'clock, the dimpled cog on the crank gear is at 5 o'clock (all line up with an index mark on the adjacent casing and with the white index marks on the belt. Rotate the belt per Scott's directions, then set the tension on it.

The crank dampener and the crank timing gear are keyed with a Woodruff key. They can only go onto the crank gear one way.

Two tips:

1) Get and use the harmonic balancer kit from AutoZone if you have them available. Be absolutely certain that you protect the threads in the crank from damage. I overlooked the protective cap on the large puller screw and ended up messing up the threads in the crank. had to special order a tap from Snap-On tools to fix it.

2) inspect the Woodruff key and th the slots in the crank, the dampener, and the timing gear. These have been known to deteriorate and to wear into a condition that has been named "crank cancer". If the timing gear and the dampener are not fixed on the crank, they will move around and cause your timing to vary. Just something to look out for while you're there.

I will forward to your e-mail address a .pdf file that contains the manual's procedures for the timing belt change on an MTX. I don't recall where I got it, but I am passing it on.

Good luck,

Steve

 

[notdrphang]

Ok I have been told by shotimes to put the car in the air and the put the tranny in 5th gear, then throw on the spare tire and turn it until the marks line up. If that is the correct, do I need to turn the crank up with the belt off? Or am I correct in understanding that if I line the marks up on the cam pullies with the marks behind the cam pullies I am good to go?

or do I have to turn the crank in the correct position with a breaker bar, and with the belt off? Heheh I hope I am not making this more complicated than it has to be.

Thanks

 

[sdpatt]

The marks on the belt are used only during the installation of the new belt. See the pictures posted here and the info I emailed to you for the correct orientation of the damper and camshaft pullyes before removing the old belt.

 

[91WhiteSHOpa]

Yo,

I just replaced the timing belt and water pump on my 91 sho last week.
it IS possible to line up all three marks on the timing belt with the marks on the cams and on the engine. I was confused about this for awhile so I just kept rotating the engine, and it eventually lined up. If you want to rotate the engine, there are two ways I found to do it.
1. Just what they said, put it in 5th, pop the tire on, and turn the wheel.
2. if it's close to the ground(Aka, not jacked up so you can walk under the car , I found that I could run a bunch of extensions for a 1/2" drive ratchet far enough out that I could turn the crankshaft directly but have plenty of range of motion to put the torque that's necessary onto that sucker. Put an extra jackstand under the ratchet to support it so the extensions stay inline with the crankshaft, and don't strip that bolt(I almost did)

 

[notdrphang]

One last thing...I think.

In more detail how do I make sure I do not harm the threds in the crank when I try to pull the crank pulley?

Also how do I make sure the CPS is gapped right. I am going to try and get a new CPS if I can but money is very tight. I wish I had gotten the cheaper gates timing belt. I figured I would go all out and pay way to much for a power seal belt. You live you learn.

thanks for the info guys it is all coming together in my head now....I really dont want to mess up the threds in the crank though it is a good thing I asked this. I think I know what peice ProjectSHO is talking about I am not sure how to go about using it. One last thing... I got the puller from autozone. Am I to use the biggest bolt in the crank shaft... it seemed to be the only one that would fit in ok. I am pretty sure I have not hurt the threds yet. I just kinda put the bolts up to the hole to get an idea of what would fit.

 

[projectSHO89]

That's the bolt that goes into the crank to remove the dampener. The took kit from AZ should also have a cap that goes on the end of the bolt that keeps it from making contact with the inside of the threads.

If that cap is missing, you can also use a small 1/4" drive socket inserted into the bolt hole. Select a socket that just barely fits into the hole without being forced.

Steve

<small>[ November 09, 2002, 08:00 AM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>

 

[notdrphang]

you guys rock!

thanks Steve

 

[notdrphang]

oh wait...what about gapping the CPS?

 

[sdpatt]

The CPS gap is .03". You may want to check that gap on all three vanes of the sensor wheel just to make sure that none have been bent.