Tips on how to get a new 3.2 timing belt on?

[SHO>*]

3 weeks after starting my front 60k (due to misc problems and lack of time) I'm finally to the point of putting the new timing belt on. I stretched and pried for almost 3 hours with no luck. The tensioner piston is compressed as far as it will go. Anyone that's done this before have any tips to getting the darn belt on?

 

[SHOtimer]

Well, do you have the tensioner compressed with an allen wrench as shown here:

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/0b/f7/88/0900823d800bf788.jsp

-check step 21 down and make sure that is how you are doing it.

With that compressed, I got the top cam gears lined up with the belt and then slipped it onto the crank shaft. The tensioner doesn't necessarily have to be on the motor when you install the belt. When putting on the belt the tensioner should not be pushing against the pulley at all (b/c the pulley in turn will push on the belt.

Doug

 

[SHO>*]

I do have a hex key in the hole but that wasn't holding it down all the way so I put the c-clamp back on and cranked it down as far as it will go.

How exactly did you slip it onto the crankshaft? What tools/technique did you use? I had two screwdrivers with which I was trying to pry against the sprocket to push the belt into place. I also tried lining up the belt on the crank and one of the cam gears then trying to pry it onto the other cam gear. I can't believe how tight the thing is, I felt like it was going to snap with how hard I was pushing to try and get it on. I ordered it from rockauto.com using the part number from the shopp 60k walkthrough so I'm sure it's the right belt.

 

[Sho-N-Go]

You are not doing something right if it is tight. I always install the tensioner after the belt is on. The belt will just slide on with NO prying needed at all with all the pullies lined up. Then you install the tensioner and pull the pin to release tension. You always want the excess belt on the tensioner side.

hope this helps

 

[SHOtimer]

You are not doing something right if it is tight. I always install the tensioner after the belt is on. The belt will just slide on with NO prying needed at all with all the pullies lined up. Then you install the tensioner and pull the pin to release tension. You always want the excess belt on the tensioner side.

hope this helps

Exactly.

Doug

 

[SHO>*]

After reading your replies and checking out the autozone article I'm pretty sure I know what I was doing wrong. Thanks for the help guys, don't know what I'd do had I never found this place. You rock.