How To Replace A Timing Belt (20/25/26) Pics!

[hardsteppa]

you mean wind it before the belt goes on? you can wind it back before the belt is on; once the belt is on you can only wind it forwards, and can wind it all day but marks will still never match up, if they're out.

[matt3]

Yeah i mean to correct the timing if the crank is out while the timing belt is off.

[tridentt150v]

you can wind it back by hand, no probs. But only to check.  For tension or other settings always wind forward.

[hugh jaynous]

Just wondering it it's possible to adjust tension after you've finished putting everything back? Can i just take off the fan, belts, CAS, upper cover and re-tension? Car sounds like its got a super charger and bothers the crap outta me and makes me fear a snap one of these days at high rpm. 

Thanks guys.

[Ben C34]

57 minutes ago, hugh jaynous said:

Just wondering it it's possible to adjust tension after you've finished putting everything back? Can i just take off the fan, belts, CAS, upper cover and re-tension? Car sounds like its got a super charger and bothers the crap outta me and makes me fear a snap one of these days at high rpm. 

Thanks guys.

Nope.

To get to the tensioner you need to remove the lower cover, which requires taking the balancer off.

Is it a gates belt?

[hugh jaynous]

5 minutes ago, Ben C34 said:

Nope.

To get to the tensioner you need to remove the lower cover, which requires taking the balancer off.

Is it a gates belt?

Gates belt, was tensioned using two turns on crank and a bit more, leaving me with about 1/4 turn twisting the belt. Pump, tensioner, idler was all done as well.  

[Ben C34]

Gates belts whine.

I hope you also did the cam and crank seals.

[hugh jaynous]

18 minutes ago, Ben C34 said:

Gates belts whine.

I hope you also did the cam and crank seals.

i did not.......and now i am expecting the car to explode oil at some point....no leaks at the moment though so I'm praying no problems for the mean while.

[Dobz]

8 hours ago, hugh jaynous said:

i did not.......and now i am expecting the car to explode oil at some point....no leaks at the moment though so I'm praying no problems for the mean while.

It'll be a gradual leak if it does start. 

It is possible to have a quiet gates timing belt, the problem is they are less elastic than other brands making even a small over tighten noisy. The 1/4 turn method for gates timing belt tension is not very accurate imo.

A method that has worked for me many times on the RB is:

-Pull all slack from the belt with an allen key on the tensioner using only finger power.

-Nip up the tensioner nut and grab the short length of belt between the cam pulleys.

-Firmly wiggle that section of belt and observe how far up and down it deflects from it's flat resting place. The best measurement i found is when you can pull it up about 6mm from resting and then push it down 6mm from resting. Remember the lower sections of belt need to have no slack when checking.

-If it is too tight just back off the tensioner nut, give the belt a little slack using the allen key then nip up and check again. Remember to firmly pull all the slack into that small length between the pulleys before checking.

[Jjtxaz24]

Sorry to revive this thread but I ran into a snag. 

I got everything off and I'm trying to take off the crank pulley. I read and saw on videos to put the car in 5th and hand brake up. Everytime I try and remove the bolt it just turns everything counter clockwise. 

Am I missing something?

[Shoota_77]

A couple of things you can try.  Firstly, in addition to what you listed above, get someone to jam their foot on the brake as hard as they can.  That might give you enough resistance to get it undone.  Put a length of pipe over your breaker bar to give you as much leverage as possible.

If all else fails and it's not highly recommended but......  Long breaker bar, large chunk of wood to prevent damage to the car (chassis rail), remove everything in the way on the passenger side of the front of the engine and loosen it with the starter motor.  Have the breaker bar sitting 6 inches above the chunk of wood and bump the key.  It might take a few goes before it comes loose.  Each time it hits but not loosens, lift the breaker bar back up where it was and bump it again.  As I say this is not highly recommended but sometimes the only way to get it loose.  Disconnect your coils so you don't start the car....

Shocking quality video but you get the idea.  He's doing it the "underhand" way but eaither way will work deepending of which side you have more room.

 

 

[Jjtxaz24]

I tried it initially with my wife in the car, foot on the brakes, e brake up and car was in 4th. Didn't try it with it in 5th and the rest. 

I took the valve covers off cuz I was gonna repaint them and also have the turbo side off cuz Im going to rebuild the.

Dont think I'll be able to bump it to brake the bolt loose. 

[Shoota_77]

It'll be fine with what you've removed. You're not trying to start it so no problem. It's just a quick hit on the starter 4 or 5 times. If done right zero issues. 

[Jjtxaz24]

59 minutes ago, Shoota_77 said:

It'll be fine with what you've removed. You're not trying to start it so no problem. It's just a quick hit on the starter 4 or 5 times. If done right zero issues. 

Ok. I'll give it a try tomorrow. Wrapped up for the night worked on it all day. Appreciate the rapid response. 

[Ben C34]

I highly recommend using the starter motor to undo the bolt

[Jjtxaz24]

10 hours ago, Ben C34 said:

I highly recommend using the starter motor to undo the bolt

I'll try that today. I just wasn't sure if I could do it with no valve covers, coolant or turbos on. Don't wanna blow the engine or something. 

[Jjtxaz24]

On 11/24/2019 at 7:51 PM, Ben C34 said:

I highly recommend using the starter motor to undo the bolt

Got the bolt off. Appreciate the help guys. Since it was an issue breaking it loose will it be an issue to tighten it? 

[Shoota_77]

Good job! 

It is tricky to get it tightened to the correct torque with the engine still in the car. It won't take as much effort to torque it as it was to loosen though. Definitely use a torque wrench (a big one!) to get it to the right torque as it coming loose is worse than it being hard to get off!

[Jjtxaz24]

18 minutes ago, Shoota_77 said:

Good job! 

It is tricky to get it tightened to the correct torque with the engine still in the car. It won't take as much effort to torque it as it was to loosen though. Definitely use a torque wrench (a big one!) to get it to the right torque as it coming loose is worse than it being hard to get off!

I have the torque wrench so I'm ready for it, it was like 300+ something ft pounds (ill check the manual). Dont think my belt was ever changed. It's not cracked but it was loose. Glad I didn't skip a tooth or something. I had been ripping it around town for a little while. 

[Jjtxaz24]

I was advised to change the tensioner bolt and I cant seem to get it off. I tried using 2 nuts to lock one in place with the other and turn it that way and it didnt work. 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Jjtxaz24