DIY Timing Belt Question

Kaz-kzukNA1 · 27 December 2012

Updated my last post #48 to include another video file as I now installed new TB, new WP and tensioned the TB properly.

Under this condition, although it was still possible to rotate the WP at these three windows, it required significantly increased force to achieve it.

Hope some of the info will help other owners.

Kaz

racer1 · 29 December 2012

I just finished timing belt install on my 2004 at 22,000 miles. When I took the covers off my rear exhaust cam was off by 1 tooth as pictured in post #37. I marked all pulleys and belt before removal and counted the belt teeth between marks and transferred to the new belt. Now when it idles it is not smooth almost like it has a miss below 2000rpm. If the belt were off by one tooth on the rear exhaust wouldn't it throw an error code?

Daedalus · 30 December 2012

No error code. There's no way for the ECU to know if the exhaust cam is off a bit.

So, just to be clear, this was the car's first timing belt job since leaving the factory, and you're saying it was off when you opened it up? I would do a vacuum check on the car @ idle.

Larry Bastanza · 31 December 2012

Daedalus said:
I would do a vacuum check on the car @ idle.

Agreed

....

sparky · 2 January 2013

now i'm curious .... what's the relationship between rear exhaust timing and vacuum at idle?

Larry Bastanza · 2 January 2013

If the vacuum gauge is "dancing" a cam is most likely off. The vacuum gauge should be steady. When a cam is off, let's say by one tooth, the vacuum gauge will jitter, since every other cylinder is pulling differently. Remember the firing order of the engine alternates between front and rear cylinders, so one cam will alternate the vacuum pull

......

HTH,
LarryB

sparky said:
now i'm curious .... what's the relationship between rear exhaust timing and vacuum at idle?

sparky · 2 January 2013

thanks, that's a nifty trick to know !

Mac Attack · 31 December 2013

Kaz-kzukNA1 said:
Updated my last post #48 to include another video file as I now installed new TB, new WP and tensioned the TB properly.

Under this condition, although it was still possible to rotate the WP at these three windows, it required significantly increased force to achieve it.

Hope some of the info will help other owners.

Kaz

Yes, it certainly has - Thank you!

I noticed this while tensioning my TB and thought I would do a quick search on here to see if others have noticed this before too. Your "loose TB" and "normal TB" tension videos were very helpful in determining the correct tension. I had to "help" my 22YO heat-cycled spring a bit by applying a little more force to it while tightening down the tensioner to get the correct tension.

I also confirmed the same "loose" WP windows on mine with OEM cams.

Thanks again,

Dave

Honcho · 31 December 2013

Mac Attack said:
Yes, it certainly has - Thank you!

I noticed this while tensioning my TB and thought I would do a quick search on here to see if others have noticed this before too. Your "loose TB" and "normal TB" tension videos were very helpful in determining the correct tension. I had to "help" my 22YO heat-cycled spring a bit by applying a little more force to it while tightening down the tensioner to get the correct tension.

I also confirmed the same "loose" WP windows on mine with OEM cams.

Thanks again,

Dave

We had the same issue at Acura while doing my belt a few weeks ago. My tensioner and spring are only about a year old, but using the factory method resulted in a loose belt. We had to give the spring a little "help" to get the correct tension before tightening.

DIY Timing Belt Question

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