91 Honda Civic crank bolt/timing belt project

Okay, with the assistance of a monster air impact driver, my son was
able to loosen and remove the crank bolt for my timing belt project.

I have to tow the car home tonight from the shop where he works, so I
can finish the R & R of the timing belt.

Next problem and question will be, how to refit the timing belt and
align the crank and cam pulleys exactly so that the thing isn't off by
one of more teeth.

I know that the belt must have slipped several notches since it is
missing quite a few teeth in one section. [I am still hoping for NO
engine damage but that will have to be determined after the belt is
installed]

The distributor is still in proper location so I can determine #1
cylinder TDC from the location of the rotor and the marks on the cam
pulley but one of the crank alignment sights(sic?) on the timing belt
cover seems to be missing. I only see one sight for lining up the
crank mark and it's about 2-1/2 inches away from the pulley notch. I
hope I can align it from eyeball at that distance.

If any of you have any suggestions before I get too far along at this
point, please let me know.

Thanks

Jay C.
Remove KILLSPAM to email me.

 

Pick up a Haynes manual for 84-91 Civic for step by step intructions
and illustrations(<$15). If the water pump has not been replaced
recently, now is the time to do it, since you'll have good
access. The following crx howto will give you some idea, but note
the timing marks are different.
http://www.crxsi.com/resources/repair/change_timing_belt/index.htm

 

You shouldn't even TRY to do something like this without a manual!
People all the time here will say get a manual. Did you just feel
"lucky" or something? WTH were you thinking?

Get a manual and be done with it!

John D.

 

Thanks,

That's the manual I have (Haynes 84-91).

I asked the questions below because I'm curious if I'll run into some
other difficulties like the one I just resolved (crank bolt).

Yeah, the water pump is a good call. It was replaced by a shop a year
ago...the same shop that said that the timing belt could probably get
by for a little while longer. I suppose I should have asked them to
define "little while".

It was my fault that this happened because of delaying scheduled
maintenance. Never again...if I can't afford to pay a shop do it on
its due date, I'll do it myself.

Jay C.

 

Ummm. I have always had a manual...at least ever since I started on
this project.

I have to agree with the guy at the link that Tom gave me; the manual
kind of sucks. They continually diagram for a different model than
mine and according to the author at the link, major errors have been
found in the manual.

Nevertheless, I am sticking to the manual along with other information
that you guys have helped me with.

Jay C. ....the guy with the Haynes manual....really.

 

Okay, sorry then. In this new post you didn't say you had one. I
assumed you didn't.

When you see all the people here and in the Toyota/Nissan newsgroups
asking simple questions that manuals would answer, apparently FEW
people asking said questions use manuals. It is not recommended to
open up the engine -- or much else -- without a manual...stupid
mistakes can cost big money. I know.

I have the Owner's Manual and the Haynes Repair Manual, but DO plan to
get the factory authorized Nissan Shop Manual...almost $100 but it'll
be worth it. I EXPECT everything to be in there for that kind of money
though. It beter be.


So, your manual does NOT show the alignment marks for the gears?
That's hard to believe. Are you able to access a Chilton manual?

How about going down to the dealership and askign to speak to the
Service Advisor (SA)...ask a "quick question re: the alignment marks
are. If he balks or is too busy, then ask to speak to a mechanic (M).
Sometimes you have to be firm (but not unpleasant). Scan (on your
computer or a copy machine) some of the diagrams/images of what models
ARE shown in your Haynes -- the timing belt/gear images -- so the SA
or M can show you exactly what to look for or even indicate where the
marks should be by writing on your paper...that may be all you need.

While there, ask him anything else you can think of and get all the
info you can, but don't wear out your welcome and be very thankful.

Let us know how it goes.

Good luck,

John D.

 

....And 20 bucks in parts later, my Honda is back in business. I was
able to find the timing marks on the NET (Auto Zone web site which is
a great resource by the way) which matched my car.

I aligned the marks on both the cam and crank pulley to their proper
location, knowing that I was TDC on #1 cylinder because of the
distributor/rotor position for number one. I installed the new belt
and snugged up the tensioner bolt and rotated the engine by hand a
couple of time to be sure the marks hadn't moved. All was still the
same so I began reassembling the brackets and mounts and other belts.
It fired up without any problems and runs just fine.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Jay C.

 

The rule is "Never Re-install a used timing belt".


|Thanks,
|
|That's the manual I have (Haynes 84-91).
|
|I asked the questions below because I'm curious if I'll run into some
|other difficulties like the one I just resolved (crank bolt).
|
|Yeah, the water pump is a good call. It was replaced by a shop a year
|ago...the same shop that said that the timing belt could probably get
|by for a little while longer. I suppose I should have asked them to
|define "little while".
|
|It was my fault that this happened because of delaying scheduled
|maintenance. Never again...if I can't afford to pay a shop do it on
|its due date, I'll do it myself.
|
|Jay C.
|
|
|
|
|On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 00:35:50 GMT, Tom <>
|wrote:
|
|>Jay C. wrote:
|>>
|>> Okay, with the assistance of a monster air impact driver, my son was
|>> able to loosen and remove the crank bolt for my timing belt project.
|>>
|>> I have to tow the car home tonight from the shop where he works, so I
|>> can finish the R & R of the timing belt.
|>>
|>> Next problem and question will be, how to refit the timing belt and
|>> align the crank and cam pulleys exactly so that the thing isn't off by
|>> one of more teeth.
|>>
|>> I know that the belt must have slipped several notches since it is
|>> missing quite a few teeth in one section. [I am still hoping for NO
|>> engine damage but that will have to be determined after the belt is
|>> installed]
|>>
|>> The distributor is still in proper location so I can determine #1
|>> cylinder TDC from the location of the rotor and the marks on the cam
|>> pulley but one of the crank alignment sights(sic?) on the timing belt
|>> cover seems to be missing. I only see one sight for lining up the
|>> crank mark and it's about 2-1/2 inches away from the pulley notch. I
|>> hope I can align it from eyeball at that distance.
|>>
|>> If any of you have any suggestions before I get too far along at this
|>> point, please let me know.
|>
|>Pick up a Haynes manual for 84-91 Civic for step by step intructions
|>and illustrations(<$15). If the water pump has not been replaced
|>recently, now is the time to do it, since you'll have good
|>access. The following crx howto will give you some idea, but note
|>the timing marks are different.
|>http://www.crxsi.com/resources/repair/change_timing_belt/index.htm
|

 

Yep, you've got that right.

 

I hope you put a genuine Honda timing belt in it. If not then you are
taking chances. My cousin would go about 40k miles on a Gates timing belt
before it would strip. Also, I hope you were smart enough to replace the
water pump while you had it apart.
Dave