my civic and its timing belt

Thanks, Steve. That is interesting about the bigger hammers. I can't argue
with results!

I've ordered a holder tool for the pulley to stiffen up the work. I'll try
the 500 ft-lb, 1/2 inch drive and at-tool regulator with that. At least
there is no hurry. The rental place also has a 1 inch drive pneumatic
besides the 3/4 inch drive electric. There are options....

As my son mentions, this pretty much answers the question of whether the
belt has been replaced before!

Mike

 

As many timing belts as I have done, this "tool" your getting seems like a
waste of money and time to me. The only time I've needed to hold the pulley
was when there isn't enough room to fit a gun in (Nissan 300zx last week) A
good gun WILL remove the bolt. If the gun you have didn't work try a bigger
one.
Also use as little extensions as possible, they reduce torque. preferably a
socket on the gun, then step up until you just have the reach you need.

 

This bolt is indeed devilishly tight, and I'm looking for all the benefit I
can get. It makes sense to backstop the pulley or crankshaft as firmly as
possible in order to prevent the impact from being distributed through the
power train. In any event, the tool is on its way. There must be a reason
Honda made the fitment for the tool and prescribed a tool to use.

If my gun can't get it with the tool, I'll rent a bigger one. But I'd think
an honest 500 ft-lbs delivered to the bolt-crank junction should do the
trick. It would be interesting to know what torques there actually are on
these 10 year old factory originals!

Mike

 

Perhaps 505 ft lbs!
There are a lot of Manufacture tools for specific little things in a car,
and only a select few make it into my toolbox. I want to avoid buying a tool
to use it once and never use it again.
Keep us informed


--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Auto Technician

 

LOL! Darned evil spirits may have their way with me yet!

Will do. The tool came in the mail yesterday, and we should have a shot at
it in the next few days.

 

Okay! With the 500 ft-lb 1/2 inch drive impact, 130 psi in the hose and a 90
psi regulator at the tool, and a holding tool on the pulley, it came loose.
I didn't see if it started moving with the first 5 second burst, but the
second burst got it backing out freely. We also worked on it when the engine
was slightly warm, if that made a difference.

My guess, drawing on your experience, Steve, is that many of the crank bolts
can be loosened that way. (This one may have been at 495 ft-lbs! The torque
spec is 130 ft-lbs, but that isn't what it was.) There is a definite
possibility some will need more than my setup would give, but I do feel the
$25 holding tool was worth the cost. When times are tighter I might not feel
that way.

Mike

 

I probably would have cranked up the reg to 130 lbs first! Glad you got it
out
Now for a good tip. Get a testers paint pen (White is best) Mark the belt
and pullies with alighgnment marks. I usually put one wide mark on the cam
and 2 small marks on the crank. remove belt, transfer marks to new belt,
lining up all teeth to be sure the new belt isn't 1 tooth longer. put new
belt on car lining up the marks again. This almost guarantees you are not
off a tooth.
On most cars, I don't even line up TDC anymore.
Steve

 

not sure about other manufacturers, but some of the euro fords have
belts that are marked up in this way from factory for exactly this purpose.

 

Good idea! Thanks, Steve. We tentatively have the deed planned for Sunday.

Mike

 

Some do, and if the marks are easy to see on the pulley, it helps. a Subaru
with 4 cams was the only one where it paid. Some cars give you a wimpy mark
on the plies, this method helps to overcome that problem.
The car rolls into the shop running.
Mark the old belt and pullies
Transfer the marks over
Install the new belt lining up the marks
This car will start and is 100% timed

Steve

 

Your tip was well worth the effort, Steve. When we lined up the camshafts
the spring of the intake cams at TDC made it a beast to verify we were
correctly timed, but the marks assured us we were right. The fog factor got
bad enough that I held the original belt up between the cam sprockets to
make sure I'd transferred the marks correctly. (We used acrylic artist's
paint because it was handy.) When we got the tensioner torqued down we
pulled it through to #1 tdc and it was right on.

I urged my son to get not only a water pump but the cam seals and front main
seal and a new tensioner. The cost of the tensioner made him cringe, but the
existing one sounded like a roller skate wheel when we got it out and there
was significant wear on the outer surface of the belt. It made for a fairly
long day, but we don't expect to be back in there anytime soon.

Mike