Timing Cover: Service and Repair

REMOVAL
1. Disconnect negative battery terminal and move out of the way.
2. Drain cooling system and crankcase.
3. Remove cooling fan.
4. Loosen water pump hub bolts.
5. Loosen and remove accessory drive belts.
6. Remove water pump pulley.
7. Remove alternator adjusting arm and the brace to throttle body attaching stud. Move alternator assembly out of the way.
8. Remove heated air intake duct from engine.
9. Remove the motor mount upper nuts.
10. Remove air conditioner compressor upper bolts, then remove the front cover front nuts.
11. Remove the distributor assembly from the engine.

CAUTION: Failure to remove the distributor assembly will result in a broken distributor.

12. Raise vehicle.
13. Remove lower air conditioning compressor bolts and wire compressor aside.
14. Remove air conditioning compressor bracket.
15. Remove crankshaft pulley and damper.
16. Remove oil pan assembly. Disconnect oil level sensor before pan removal.
17. Lower vehicle.
18. Remove lower radiator hose.
19. Remove water pump if required.

NOTE: Timing cover may be removed with water pump intact. To perform this operation, do not remove bolts numbered 11 through 15 on the Front Cover, Water Pump Fastener Chart.

20. Remove timing cover to cylinder block attaching bolts.
21. Carefully remove timing cover from cylinder block. Discard old gasket.

INSTALLATION
1. Clean cylinder block gasket surface.
2. Clean timing cover gasket surface carefully.

CAUTION: Gouges in aluminum timing cover will cause gasket to leak.

3. Replace crankshaft seal.

Front Cover, Water Pump Torque Chart:

4. Install timing cover and new gasket. Note bolts that require pipe sealant on accompanying chart.

NOTE: Lightly oil all bolt threads except for those requiring special sealant.

Front Cover Assembly:

5. Tighten timing cover bolts 1, 2, and 3 to 25 Nm (19 ft lb).
6. Raise vehicle.
7. Install the oil pan assembly. Connect oil level sensor after installing the pan.
8. Install water pump, if removed.
9. Install crankshaft damper, attaching bolt, and pulley.
10. Install air conditioner compressor bracket.
11. Install air conditioner compressor using lower bolts.
12. Lower vehicle.
13. Install the distributor assembly in the engine.
14. Install front cover front nuts and install air conditioner compressor upper bolts.
15. Install motor mount upper nuts.
16. Install the heated air intake duct.
17. Install alternator adjusting arm, and brace.
18. Install accessory drive belt. Tension belt.
19. Install cooling fan and coolant hoses.
20. Fill cooling system with proper coolant mixture.
21. Fill crankcase with specified amount and viscosity of engine oil.
22. Connect battery negative cable.

NOTE: When the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the EEC processor relearns its adaptive strategy. The vehicle may need to be driven 10 miles or more to relearn the strategy.

23. Run engine and check for oil and coolant leaks.