Timing Belt: Service and Repair
TIMING BELTRemoval
1. Disconnect the battery ground cable.
2. Remove the air cleaner outlet pipe.
3. Remove the spark plugs.
4. Disconnect the throttle cables.
^ If equipped, disconnect the speed control actuator cable.
^ Disconnect the accelerator cable.
5. Disconnect the catalyst monitor and heated oxygen sensor electrical connectors. Detach the electrical connectors from the bracket.
6. Remove the wiring harness anchors from the valve cover studs and position the wiring harness aside.
7. Remove the valve cover.
(1) Remove the stud bolts.
(2) Remove the bolts.
Caution:
^ The valve cover sealing surfaces are soft materials. Do not use abrasive grinding discs to remove gasket material. Use only a plastic scraping tool. Do not scratch or gouge sealing surfaces or oil leaks can occur.
8. Clean and inspect the sealing surfaces of the valve cover and cylinder head. Both surfaces must be clean and flat.
9. Remove the RH lower splash shield.
10. Remove the catalytic converter.
11. Remove the bolt, nut, and position the coolant tube aside.
12. Remove the RF wheel and tire assembly.
13. Rotate the crankshaft to just before top dead center (TDC) (No. 1 cylinder).
14. Remove the stud.
15. Install the special tool.
Note:
^ Make sure the correct (second) notch in the pulley is indexed to the lower cylinder block.
16. Rotate the crankshaft clockwise against the peg to bring it to TDC (No. 1 cylinder).
17. Loosen the water pump pulley bolts.
18. Loosen the crankshaft pulley bolt.
19. Rotate the tensioner and remove the accessory drive belt.
20. Remove the bolt and the crankshaft pulley.
21. Remove the bolts and the lower timing belt cover.
22. Lower the vehicle.
23. Install the special tool.
24. Detach the ground strap.
25. Remove the nuts, the bolt and the engine mount upper bracket.
26. Remove the studs.
27. Detach the knock sensor electrical connector from the upper timing cover.
28. Remove the bolts and the upper timing cover.
29. Remove the water pump pulley.
30. Remove the accessory drive belt idler pulley.
Note:
^ Installation of the alignment tool into the exhaust camshaft may require the camshafts to be rotated clockwise slightly or 180°.
31. Install the special tool and align the camshafts.
32. Raise and support the vehicle.
33. Remove the bolts and the engine mount lower bracket.
34. Loosen the timing belt tensioner pulley and allow to slide down to the bottom of its travel.
Caution:
^ If the camshaft timing belt is to be reused, mark the direction of the camshaft timing belt to rotation of the camshaft prior to removal or premature wear or failure can occur.
35. Slide the timing belt off of the camshaft and crankshaft sprockets.
36. Inspect the timing belt for wear. Install a new belt if necessary.
Installation
Note:
^ Make sure the correct (second) notch in the pulley is indexed to the lower cylinder block.
1. Slide the crankshaft pulley onto the crankshaft and confirm the crankshaft position is at TDC (No. 1 cylinder) by rotating it clockwise against the alignment peg.
^ Remove the crankshaft pulley.
2. Lower the vehicle.
3. Confirm that the timing belt tensioner is installed correctly with the tab positioned in the slot in the inner timing cover.
4. Install the timing belt onto the timing belt sprockets.
5. Adjust the timing belt tensioner.
(1) Using a 6mm Allen wrench, rotate the adjuster counterclockwise and align the marks as shown.
(2) Tighten the tensioner pulley bolt.
Caution:
^ The camshaft alignment tool is not recommended to hold the camshafts in place when removing or tightening the bolts. Damage to the camshafts can result.
Note:
^ Use a suitable tool to keep each camshaft from rotating.
6. If the timing sprockets were removed, tighten the camshaft timing sprocket bolts to specification.
7. Raise the vehicle.
8. Install the front engine mount lower bracket.
9. Install the accessory drive belt idler pulley.
10. Install the water pump pulley.
^ Hand tighten the bolts.
11. Lower the vehicle.
12. Position the upper timing belt cover and install the bolts.
13. Install the studs.
14. Connect the knock sensor electrical connector to the upper timing belt cover.
15. Install the engine mount upper bracket, the nuts and the bolt.
16. Attach the ground strap and install the nut.
17. Remove the special tool.
18. Position the lower timing belt cover and install the bolts.
19. Raise the vehicle.
20. Position the crankshaft pulley and install the bolt.
(1) Hand tighten the bolt.
21. Rotate the tensioner and install the accessory drive belt.
Note:
^ Use a strap wrench to hold the crankshaft pulley while tightening the crankshaft pulley bolt.
22. Tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt.
23. Tighten the water pump pulley bolts.
24. Remove the special tool.
25. Install the stud.
26. Install the coolant tube.
27. Install the catalytic converter.
28. Position the RH lower splash shield and install the bolts.
Warning:
^ Whenever a wheel is installed, always remove any corrosion, dirt or foreign material present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel or the wheel hub, brake drum or brake disc that contacts the wheel. Installing wheels with out correct metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in motion, causing loss of control. Failure to follow these instructions can result in personal injury.
29. Clean the wheel hub mounting surface and the wheel pilot.
30. Install the RF wheel and tire assembly.
31. Remove the special tool.
32. Inspect the valve cover gasket. Install an new gasket if necessary.
33. Position the valve cover.
(1) Install the studbolts.
(2) Install the bolts.
34. Connect the wiring harness anchors to the valve cover studs.
35. Attach the catalyst monitor and heated oxygen sensor electrical connectors to the bracket. Connect the electrical connectors.
36. Connect the throttle cables.
(1) Connect the accelerator cable.
(2) If equipped, connect the speed control actuator cable.
37. Install the spark plugs.
38. Install the air cleaner outlet pipe.
39. Connect the battery ground cable.