First TIming belt replacement..

**jay44310** · 05-17-2011, 06:02 PM

looking for details about what i should be setting through the rubber plug i pulled out? Don't see anything happening down that hole?

**01blackG** · 05-17-2011, 08:11 PM

If Im not mistaken thats for top dead center. Or also known as TDC.

You cant really see down there. Its ment to line up the crankshaft properly if you happen to turn it a bit. A skinny long phillips screw driver can work to place down the hole and line up with.

**jay44310** · 05-19-2011, 05:00 PM

however I am little scared to start the car knowing it might bend valves.. so i am pretty sure after all i read here i got it. but just to make sure..few pointers if any one could...
1. other then special tool it seems no one used how did you keep two dots level and horizontal on tensioner to tighten it plus put torq wrench in there?
2. Does the marks only line up on compression stroke..i know its TDC ..all the marks are in line I just thinking what if i am on exhaust stroke...Bang game over right?

please feel free to toss me any tips in regular terms i cant find anyone who has actually done the work around my town.. no one has had hands on... not trusting this car to that....

**gnaunited** · 05-19-2011, 05:10 PM

You want top dead center for piston #1, that is the one closest to the timing belt. All the timing marks should line up, the only one you have to verify is the oil pump + balance shaft sprocket and the only way to do that is to pull the inspection bolt out and stick something in there.

The two holes are where the special tool would attach, those spin around an axis to move the tensioner pulley tighter against the belt. If you tighten the center bolt a little you should be able to swing it and have it stay in place so you can torque the bolt down.

**jay44310** · 05-19-2011, 07:55 PM

is the inspection bolt under a/c pump? must be ? a/c pump gotta come off?
2. So you have set this belt with no special tool?
3. the part about the pulling the pin out of last piece (grenade pin) ..any input...should it come out and go right back in if its right?
so trying to get this sucker on the road for the weekend!!! thx jay

**gnaunited** · 05-19-2011, 08:05 PM

Search for balance shaft plug, on my phone right now so cant find the pic. The pin will probably not go back in as it will tighten the belt more.

**mko** · 05-19-2011, 08:21 PM

http://tearstone.com/eclipsefsm/11A.PDF

http://www.club3g.com/forum/maintena...lt-change.html

**jay44310** · 05-19-2011, 09:21 PM

found the plug..

**01blackG** · 05-19-2011, 09:23 PM

Ok, easy way to do it.
I learned from doing it myself.

1) Before removing anything other than the timing belt cover, turn the crankshaft until ALL timing marks line up.

2) Near the top tensioner by the pulley there is a tiny hole drilled all the way through from the front of the tensioner to the back side facing the motor. Almost the size of lead in a #2 pencil. Get a tiny allen wrench and see if it will go thru the hole. If it does bonus. If it doesn’t, then remove the two bolts on the tensioner piston thing and then quickly before it starts to expand either use a vise of some kind or huge pliers to compress it back down. Then slide the allen wrench thru the tiny hole. Make sure you use the short end of the allen wrench so you have clearance latter on to reinstall the tensioner.

3) Remove your timing belt. Make sure that you don’t turn any of the pullies much. A little is ok as long as you don’t do them individually and also remember as to where they turn back to and how. The pulley near the bottom front of the engine is the oil pump shaft. That one may spin on its own once the timing belt is removed. (there are many threads you can search that tell you how to retime the oil pump shaft if turned by chance during the repair.)
4) Remove balance shaft belt. That’s the real tiny one. That shaft I noticed tends to stay in place better then the oil pump shaft when belt is removed.
5) While in there also replace the crank shaft sensor with a new one. It is the little black thing that the crank shaft sensor plate goes between.
6) Once sensor is replaced replace new balance shaft belt.
7) Then slide one and position the timing belt.
8) Then replace tensioner. The reinstalling of it is simple but has to be done in sequence. One bolt goes in first then swing tensioner into place install second bolt. Tighten down and remove the allen wrench from the tiny hole.
Then done pretty much. Just have to put the rest back together. Cover etc……
That’s pretty much how I did it. Only problem is the first time around I miss timed one of the balancing shafts. (either the oil pump balancing shaft or the stand alone balancing shaft) SoI had to go back in and re due those two.