Civic EG

so i noticed my timing is definitaly off by atleast a tooth or two, didnt make clanging but had one small little backfire. i took everything apart set the timing marks and tightened everything back up the way my instructions told me to. and it still is off?!?! im getting sick of taking the crankshaft pulley off a million times. it seems like everytime i tighten the tensioner and have everything tourqed back on its off again. i dont know what im doing wrong but it is driving me crazy!

Ok, you dont have to take off the crank pulley to adjust valve timing. Set the crank to tdc. It's the 1 mark on the crank thats all alone. Take off the top timing cover. Mark the cam and the belt where they should line up, not where they are currently lining up. If you mark them in that manner, all you have to do is make the marks line up and you know you'll be good. Loosen the timing adjuster bolt thats just under the motor mount. I think its a 14mm. You can put a prybar down the hole that the upper timing cover hides. If you pry the timing adjuster to the rear of the vehicle you can slip the belt off the pulley and move the valves with a 12mm wrench. dont use a ratchet because the cam might go further than you want it togo. Now put the belt back over the cam pulley with your 2 marks lining up. Using a ratchet or wrench, put tension on the timing belt by trying to turn the cam clockwise. Adjust the tensioner and lock it down. start it up for a min or 2. Re-chack tension on belt. Jump the computer wire and hit the crank with a timing light. Post a reply on how well that worked and how many hours it saved you.

thank you! so your saying before i set the tensioner on the belt i try turning the cam clockwise to make it tighter?

Install the timine belt like this: (1)Timing belt drive pulley(crank)->(2)Tensioner->(3)Water pump->(4)cam gear.

Then (1)loosen the tensioner bolt, (2)tension the belt up so its tight.(3)retighten the tensioner bolt. Then (4)Rotate the crankshaft 4-6 times counterclockwise so that the belt seats on the pulleys. (5)Add any final tension that you feel is needed.

edit: disregard, misread post

everytime i do put it back together i have it all lined up and do that but it still seems to somehow get the timing off??

603 jdm wrote:everytime i do put it back together i have it all lined up and do that but it still seems to somehow get the timing off??

sounds like you have to much slack on the backside. try to keep the part of the belt that is facing the firewall as tight as possible when sliding it on. it can be tricky at times.

That's why you put a mark on the cam and a seperate mark on the belt WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, not where they are. Then if you need to move the cam back slightly to give you the slack you need you just line up the dots and pre load the tension and you'll be good. Remember, you're not going to move the crank, so you don't need to worry about the TDC issue. Your concern is the cam. All you need to worry about is moving the cam 1 tooth. Nothing more.

Make 2 dots, one on the cam and one on the belt. Both dots should be where you want to move the cam to. The purpose is to tell you that you have accomplished your goal before you pre load the tension.

Or, like me, your junk little plastic timing pointers aren't exactly where they should be and your timing is ok and you just don't know it.

Any time you mess with the timing belt you need to verify ignition timing. Don't guess, you must use a light. When in doubt, put a light on it.

thanks guys im gunna go try that right now since i got about an hour till i gotta go help one of my buddies with his maxima.