Timing Cover: Service and Repair

Fig. 7 Timing belt and cover assembly:

REMOVAL

1. Disconnect battery ground cable.
2. Loosen water pump pulley bolts.
3. Remove A/C compressor adjusting bolt, if equipped.
4. Loosen alternator adjusting bolt.
5. Raise and support vehicle.
6. Remove drive belt splash shield.
7. Remove plug in right fender well.
8. Remove A/C compressor drive belt, if equipped.
9. Remove alternator belt.
10. Remove crankshaft pulley and water pump pulley.
11. Remove bolts at bottom of timing belt cover, Fig. 7.
12. Lower vehicle.

Fig. 8 Timing belt removal:

13. Remove bolts at top of timing belt cover and cover.
14. Remove cylinder head cover.
15. Loosen rocker arm adjusting screws.
16. Remove distributor cap.
17. Loosen tensioner bolt and stud, and remove belt as shown in Fig. 8.
18. Remove tensioner, tensioner plate and tensioner spring.

INSPECTION

1. Check timing belt for wear or cracks. Replace as necessary.
2. Check tensioner for smooth rotation.

Fig. 9 Tensioner assembly:

INSTALLATION

1. Install tensioner plate to tensioner. Insert lug of tensioner plate into hole of tensioner, Fig. 9.

Fig. 10 Checking tensioner plate movement:

2. Install tensioner, tensioner plate and spring. Hand tighten tensioner bolt and stud only. Check that plate movement is in direction shown in Fig. 10. If no movement occurs between plate and tensioner, remove tensioner and plate and re-insert plate lug into tensioner hole.

Fig. 11 Camshaft pulley alignment:

3. Turn camshaft pulley clockwise and align timing mark on camshaft pulley with V mark on inside belt cover, Fig. 11.

Fig. 12 Aligning timing belt pulley punch mark with oil pump arrow:

4. Using 17 mm wrench, turn crankshaft clockwise and align punch mark on timing belt pulley with arrow mark on oil pump, Fig. 12.

Fig. 13 Timing belt installation:

5. With all 4 marks aligned, install timing belt on sprockets so that drive side of belt is free of any slack and so tensioner plate is positioned as shown in Fig. 13.



6. To ensure timing belt is free of slack, turn crankshaft one rotation clockwise after installing belt. After removing slack, first torque tensioner stud, and then tensioner bolt to 17-21 ft. lbs.
7. Install timing belt outer cover.
8. Install crankshaft pulley and torque 4 bolts to 7-9 ft. lbs.
9. Refer to ``Valves, Adjust'' procedure and adjust intake and exhaust valves.
10. Install water pump pulley and drive belt.
11. Install cylinder head cover and air cleaner.
12. Connect battery ground cable.