I'm doing the timing belt water pump install on my 1999 and I've run into an issue. I have the new water pump installed and am on to the timing belt but I'm having a ton of trouble getting it on. I have the tensioner compressed and the pin inserted holding it in the compressed position but the belt still won't slide onto the pulleys, it just seems too short. I've double checked the length of the new belt with the old belt and they're the same so I'll at a loss as to what the problem is. Any suggestions? Thanks!
3rd gen timing belt install problem
- Thread starter Bentspoke
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JRZEE2000TR4LTD
Senior Member
Leave the idler pulley loose. then put the belt on in a clockwise manner making sure to take all the slack out as you go around ending where the tensioner is.
TheDurk
Elite Member
Like he said, just loosen the mounting bolt on the upper idler just enough that it tilts up a few degrees. Then push the belt on and re-tighten the bolt. So easy a caveman could do it.
I found using regular paper binding clips on the cam pulleys to hold the belt in the correct place was a big help.
I found using regular paper binding clips on the cam pulleys to hold the belt in the correct place was a big help.
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19963.4lsr5
New member
I had that same issue and spent half a hour trying to get it a half cog farther. What I did was tweeked the cam and crank position. They were still on the marks. But at the edge. The idler pulley sounds like a good idea. I'll do that next time.
TheDurk
Elite Member
If you have a pre-marked new (or old) belt, don't sweat the pulley position tweaks. 'Half a cog' does not exist. Use my method to get the correct tooth alignment of belt on pulley on the cams and your hands to get it right on the crank, and nothing else matters. Then turn the crank 720° to the correct position and use the metal marks to confirm you got it right.
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animator
New member
I found it easier to loosen the tensioner bolts just enough to slip the belt on, then tighten back up to spec. That lowers the tensioner enough to get the belt to easily slip on without having to mess with the idler.
Once the belt was on, all timing marks aligned, with the slack in the belt on the tensioner side, I snugged the tensioner up. Then pulled the pin. No skipping of teeth or screwing up the timing alignment.
You may have to turn the crankshaft a bit (few degrees at the most) to get the marks on the sprocket to line up with the mark on the belt, and then again to get the slack out of the belt, but once the tensioner is released, as long as all the marks were lined up before hand, they will stay line up.
Once I did that, I spun the engine one revolution and checked to see if the timing marks were still in alignment, and they were. Don't panic if the marks on the belt no longer line up with the marks on the sprockets, because they won't after the initial revolution of the engine.
Once the belt was on, all timing marks aligned, with the slack in the belt on the tensioner side, I snugged the tensioner up. Then pulled the pin. No skipping of teeth or screwing up the timing alignment.
You may have to turn the crankshaft a bit (few degrees at the most) to get the marks on the sprocket to line up with the mark on the belt, and then again to get the slack out of the belt, but once the tensioner is released, as long as all the marks were lined up before hand, they will stay line up.
Once I did that, I spun the engine one revolution and checked to see if the timing marks were still in alignment, and they were. Don't panic if the marks on the belt no longer line up with the marks on the sprockets, because they won't after the initial revolution of the engine.
