To get started, I'm trying to do this:
1) Line up the crankshaft to it's pointer, driver's side and passenger side cam pulleys to their marks
2) Loosen up tensioner and upper idler pulley, located between two cam pulleys
3) Put the belt mark on the right place on the crankshaft (belt mark ends up being about 3:00 IIRC)
4) Clamp the belt on the crankshaft
5) Route up and around the water pump, to the driver's side cam pulley
6) As tight as I try to make it, the belt still wants to land a cog off
So I'm hardly out of the starting gate on this, and can't loosen the water pump pulley. We were able to get past this point yesterday, so it might just be beat up hands aren't able to pull it as tight as yesterday?
Any more tips to get started, before the idler and tensioner even come into play?
Thanks, and I'm still interested in someone coming by and doing this for us.
I suggest a different way to get the belt on.
#1, You don't need the upper idler pulley loose. Tighten it to spec.
#2, Start with the belt on the right cam pulley (passenger side) and line up the belt mark with the cam pulley timing notch and put a big binder clip on it to keep it in place.
#3, Route the belt under the upper idler pulley and over to the left cam pulley (driver side) and make sure the timing belt mark lines up with the cam pulley timing notch and put a binder clip on this one as well.
#4, Route the belt around the water pump pulley
#5, This is where it's most important, stretch the belt as tight as you can and get the crankshaft timing belt mark lined up the mark on the crankshaft timing gear. When you're pulling, the cams might move a bit but it's not a big deal as long as the timing belt is still on the camshafts correctly with the timing marks lined up. If the belt timing marks are lined up with all 3 timing marks (both cam pulleys and crankshaft timing gear), you're good.
#6, Next, slip the belt onto the lower pulley and this shouldn't be a huge fight if you backed off the tensioner bolts enough.
#7, Lastly, turn the crankshaft 2 full revolutions and then verify all 3 timing marks are lined up. The camshaft pulleys with their respective timing marks behind and the crankshaft timing gear with the mark on the oil pump housing. With the tensioner bolts not fully tightened yet, this does allow some slack in the belt and the timing marks might look slightly off, like around a 1/2 tooth off. If that's the case, you are most likely spot on, but to take any doubt out, tighten the tension bolts fully and then do two more full revolutions of the crankshaft and now you should be able to see that all 3 timing marks line up perfectly. If they don't line up perfectly, loosen the tensioner bolts some, pull off the belt and do the whole procedure again. You should be able to get all the timing marks lined up perfectly. A tooth off is not acceptable and your engine timing will be off.
I hope this helps out people who find this thread and are also looking for help getting their belt on correctly.
