Repair And Fix it

The Volkswagen (VW) belt tensioner pulley tightens the serpentine belt that turns the engine accessories, such as the air-conditioning compressor and water pump. The newer model VWs have an automatic tensioner pulley that tightens the serpentine belt as it stretches, but the older model VWs have a tensioner pulley that needs to be adjusted. The tensioner pulley shows symptoms when it is going out or requiring replacement.

Serpentine Belt Squealing

The VW belt tensioner pulley can become too tight or too weak, allowing the serpentine belt to wear prematurely or slip under normal operating conditions. The belt begins to squeal when the tensioner pulley is not tight enough, causing the engine to overheat because the water pump is not operating efficiently. This symptom can be caused by the tensioner pulley spring, which weakens over time and does not place enough tension on the belt. The serpentine belt can also begin to run too hot and prematurely fail. The tensioner pulley needs to be replaced when these symptoms occur.

Engine Overheats

The engine in the VW can overheat when there is a problem with the belt tensioner pulley. This symptom is caused by corrosion building up on the tensioner pulley that does not allow the pulley to adjust the serpentine belt. When corrosion builds up, the pulley becomes jammed or does not rotate, causing the serpentine belt to stretch and loosen on the engine accessories. The corrosion does not allowing the pulley to adjust to the stretched belt, creating the water pump problem. This corrosion is generally caused by road debris and dampness splashing onto the tensioner pulley. Proper lubrication of the tensioner pulley periodically can prevent this corrosion build-up.

Dead Battery

Another symptom of a VW belt tensioner pulley going bad is the battery not charging properly. A failing tensioner pulley does not provide enough tension on the serpentine belt, preventing the alternator from recharging the battery. The loose serpentine belt does not allow the alternator to turn fast enough to charge the battery, and the battery can quit working or fail to provide enough charge to the ignition and electrical system to start the engine. The tensioner pulley needs to be replaced or inspected when the serpentine belt is replaced to ensure that the tensioner pulley keeps operating efficiently.

Audi AG is a German company that makes cars in a range of styles. A V6 engine is common in late-model Audi cars, such as the A6. This executive car typically features the AHA series engine, a six-cylinder, 2.8-liter engine with a double overhead camshaft. This engine has a timing belt to synchronize the movements of the crankshaft and camshafts. The timing belt requires regular replacement, unlike a timing chain, which can last the lifetime of the car.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable with a socket wrench. Detach the accessory drive belt from its pulleys. Turn the crankshaft clockwise by hand to align the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley with the timing mark on the crankcase. The timing marks on the camshaft must also align with their respective timing marks on the crankcase.

2

Remove the plug from the left side of the engine block by the crankshaft with a socket wrench. Align the timing marks on the crankshaft again if necessary. Connect Tool No. 3242 to the crankshaft and tighten it slightly to hold it in place.

3

Disconnect the upper timing belt covers, crankshaft vibration damper and lower timing belt cover in that order. Loosen the mounting bolts for the camshaft sprockets with a socket wrench, and release the sprockets from the ends of the camshafts.

4

Turn the roller for the timing belt tensioner clockwise with an 8 mm Allen wrench to compress the tensioner. Place a 2 mm spring pin through the holes in the tensioner housing and plunger to hold the plunger in place. Turn the tensioner counterclockwise to release the tensioner.

5

Remove the mounting bolts for the crankshaft damper with a socket wrench and detach the damper from the crankshaft. Disconnect the serpentine belt from the idler pulley and remove the guard for the crankshaft damper. Detach the timing belt from its pulleys.

6

Align the timing marks for the camshaft and crankshaft pulleys, if necessary. Place the new timing belt onto the pulleys, so that the arrow on the timing belt points in the clockwise direction.

7

Turn the roller for the timing belt tensioner clockwise with an 8 mm Allen wrench to compress the tensioner. Pull the 2 mm spring pin from the housing of the tensioner plunger. Turn the tensioner roller counterclockwise to apply tension to the timing belt.

8

Connect the damper guard for the crankshaft and attach the serpentine belt to the idler pulley. Tighten the mounting bolts for the idler pulley bolts to 33 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Replace the crankshaft damper and tighten its mounting bolts to 15 foot-pounds. Fasten the mounting bolts for the camshaft sprockets with a socket wrench. Install the timing belt covers.

9

Remove Tool No. 3242 from the crankshaft pulley. Install the sealing plug into its hole on the lower left side of the engine with a socket wrench. Attach the accessory drive belt and connect the cable for the negative battery terminal.

The Lexus GS is a mid-size luxury sedan that has been in production since 1993. The 2002 model is a second generation Lexus, which includes the 1997 through 2005 models. The 2002 Lexus GS 300 has a six-cylinder 3.0-liter engine with a double overhead camshaft. This type of engine uses a timing belt to synchronize the rotations of the crankshaft and camshaft. The timing belt should last at least 60,000 miles before requiring replacement.

Instructions

1

Remove any components needed to access the upper timing belt cover. Disconnect the eight mounting bolts on the upper timing belt cover with a socket wrench and remove the upper cover.

2

Turn the crankshaft clockwise with a hex wrench to align the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley with the timing mark on the crankcase. The timing marks on the camshaft pulleys must also align with the timing marks on the lower timing cover.

3

Disconnect the timing belt tensioner and its dust cover with a socket wrench. Remove the lower timing belt covers and the guide for the timing belt. Rotate the pulley for the right camshaft clockwise slightly to relieve the tension on the timing belt, and detach the timing belt from its pulleys.

4

Replace the lower timing cover and fasten its mounting bolts with a socket wrench. Turn the right camshaft pulley clockwise to align its timing mark with the corresponding timing mark on the lower timing belt cover. Turn the left camshaft pulley clockwise to align its timing mark.

5

Place the new timing belt onto the crankshaft pulley. Align its installation mark with the edge of the lower timing belt cover.

6

Place the timing belt on the left camshaft pulley and align the left camshaft timing mark on the timing belt with the timing mark on the left camshaft. Align the timing mark on the left camshaft with its corresponding mark on the lower timing belt cover. Repeat this step with the right camshaft.

7

Place a plate washer between the engine block and the timing belt tensioner. Press the push rod for the tensioner into its housing to align the hole in the push rod with the hole in the housing. Insert a 0.05 inch Allen wrench into the holes to hold the push rod in place.

8

Replace the dust cover for the tensioner, and install the tensioner. Tighten the mounting bolts for the tensioner to 20 ft- lbs. with a torque wrench. Remove the Allen wrench from the hole in the push rod housing to apply the correct tension to the timing belt.

9

Turn the crankshaft clockwise two full turns and align the timing marks once again. Replace the upper timing belt cover with a socket wrench. Install any components removed in step one to access the timing belt.

In 1995, Ford launched the Windstar in an attempt to pull some customers away from the overly successful Chrysler minivans -- the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan. The 2000 Windstar had two V-6 engines available: a 200-horsepower 3.8-liter and a 150-horsepower 3.0-liter. In my years in repair shops, I have replaced the serpentine belt on numerous Windstar vans and have found that is is just like any other vehicle, with exception of a few details.

Replacing Serpentine Belt

When I replaced the belts on various 2000 Ford Windstars, I found that the tensioner pulley on the 3.0-liter V-6 engine just below the alternator pulley, and on the 3.8-liter V-6 engines, next to the power steering pump pulley. Because of limited clearance, I always used a 15 mm box-end wrench to rotate the tensioner, as a socket takes up a little too much working space.

The Honda Prelude is a sports coupe that Honda manufactured from 1978 to 2001. The 1998 model is available with several types four-cylinder, 2.2-liter engines, which have a single or double overhead camshaft. These engines use a timing belt to keep the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft synchronized. The timing belt has a limited lifetime and its repair consists of replacing the timing belt at periodic intervals.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to move the No. 1 cylinder to its top dead center position. Remove the covers for the valves and timing belt.

2

Fasten a bolt for the timing belt cover to the adjuster arm of the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. This will hold the adjuster arm in place temporarily. Loosen the adjuster nut for the timing belt by one turn and push the tensioner for the balancer belt away from the belt to reduce the tension on the belt.

3

Hold the tensioner for the balancer in place and tighten its adjusting nut with a socket wrench. Remove the balancer belt from its pulleys and detach the sprocket for the balancer belt from the crankshaft.

4

Loosen the lock bolt and adjusting nut on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench and push the tensioner to relieve the timing belt tension. Tighten the adjuster nut to hold the belt tensioner in place and remove the timing belt from the camshaft pulley.

5

Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align its timing pointer with the timing mark on the flywheel. Turn the camshaft pulley clockwise until the word "UP" is on top of the pulley.

6

Install the timing belt onto its pulleys and belt tensioner. Loosen the locking bolt on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. Loosen the adjusting nut for the timing belt, then tighten it. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to move the timing belt forward by three teeth to place tension on the timing belt.

7

Loosen the adjusting nut for the timing belt with a torque wrench, then tighten it to 33 foot-pounds. Tighten the locking bolt for the timing belt tensioner and turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing marks. Place the sprocket for the balancer belt on the crankshaft and turn the pulley for the balancer belt so that its timing mark aligns with the notch on the oil pump.

8

Install the balancer belt onto its pulleys, ensuring that its timing marks remain aligned. Loosen the adjusting nut for the balancer belt tensioner slowly to place tension on the balancer belt.

9

Turn the crankshaft clockwise one turn to align the timing marks on the timing belt and tighten the adjusting nut to 33 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Remove the bolt that is holding the timing belt tensioner in place. Install the covers for the timing belt and valves. Connect the cable for the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench.

Nissan markets its D22 and D40 pickup trucks in North America as the Frontier. A six-cylinder 3.3-liter engine with a double overhead camshaft is standard for the D22 models. The timing belt for this engine keeps the camshafts synchronized with the camshaft, enabling the engine to run smoothly. The timing belt has a limited lifetime, and typically requires replacement after 60,000 miles.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the undercover from the engine with a socket wrench. Remove the shroud, cooling fan and cooling fan pulleys from the radiator. Drain the coolant from the radiator, and disconnect the hose from the radiator. Remove the radiator from the vehicle.

2

Remove the accessory drive belts for the power steering pump, air compressor and alternator. Disconnect the spark plugs and the distributor dust shield with a socket wrench. Remove the idler pulley and bracket from the air compressor.

3

Disconnect the air intake tube from the cylinder head cover with a socket wrench. Detach the radiator hose from the housing of the thermostat.

4

Remove the mounting bolt for the crankshaft pulley, and pull the pulley from its shaft with a gear puller. Remove the front timing belt covers.

5

Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the punch mark on the crankshaft sprocket with the notch on the housing for the oil pump. The punch mark on the left camshaft sprocket must also align with the punch mark on the rear timing belt cover.

6

Fasten the bolt for the crankshaft pulley directly to the crankshaft with a socket wrench. Disconnect the timing belt tensioner with a hex wrench, and remove the tensioner spring. Remove the timing belt from its sprockets.

7

Remove the cylinder head covers with a socket wrench, and loosen the rocker arm retaining bolts. Install the timing belt tensioner with a hex wrench, and connect the tensioner spring. Tighten the lock nut to hold the timing belt tensioner in place temporarily.

8

Align the marks on the timing belt with the timing marks on the crankshaft sprocket and camshaft sprockets. Install the new timing belt onto the sprockets with the arrow facing the front covers for the front timing belt.

9

Hold the timing belt tensioner in place manually. Loosen its lock nut with a hex wrench until the tensioner turns 70 to 80 degrees clockwise. Tighten the lock nut to hold the tensioner in this position.

10

Rotate the crankshaft clockwise with a socket wrench by several full turns, and align the timing marks again. Push the timing belt with 22 pounds of pressure between the right camshaft sprocket and tensioner pulley while you loosen the tensioner lock nut.

11

Rotate the crankshaft clockwise by several full turns with a socket wrench, and align the timing marks once again. Attach the front timing belt covers, and tighten the mounting bolts to 24 foot pounds with a torque wrench. Remove the bolt for the crankshaft pulley, and install the pulley onto the shaft. Tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to between 90 and 98 foot pounds.

12

Install the remaining components by performing steps one through three in reverse order. Start the engine, and correct any coolant leaks.

Some car owners wonder if a vehicle can operate without a power steering pump belt or if this function is safe. Not replacing a PSP belt may save money and hassle at first, but it will eventually cause huge problems.

Function

The movement of the engine drives the PSP belt. The belt then transfers engine power to the PSP itself, which puts power steering fluid under pressure. This pressurized fluid amplifies steering wheel movement to make steering the car effortless.

Removal

Removal of the PSP belt stops the pumps function, and eliminates power steering. Technically, a car could be driven without a PSP belt, but its not a recommended practice.

Warning

With power steering disabled, the steering wheel becomes much less responsive and more difficult to operate. Without the circulation of power steering fluid, the steering mechanism will lose lubrication over time, ultimately causing the entire steering system to fail, endangering the life of the driver and others.

The 2005 Kia Spectra left the factory with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with a single serpentine belt driving the alternator and water pump from power supplied by the crankshaft pulley. Replacing that belt is a simply process with just a few steps and requiring only hand tools to complete. Working in the driveway or garage at home, most home mechanics can accomplish this job in about 20 minutes. A replacement belt for your Kia is available from any auto-parts store or through the Kia dealer.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of the car and remove the retaining bolt that holds the negative battery cable on the negative battery terminal using a wrench. Isolate the cable from the battery while you work.

2

Locate the adjuster bolt on the top of the alternator and loosen it with a wrench. Push the alternator toward the center of the engine, loosening the belt.

3

Remove the belt from the pulleys and discard it. Place the new belt around the crankshaft pulley, run it up and over the water pump pulley, then around the alternator pulley. Pull the alternator back, tightening the belt.

4

Tighten the adjuster bolt on the top of the alternator with a wrench, then check the tension on the belt. Press down on the belt between the alternator pulley and the water pump pulley. The belt should deflect about 1/8 inch.

5

Install the negative battery cable on the negative battery terminal and install the retaining bolt. Tighten the bolt with a wrench.

Overhead camshaft engines use a timing belt to maintain a specific synchronization between the crank shaft and the camshaft. The belt turns the camshaft in harmony with the crankshaft to open and close the intake and exhaust valves at just the right time. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing the timing belt as part of the normal maintenance schedule; however, the interval of this maintenance varies between vehicle manufacturers and ranges anywhere from every 65,000 to 100,000 miles .

Valve Timing

The camshaft has a number of lobes that push down on the exhaust or intake valve to let air into or exhaust out of the combustion chamber at just the right time. If the belt has slipped a tooth or broken, the engine will most likely stall as the intake or exhaust valves will no longer open and close at the proper times to let air in or out of the system.

Non-Interference Engines

If the timing belt breaks, the camshaft will cease to move and the valves will be stuck in whatever position they were in when the belt broke. Non-interference engines are designed so that the piston will not be able to contact the valve if the valve remains open when the piston is elevated to its highest position in its bore, so that no major internal damage can result.

Interference Engine

If your vehicle has an interference-style engine, then the camshaft timing is vital. In an interference engine, the intake or exhaust valves extend into the cylinder bore enough so that the piston will slam into the valve if the valve remains open too long. If the timing belt slips or breaks on an interference engine, the cost of repairs can be high, as the repair can involve having to replace the piston or valve.

Preventive Maintenance

To protect yourself from being stranded if the timing belt happens to break or jump a tooth, have the timing belt inspected regularly or become familiar with your vehicles timing belt inspection procedure and do it yourself on a regualr basis. If the engine in your vehicle has an interference engine, it is advisable to have the timing belt checked often and replaced on schedule to prevent the possibility of serious engine damage.

Putting a new belt on a supercharged Pontiac Grand Prix is nearly identical to putting the belt on a standard Grand Prix. The Grand Prix GTP was introduced in 1997, and with it the supercharged 3800 Series II. The Grand Prix GTP with the supercharged 3800 motor was capable of producing between 200 and 240 horsepower, depending on the use of L36 or L67 engine models. The belt routing between the L36 and L67 is an identical procedure. The Grand Prix was replaced by the Pontiac G6 and G8, before Pontiac was removed in 2009 from the General Motors line of vehicles. Pontiac produced cars since 1926.

Instructions

1

Open the hood and stand on the passenger side of the car facing the belt side of the engine. Loop the belt underneath the bottom pulley or the crank pulley, in the outer track provided. The supercharger belt on the 3800 SC is the outermost belt, as there are two belts on this engine.

2

Hold the belt taught in your right hand so you do not lose your grip on the crank pulley. Run the belts smooth side or back on the front side of the two supercharger idler pulleys. These two idler pulleys are are about three inches in diameter. The lower supercharger idler pulley sits at the two oclock position, just inches above the crank pulley. The upper idler pulley sits on the top front face of the engine.

3

Loop the inside of the belt, or the grooved side, up and over the supercharger. Maintain your grip with your right hand on the belt to maintain your positioning of the belt.

4

Set your left hand on the top of the supercharger pulley and hold the belt still. Slide your right hand down the belt toward the front of the car until you reach the tension pulley.

5

Pull the belt tight again with your right hand, and use a 3/8-inch ratchet and socket with your left hand to push the tension pulley down towards the bottom of the engine. If you feel uncomfortable in this position, set the ratchet down and grab the belt with your left hand. Use your right hand on the tension pulley if this feels more comfortable to you. Slide the belt over the tension pulley, making sure that you keep your hands clear from the point between the belt and pulley.

6

Release the tension pulley and let it retract to its upright position, and remove the ratchet and socket from the tension assembly.

7

Inspect your work to make sure the belt is centered on each pulley, and sitting in the proper channels provided in the crank pulley. Clockwise from the supercharger, your belt should go to the front side of the tension pulley, down and around the bottom of the crank pulley, up around the front sides of both idler pulleys, and back to the supercharger.

Replacing the timing belt on your 2002 Kia Spectra is a task that you must schedule as part of routine maintenance when the car reaches approximately 60,000 miles. It is generally agreed in the auto world that you need a new one about every 60,000 miles since the belt like other moving parts will wear. While it is certainly more complicated than simply replacing a fan belt, its still something that you can do in your driveway and youre much better off to do it as part of your maintenance schedule than it is to have the belt break and leave you stranded on the highway.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the negative battery terminal.

2

Remove the accessory drive belts using the proper size socket to loosen the alternator and push it toward the engine.

3

Remove the alternator using the proper size socket and ratchet.

4

Remove the water pump and crankshaft pulleys using the proper size socket and ratchet.

5

Remove the timing belt guide plate with a wrench.

6

Remove the upper and lower timing belt covers with a socket and ratchet.

7

Position the crankshaft so that the notch on it lines up with the timing mark on the engine. If your motor is dirty and grimy, use a grease rag to clean the area so the marks will be visible.

8

Remove the timing belt tensioner using a wrench and then take off the timing belt.

9

Reinstall the timing belt tensioner using the proper size wrench and then move it to its furthest point and tighten the lock bolt.

10

Install the timing belt on the pulleys: crankshaft pulley first, then the idler pulley, exhaust camshaft pulley, intake camshaft pulley, and finally, on the tensioner pulley.

11

Loosen the tensioner pulley using a wrench and allow the spring to place the proper tension on the timing belt. Now tighten the tensioner pulley and torque the bolts to 28 to 38 foot-pounds.

12

Rotate the crankshaft two turns clockwise using the proper size wrench and make sure that the timing marks still line up properly.

13

Reinstall the upper and lower timing belt covers and tighten them using the appropriately sized socket.

14

Re-attach the timing belt guide plate using a socket.

15

Reinstall the water pump and crankshaft pulleys using the proper size socket and ratchet and make sure they are tight.

16

Put the alternator in place and secure it with its bolt loosely.

17

Reinstall the accessory belt over all the accessory pulleys.

18

Pull the alternator toward the front of the car and tighten it when the accessory belt is drawn tight. Be caul not to make the accessory belt too tight. You should be able to push the belt about a half inch.

19

Reconnect the battery cable and start the car to test the installation.

The engine accessories on the 1997 Oldsmobile Achieva such as the alternator, air conditioner compressor, water pump and power steering pump are all operated by one complete belt -- the serpentine belt. The serpentine belt operates each of the engine accessories by routing around all of the accessory pulleys at the same time. When the motor is cranked up, the serpentine belt turns around each engine accessory pulley at the same time. Look for any damage on the belt and replace it immediately if needed.

Instructions

1

Look on the top of the plastic radiator shroud and make a mental note of the location of the belt-routing diagram. The diagram is on the very top of the shroud. Refer back to the routing instructions from this diagram when putting the new belt around the pulleys.

2

Locate the self adjusting accessory belt tensioner on the front side of the motor. The tensioner is made up of two components, the spring-loaded arm and the idler pulley that is connected to the bottom of the tensioner arm.

3

Relieve the tension off the accessory belt from the bolt that connects the idler pulley to the tensioner arm. Pivot the tensioner in a clockwise direction with a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar and a metric socket until the tension is off the belt. Pull the belt out from around the idler pulley that is connected to the tensioner arm. Release the tension from the breaker until the tensioner stops turning.

4

Unwrap the accessory belt from each accessory pulley. Pull the belt around the fan blades and up out of the engine well.

5

Lower the new belt near the fan blades. Pull the belt around each fan blade and route the belt around each accessory pulley by using the routing directions from the belt-routing diagram.

6

Pivot the tensioner in a counterclockwise direction with the breaker bar and metric socket. Pull the new belt around the tensioner idler pulley and set it inside of the pulley. Release the tension from the breaker bar until the idler pulley stops retracting against the belt. Pull the breaker bar and socket off the idler pulley and out of the engine well.

7

Look over the new accessory belt to ensure that it is completely inside of all of the accessory pulleys. Crank the motor for about 15 seconds to ensure that the belt ribs completely seat to the grooves of each pulley. Turn the motor off.

The Hyundai Accent is a subcompact car in production since 1994. The first generation of the Accent includes the model years 1994 through 1999. These vehicles have several different engine options, with a four-cylinder 1.5-liter engine being the standard. This engine has a single overhead camshaft, requiring a timing belt to synchronize the movement of the camshaft and crankshaft. The timing belt on the 1995 Hyundai Accent requires replacement approximately every 60,000 miles.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable with a socket wrench to avoid starting the engine inadvertently. Remove the accessory drive belts, crankshaft pulley and water pump pulley. Disconnect the bolts for the timing belt cover and remove the cover.

2

Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing marks. The timing mark on the crankshaft must align with the timing mark on the front of the crankcase and the timing mark on the camshaft must align with the timing mark on the cylinder head.

3

Loosen the tensioning and pivot bolts on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. Pull the tensioner towards the water pump as far as possible and tighten the adjusting bolt to hold the tensioner in place. Remove the timing belt from the camshaft and crankshaft sprockets. Disconnect the sprockets for the crankshaft and camshaft. Remove the flange for the crankshaft sprocket.

4

Connect the flange and sprocket to the crankshaft with a socket wrench. Tighten the mounting bolts to between 51 and 72 ft. lbs. with a torque wrench. Connect the camshaft sprocket and tighten its mounting bolts to between 47 and 54 ft. lbs. if your vehicle identification number begins with a J. Tighten the mounting bolts for the camshaft sprocket to between 58 and 72 ft. lbs. if your vehicle identification number begins with an E.

5

Turn the crankshaft and camshaft clockwise to align their respective timing marks. Place the timing belt onto the crankshaft sprocket and camshaft sprocket in that order. Install the back of the belt over the wheel for the timing belt tensioner. Turn the camshaft sprocket counterclockwise to place tension on the timing belt and align its timing marks.

6

Loosen the mounting bolts for the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. This step allows the spring on the timing belt tensioner to apply tension to the timing belt. Insure the timing belt engages all of the teeth on the camshaft pulley.

7

Tighten the adjusting bolt for the timing belt tensioner to between 15 and 18 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Tighten the pivot bolt to between 15 and 18 foot-pounds. Turn the crankshaft one complete clockwise to seat the timing belt and align the timing marks. Loosen the attaching bolts on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench to allow the tensioner to adjust the tensioner the timing belt. Tighten the adjusting bolts.

8

Adjust the tension on the timing belt by pulling the timing belt towards the water pump. The timing belt is at the proper tension if the timing belt teeth come halfway across the the head of the adjusting bolt for the timing belt tensioner.

9

Install the timing belt covers, crankshaft pulley, water pump pulley and accessory drive belts with a socket wrench. Attach the cable to the negative battery terminal and check the vehicle for proper operation.

The 4G63 is a four-cylinder 2.0-liter engine that Mitsubishi has manufactured since 1982. It appears in a variety of vehicles manufactured by Mitsubishi and Chrysler, especially during the 1990s. The Mitsubishi Eclipse made from 1990 to 1998 is a common vehicle that features the 4G63 engine. The timing belt in this engine allows the crankshaft to drive the camshaft, keeping the rotations of the camshaft and crankshaft synchronized so that the pistons fire at the correct time. A timing belt generally requires replacement after 60,000 miles.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench to ensure you dont start the engine accidentally. Disconnect the covers for the outer timing belt and remove the outer timing belt tensioner. Detach the outer timing belt from its sprockets.

2

Disconnect the outer flange and sprocket from the crankshaft with a socket wrench. Remove the spring for the inner timing belt tensioner from the water pump and disconnect the tensioner. Detach the inner timing belt from its sprockets.

3

Rotate the inner crankshaft sprocket to align the timing marks on the inner sprocket with the timing marks on the front of the crankcase. Install the new inner timing belt around the inner crankshaft sprocket so that the upper span of the timing belt is taut and the timing marks still align.

4

Connect the pulley for the inner timing belt pensioner and turn it by hand until the inner timing belt has a deflection of about 1/4 inch. Hold the pulley in place and tighten the mounting bolt for the inner timing belt pulley to 15 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

5

Pull the inner timing belt tensioner toward the water pump as far as possible and fasten the mounting bolts for the tensioner with the socket wrench. Connect the spring for the inner timing belt tensioner to the water pump.

6

Remove the plug from the hole in the rear side of the cylinder block by the oil pump sprocket. Insert a tool with a diameter of 8mm into the hole to hold the oil pump sprocket in place.

7

Attach the outer crankshaft sprocket to the crankshaft with a socket wrench and align the timing marks on the crankshaft if necessary. Install the new outer timing belt to the outer crankshaft sprocket, oil pump sprocket and camshaft sprocket in that order. Ensure the outer timing belt is taut except on the outer timing belt tensioner.

8

Align the timing marks on the crankshaft if necessary. Loosen the mounting bolt for the outer timing belt tensioner, allowing the tensioner to apply tension to the outer timing belt. Remove the tool holding the oil pump shaft in place and turn the crankshaft clockwise to move the camshaft sprocket forward by two teeth to take up the slack in the timing belt.

9

Fasten the lower and upper mounting bolts for the outer timing belt tensioner in that order. Adjust the tensioner on the outer timing belt so that the deflection of the outer timing belt at its longest span is about 1/2 inch.

10

Replace the covers for the outer timing belt with a socket wrench. Connect the cable to the negative terminal of the battery.

The timing belt on a car engine turns the camshaft, which opens and closes the valves in the cylinders. The valves let fuel into the cylinders as the pistons go down, and let exhaust out as the pistons go up during every other cycle. The timing belt is driven by the crankshaft of the engine, making the valve timing directly related to the speed of the engine. Changing the timing belt on a 1991 Honda Accord requires removing many parts of the engine, then reinserting those same parts in the right place after installation of the timing belt.

Instructions

1

Position the number one cylinder to top dead center of the compression stroke by turning the engines crankshaft. Remove the splash shield underneath the front of the vehicle by removing the 10 bolts holding it on.

2

Remove the cruise control actuator by unscrewing the six bolts holding it on. Unplug the connector, but do not unplug the control cable. Set the actuator aside so it is out of the way.

3

Take off the power steering pump by unscrewing the bolts holding it on. Remove the belt that turns the pump. Leave the hoses connected to the power steering pump and set it aside.

4

Remove the alternator belt by disconnecting the connector and wire harnesses. Unscrew the mounting and adjusting bolts in order to move the alternator to release tension from the belt. Remove the belt when it is loose enough.

5

Take off the valve cover by unscrewing the bolts holding it on. Check the rubber seals underneath the valve cover to see if they need replacement. Place a jack or a jack stand under the engine to support it and remove the mounting brackets on each side of the engine.

6

Remove the upper cover that shields the portion of the timing belt in front of the valve cover. Unscrew the adjusting nut located underneath the upper cover and the dipstick located to the left of the adjusting nut.

7

Take off the crankshaft pulley by removing the large, special bolt holding it in. Remove the lower cover behind the crankshaft pulley by removing the bolts holding it in place.

8

Remove the timing belt and balancer belt by moving the tensioner. Move the tensioner enough to loosen the belts so they can be easily removed.

9

Position the timing balancer belt driven pulley so that the groove on the pulley is lined up with the pointer on the oil pump. Place the new timing and balancer belts on the tensioner and move it back in place.

10

Add back the parts of the vehicle in reverse order of removal, starting with the crankshaft pulley. Once the parts are all put back together, you can loosen the adjusting nut on the tensioner to increase or decrease tension on the timing belt. Make sure the adjusting nut is tightened when you finish making adjustments.

The Accent is a subcompact car that Hyundai began manufacturing in 1994. The 2002 model is a second generation Accent, which includes the 1999 through 2004 models. Hyundai introduced a 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter engine with a double overhead camshaft in 2002. This engine uses a timing belt to drive the camshafts with the crankshaft, allowing the cylinder valves to open and close in the correct sequence. The timing belt in a 2002 Hyundai Accent lasts about 60,000 miles.

Instructions

1

Remove any components needed to access the cover for the timing belt. Disconnect the timing belt cover with a socket wrench.

2

Rotate the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing marks. The timing mark on the crankshaft sprocket must align with the timing mark on the front of the crankcase. The timing mark on the camshaft sprocket must align with the timing marks on the cap of the camshaft.

3

Loosen the tensioning bolt and pivot bolt on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. Pull the tensioner towards the water pump as far as possible and tighten the adjusting bolt to hold the tensioner in place.

4

Align the timing marks for the crank shaft sprocket and camshaft sprockets, if necessary. Place the timing belt onto the crankshaft sprocket, camshaft sprocket, and belt tensioner wheel, in that order. Turn the camshaft sprocket counterclockwise to take up the slack in the timing belt. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing marks once again.

5

Loosen the mounting bolts for the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench to place tension on on the timing belt. Ensure that all of the teeth on the camshaft sprocket engage the timing belt.

6

Tighten the adjusting bolt on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. Torque the pivot bolt to between 15 and 18 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Turn the crankshaft one full turn clockwise to seat the timing belt. Ensure that the timing marks on the crankshaft align once again.

7

Loosen the attaching bolts on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench to allow the tensioner to position itself. Adjust the tension on the timing belt by turning the tensioner wheel. The timing belt is at the correct tension when you pull the timing belt toward the water pump and the teeth of the timing belt come halfway across the tensioner adjusting bolt.,

8

Replace the covers for the timing belt. Install any components you removed in step one to access the timing belt.

If your 97 Camry is backfiring, sluggish or idles poorly then your timing belt may be bad. A timing belt ensures that the camshaft and crankshaft valves work together with the pistons, and having a broken or damaged timing belt can be hazardous to your car and very costly. Making sure that you have a properly working timing belt before things go very wrong can save you a lot of time and money in the end.

Instructions

Remove the timing belt

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable. Lift your car up with a jack and support it with jack stands. Remove the lower engine cover as well as the right inner fender cover. When youre done with that lower the car back to the ground.

2

From the top of the car, remove the bolts holding the alternator in place then pull out the alternator by hand. Take out the coolant reservoir.

3

Remove the serpentine belt by first removing the pivot bolt on the left corner of the engine block. Then loosen the tensioner adjustment bolt which is located under the tensioner pulley. Pull off the tensioner belt.

4

Raise the car back up and and take off the right engine mount. Keep the car raised.

5

Get your spark plug socket and remove the spark plugs.

6

Take off the timing belt cover. Line up the crankshaft pulley groove with the oil pump by rotating the engine to the right. Make sure the camshaft pulleys line up with the rear belt covers. You may have to rotate the engine.

7

Remove the crankshaft pulley bolt. Remove the tensioner and dust boot. Remove the bolts holding the lower timing belt cover on. Take the cover off.

Installing the timing belt

8

Clean the pulleys of any dirt, oil or water.

9

Align the new belts front mark with the crankshaft pulleys mark. Also align the timing belts installation mark with the camshaft pulley.

10

Install the pulleys. The easiest way to install them is, crankshaft, water pump, left camshaft, No. 2 idler, right camshaft and the No.1 idler.

11

Compress the tensioner until the push rod and housing holes align. Reconnect the dust boot and tighten the tension bolts up to 20 foot pounds.

12

Rotate the crankshaft and line up its groove with the oil pump. The timing marks on the camshaft and the marks on the rear timing cover should also match.

13

Put the timing belt guide in and tighten the bolts to 21 foot pounds. Replace and tighten the upper timing belt cover bolts to 74 inch pounds. Replace the lower timing belt cover bolts to 74 inch pounds.

14

Reinstall the spark plugs. Put back on the right engine mount, and reinstall the serpentine belt. To reinstall the serpentine belt follow the instructions in reverse on removing the belt. Put the coolant reservoir back in. Reinstall the alternator.

15

Put the inner fender back on along with the engine cover. Lower the car and reattach the negative battery cable. Start the car to make sure that the timing belt is working properly.

A timing belt that fails could lead to other serious engine failures and damage that could cost thousands of dollars to fix. Information on the replacement of a timing belt can be beneficial for automobile owners.

Identification

There are certain things that can help you to identify problems with your timing belt. Being aware of new sounds coming from your engine can be helpful. An engine that makes scraping noises is often a sign that a timing belt is worn and in need of replacement.

Replace

In order to replace a timing belt, certain parts need to be removed ahead of time, such as fan belts and timing covers. Also, some vehicles require that you replace the water pump when replacing the timing belt.

Time Frame

A timing belt is made partly of rubber and will wear out naturally over time. As a result, estimated intervals for replacement are about every 75,000 miles.

The Ford Mustang was introduced in 1964. The 1994 Ford Mustang was available in GT and Cobra trim levels. The GT variant was equipped with a 3.8-liter V-6 capable of producing 145-horsepower. The famous 5.0-liter V-8 was optional for 1994 Mustang GT, and could produce 215 horsepower. Removing or replacing the seat belt panel on the 1994 Mustang GT requires work on the body of the vehicle. This project should be carried out by someone with prior mechanical knowledge. Removing the seat belt panel involves the removal of a safety device, which should be re-installed by a professional mechanic.

Instructions

1

Open the door of the Mustang. Slide the seat as far forward as it can go, then release the back of the seat to tilt it forward. Locate and remove the two screw caps on the vertical door rail, near the door catch, using a flat-head screwdriver. Remove the two bolts beneath the caps with a ratchet and socket.

2

Push the front edge of the back seat back and release it from the clips. Pull the front lip of the seat upwards -- you may have to get in on both sides of the car and use your knee to push the seat back, to release the clips. Tilt the front of the seat up and remove the back seat from the Mustang.

3

Remove the cover from the speaker on the seat belt panel by gently prying it off with a flat-head screwdriver. Remove the three Philips screws that hold the speaker to the panel. Pull the speaker out of the panel, and pull the speaker wires free from the back of the speaker, by hand. Set the speaker out of your work area.

4

Remove the 15-mm bolt from the base of the seat belt panel, using a ratchet and socket. Allow the bottom of the belt to retract through the slot in the panel. Gently pry the panel loose from the side of the Mustang, using a putty knife wrapped in a towel. Slide the putty knife along the edges until you hit a clip, then pry the panel free from that clip -- the rest of the panel is held on by multiple body clips. Pry the panel free from all of the clips, then remove the panel from the Mustang.

5

Install the panel into the car, and align the panel with the clips underneath. Gently tap the panel with the side of your fist or a rubber mallet, starting in the center-rear of the panel. Pull the bottom of the seat belt through the panel, then install the seat belt mounting bolt in the floor, by hand. Turn the bolt a couple of threads to temporarily hold the belt in place.

6

Tap the edges of the panel to install the panel on the rest of the body clips. Tighten the seat belt mounting bolt back into the bottom of the seat deck, using a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench and socket. Tighten the bolt between 25 and 34 foot-pounds. Install the speaker wires back onto the rear speaker. Insert the speaker into the panel and tighten the screws snug with a Phillips screwdriver -- no torque is needed on the speaker screws; adding torque can crack the panel.

7

Install the rear side of the back seat under the vertical seat cushion. Push the front edge of the seat back and down to clip it into the floor of the car -- you may have to enter both sides of the vehicle and use your knee to push the seat back enough to engage the clips. Lift up on the front lip of the seat with your fingers to make sure that you have the seat clipped in. Repeat this step until both sides of the back seat are securely fastened.

8

Install the two screws into the panel near the door catch, on the vertical door jamb. Tighten the screws snug with a ratchet and socket. Install the screw caps.

A Poly-V belt, more commonly called a "serpentine" or "drive" belt, connects and runs several components in an engine at the same time.

Use in Engines

Usually connected to the crankshaft of an engine, a Poly-V belt runs through a series of pulleys. These pulleys connect to engine accessories such as the alternator and the air conditioning system, rotating them in order to make them function.

V-Ribbing

The name "Poly-V" refers to the ribbing running along the belt. This ribbing gives the belt a better grip on the pulleys for which they are designed. "V" and "Micro-V" belts also exist and perform a similar function.

Tension

To function properly, a Poly-V belt must be set at the correct tension. If the belt tensioner of the car is old, or the belt has become worn and stretched, the engine will begin to function poorly. A high, whistling sound often accompanies this. When you hear this sound, it is time to tighten or most likely replace the belt.