Originally posted by MyClunkyAss12er glad to see u got somthin worked out
Me too.
Anyway, getting back to the original intent of this thread:
Can anyone tell me how to align the valvetrain with the crank? Are there TDC marks on the crank sprocket and the cam sprocket? If so, do I just line those up and put the belt on? Also, do I need any special tools beyond the normal hex-head wrenches and sockets? How do I deal with the tensioner?
Sorry to ask for so much hand-holding, but I don't even have a freakin' Haynes manual to go by, much less a FSM. Ironically, I DID have the Haynes manual for my 94 XE, which also covered the 88 model, but I threw it away when I parted the car out back in April.
OK, guys, we got the front cover off (after I spent $25 at Sears for a set of Torx sockets...) and removed the old timing belt, which wasn't broken, but had stripped the teeth from the portion contacting the crank sprocket. At this point it looks like a pretty easy job to finish, except I still don't know how to get the cam sprocket and crank sprocket to TDC. I didn't see any marks, but we were running out of light and I only had my sunglasses with me.
If you know how to do this, PLEASE let me know. I've gotta get this car running tomorrow.
Location: Car is Richmond, VA but I'm in Orlando, FL
Posts: 450
I think you're gonna have to get that belt allignment plate off first to see the allignment mark on the crank sprocket...but once you do, you'll have to turn the crank so that the dot is on the left or right side of the sprocket, putting all the pistons about halfway through their stroke. At this point, you'll allign one of the 2 dots on the cam sprocket with the triangle embossed on the top of the cam sprocket backing plate...take off the valve cover to look at the rocker arms and determine which dot actually puts the head at TDC for the first cylinder. After the head is alligned, you can allign the dot on the crank sprocket with the triangle on the plate surrounding the sprocket. Once the sprockets are alligned as such, the belt should slip on fairly easily after loosening the tensioner. Test your timing by turning the crank manually If you feel resistance when turning the crank, dont push it any more, or you may bend the valves even more....hope this helps.
__________________ Why did I pick such a slow car?
sounds good to me, here's a pic of the cam sprocket at TDC http://community.webshots.com/photo/...93868992sCViSG
I'm not sure what the triangle mark is used for. The crank sprocket should also have a dot like the "sinter-type" cam sprocket that you align with a notch in the back plate for TDC.
This car has the "sinter-type" cam sprocket. So, I just line up the dot on the crank sprocket with the dot on the backing plate and then the block is at TDC. Repeat for the cam sprocket, put the belt on, adjust the tensioner, then we're done. Is that correct?
Oh, also, we had to destroy the front cover to get it off, due to de-tempered bolts up top stripping out (but the bottom plate that covers the crank sprocket is fully intact). Is it cool to drive the car without the top half of the front cover on for a few days until we can get ahold of a replacement?
that's right, it's ok to drive the car without the cover as long as you don't have any leaks around the front of the engine like the valve cover gasket or a loose oil filler cap (like on my car) that leak oil at high RPMs. Oil is never good for belts, especially the timing belt because it can become weak and stretch or break.
Much to my surprise, once we got the new timing belt on, and the car put back together, it fired right up, idled like a sewing machine and had just as much power as before. Apparently it did not bend a valve. Whew.
Thanks to all who helped.
congrats on getting it going.. how much did the parts cost you and how long did it take? I jsut want to know for when I have to get my timing belt done on my 92 sentra classic ( b12 chassis, e16 motor ).
Originally posted by muccman congrats on getting it going.. how much did the parts cost you and how long did it take? I jsut want to know for when I have to get my timing belt done on my 92 sentra classic ( b12 chassis, e16 motor ).
The parts were cheap. We spent a total of about $25, which included the timing belt, a new accessory belt and some new nuts and bolts to replace old stripped out ones.
It took us quite a while to finish, for a couple of reasons: the biggest one being that we were working in the parking lot of a restaurant with a lot of traffic going through it. Also, neither one of us had done this on a E16 before, and we didn't have a lot of tools to work with, so there was a lot of "rigging". The biggest stumbling block was that three of the Torx bolts that hold the front cover on stripped out as soon as we tried to turn them, so we had to waste quite a while breaking off the front cover piece by piece. That was fun.
Anyway, if you actually knew what you were doing (unlike us), you could probably do it in an hour. Changing the belt isn't hard, it's all the crap you have to remove and then reinstall to get to the belt that makes it take a while.
Linear Mode
