Timing Belt Change...(pointers)

Myorangespeed

Member
:
2003 Mazdaspeed Protege
I'm do for a Timing Belt change on my 2003 MSP, and I'm just wondering if any one has done theirs on there own? I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, and have done one on my old Civic, but like I said...it was my 'old' Civic, and I don't wanna break anything.
 
Myorangespeed said:
I'm do for a Timing Belt change on my 2003 MSP, and I'm just wondering if any one has done theirs on there own? I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, and have done one on my old Civic, but like I said...it was my 'old' Civic, and I don't wanna break anything.


Cmon guys, one of you must have changed yours...
 
Changed it twice on my old probe, same basic motor. First time tear down and intsall took six hours each. Missed the timing by a tooth and got to do it over this time it only took three hours each.

Pointers:
Make sure you have small hands.
To get to some of the bolts I had to jack the engine up or down depending on wher it was located.
Change your other belts also (duh)
Take your time as with anything you do and get it right
Double check that timing
 
shoot kcbhiw a PM, when we swapped Rogue's engine he did the timing portion of that so he could give you some advice as well.
 
well what do you need to know. most of us have done it. there is a guide on how to change cams that you can use as a guide on how to change belt.
 
I had just read, by going through some of the other forums, that sometimes the timing will jump out by a tooth or 2...
And good to know about the Probe engine being the same, because I used to have one, and unlike the Protege, you can get an Haynes (or Chilton) repair guide, so that should help me a little I guess.
Now like you were saying...you jumped out a couple times, and being an interferance engine, would it hurt anything if I turn it over???
 
ive had the intake cam +2 and the exhaust -2 and it didnt do anything. are you sure they are interface?
 
well you see, im not even sure! Every other person I talk to tells me something different! That's why I'm looking for some help... I just wish the damn Haynes company would make a manual for this, so I could get some torque specs at least!!
 
let me give it a shot here off the top of my head.

First...if you are still on stock motormounts you'll need to put a jack under the motor since you will need to remove the passenger side mount. If you have poly front and rear mounts then it should hold itself up OK.

Things to remove....both serpentine belts (before removing the alternator belt loosen the water pump pulley), passenger motormount (17mm deep socket + 14mm socket), waterpump pulley (10mm socket), valve cover (10mm socket), sparkplugs.

Now....set the motor at TDC using the mark on the crank pulley and then remove the pulley and the plastic timing belt covers. Use a 5.5mm (IIRC) allen wrench to take the tension off the timing belt tensioner. I usually put the allen wrench in so that when I loosen the tension I can tuck the wrench under the alternator pulley so it stays there without me holding it.

now you can take off the old timing belt. At this point it is inevitable that the exhaust cam will move due to the valve spring preload. Your going to need a big wrench or adjustable to put on the large nut (26mm???) machined into the cam. I usually recruit help at this point and put a wrench on each cam so that someone can hold them in the right place. You'll notice there are marking on the cam gears and you'll need to line up those little hash marks DIRECTLY across from each other with the I and E on the top of the gears respectively. Just look at it while the belt is still on and at TDC so you know how they are supposed to be.

This is the hard part.

While putting the new belt on it is easier for me to put it just barely on the crank gear enough to stay and then try and slip it over the edge of the cam gears (while your friend holds the cams in the right spot). Then I go back and push it on the crank gear a little farther. Then farther on the cam gears. If you try to put it all the way on the crank gear you'll never have enough slack to get it around the cam gears. So take it a little at a time. Once the belt is all the way back on take the allen wrench off the tensioner so it can return to it's static position. It would be wise to turn the motor over one revolution at this point to see if the hash marks on the cam gears line up perfectly. You can tell if the crank is at TDC by the keyway on it. It will also be at the top of the crank's rotation and lining up with the small notch in the block. It's tough to see but it's there. If everything lines up perfectly then just put it all back together and you're done. If not then you'll need to take the belt off the cam gears again and try lining them up with the crank at TDC again.
 
I did one on my Eclipse. Surely this car isnt as bad as those. It sounds about the same tho. Its not to bad, you just cant be scared. I have heard that the engines on the MSP's are not interference. The 4G63 in the Eclipse is. I was scared the first time i did it and it all came out ok. It took a total of about 6-8 hours i think. I could do it again in 3-4 hours, now that i know how to do it.
 
its a LOT easier if you got some white out, and mark the old belt over to the pulleys.... then with the new belt, match it up and mark the new belt in the same spot... then put the new belt on matching the marks that you've made on the pulleys!

also, becareful with the tensioner spring... rotate it clockwise (tighten) first to shorten/lighten the load on the spring, then pop it off... once you do that, you can rotate the tensioner out of the way... this is easier to get the belt off/on as well as not damaging the spring (although replacing it is recommended as it is cheap)... mind you the spring is a PITA to deal with the whole way

it's also recommended as preventative maintenence to replace the cam seals as well as the crank seal (becareful taking that s*** off, you don't want to gouge the metal... that s*** causes leaks! also becareful putting them on... if you don't feel comfortable with the idea of changing this s***, then don't touch them!)... and of course the water pump.... I recommend the OEM water pump gasket because it is metal... the extra cost makes it so worth it because instead of wasting 20 mins scraping the old paper gasket off (if the engine had a water pump changed with an aftermarket one already), you get the old s*** out and the new b**** in there in 5 mins (with all the other s*** taken off of course)!
 
xelderx said:
let me give it a shot here off the top of my head.

First...if you are still on stock motormounts you'll need to put a jack under the motor since you will need to remove the passenger side mount. If you have poly front and rear mounts then it should hold itself up OK.

Things to remove....both serpentine belts (before removing the alternator belt loosen the water pump pulley), passenger motormount (17mm deep socket + 14mm socket), waterpump pulley (10mm socket), valve cover (10mm socket), sparkplugs.

Now....set the motor at TDC using the mark on the crank pulley and then remove the pulley and the plastic timing belt covers. Use a 5.5mm (IIRC) allen wrench to take the tension off the timing belt tensioner. I usually put the allen wrench in so that when I loosen the tension I can tuck the wrench under the alternator pulley so it stays there without me holding it.

now you can take off the old timing belt. At this point it is inevitable that the exhaust cam will move due to the valve spring preload. Your going to need a big wrench or adjustable to put on the large nut (26mm???) machined into the cam. I usually recruit help at this point and put a wrench on each cam so that someone can hold them in the right place. You'll notice there are marking on the cam gears and you'll need to line up those little hash marks DIRECTLY across from each other with the I and E on the top of the gears respectively. Just look at it while the belt is still on and at TDC so you know how they are supposed to be.

This is the hard part.

While putting the new belt on it is easier for me to put it just barely on the crank gear enough to stay and then try and slip it over the edge of the cam gears (while your friend holds the cams in the right spot). Then I go back and push it on the crank gear a little farther. Then farther on the cam gears. If you try to put it all the way on the crank gear you'll never have enough slack to get it around the cam gears. So take it a little at a time. Once the belt is all the way back on take the allen wrench off the tensioner so it can return to it's static position. It would be wise to turn the motor over one revolution at this point to see if the hash marks on the cam gears line up perfectly. You can tell if the crank is at TDC by the keyway on it. It will also be at the top of the crank's rotation and lining up with the small notch in the block. It's tough to see but it's there. If everything lines up perfectly then just put it all back together and you're done. If not then you'll need to take the belt off the cam gears again and try lining them up with the crank at TDC again.
HAHA not bad for the top of your head!!
 
just did mine about a month ago at 78k miles. took about 1 hour 45min to do. i just replaced the spring being its about 3 bucks. but yeah its easy but just make sure you have everything lined up good and turn the motor over 2 revolutions by hand to make sure nothings hitting and make sure everything lines back up like its supposed to. and yest the spring is a pain and getting the belt to slip over the sprockets without the sprocket moving on you, but if you have a cam lock tool it should make things easier. but the belt is very tight to get on. hope that helps
 
Myorangespeed said:
How the hell do you get the crankshaft pulley off???

are talking about the bolt or the pulley itself. one i got the bolt off the pulley i just pulled the pulley off by hand, now if your talking about the bolt, just put the car into gear and keep the tires on the ground so they dont spin and just take a breaker bar to it. oh that is if you dont have an impact and 21mm sockett. i have air tools so it makes the job easier.
 
mazdaspeed/se-r said:
are talking about the bolt or the pulley itself. one i got the bolt off the pulley i just pulled the pulley off by hand, now if your talking about the bolt, just put the car into gear and keep the tires on the ground so they dont spin and just take a breaker bar to it. oh that is if you dont have an impact and 21mm sockett. i have air tools so it makes the job easier.

I tried putting it in gear, and it didnt stop it from spinning?(help)
 
either that have someone put a wrench on the cam while you do it. just make sure to put the engine at tdc on the intake stroke. then have the wheel off and put as long of a bar as you can on it and give it a good kick. it should break it loose.
 

New Threads and Articles

Back