120k mile service

well its allmost winter time, and its about time to put the car in the garage. i thought here this winter i would do the 120k matinence while it was sitting. i was thinking about buying a high HP timming belt insted of the factory belt, has anyone heard anything bad about these? i was figuring that while the car was going to be in the garrage for several months, i would go ahead and ("try") to pull the engine out (for the first time ever) giving me a little more room to tinker. while it was out, i was thinking about replacing all the pullies, and engine mounts with polyurithane ones, and also maybe take things apart, polish them, and puth them back on, just to learn how to, becase sooner or later somthing going to break and i'll need to know my way around this car!.

so, heres my open ended question. while pulling the block, doing the 120k recomened service, installing poyleurithane mounts, new pullies, and just tinkering with cosmetic engine stuff. what might be a good ideah to do while the blocks out, while haveing plenty of room to work. Mind you this would be the first time i've ever done anything like this to a car. ive installed my injen intake, uicp, 1gbov, taken intercooler off, and cleaned it, replaced my plugs and wires, did the mbc, and gage install and that it!!. so. if anyone could drop an idea or 2 that might make things easer or, give me a couple pointers, ideas what to look for, or do that i havet considerd i'd appreciate it. im going to try and document the things i do with a digital camra so i can reamber how to put it back together, it might also help somone esle out in the future.

im planning on spending no more then $500-700 coming into christmass and all, it'll be all Ebay stores, so fiar i've had awsome luck with the stores on there with over 5000 sales. there just isnt any place cheaper.

Thanks.

ps. i' also read/post on dsmtuner, dsmtalk, and visit rre info site & vfaq often. i have the consepts down, kinda just looking for some ideas, it would be nice to stay bussy "ALL" winter long =). Thanks guys

My best advice would be to read and reread the vfaq.com timing belt procedure carefully. Buy a full timing belt kit with tensioner and pulleys, etc. Also, it would be helpful to have the special tools mentioned in the vfaq for tensioning. Make sure the auto-tensioner piston is compressed to spec after you hand rotate the engine 7+ times.

You may want to look into balance shaft removal as well...and water pump would be a good idea to replace.

ya that was my idea too. definitly do the b-shaft removal kit from RRE. and so you know, i was really warned off from RRE about the solid motor mounts. they said the car will vibrate to annoying as hell levels... everything else looks great though. i'm not sure about getting a high HP timing belt. i got a new stock one...

oh, and doing the b-shafts will also reduce the need for parts nedded for the full timing/belts job [belt, tensioner, etc]

yeah, i've gota buy that tool. good idea about the ballance shaft removal. i read your post about the mounts, i think i'll 86 those. im kinda looking forward to fucking up my car!! good thing i'll have all winter.

Looking back, the most important things I'd suggest from doing my t-belt jobs are:

1) Make sure to have a couple small C-clamps or clips to hold the t belt teeth firmly in the cam sprockets so they don't slip while you're lining shit up.

2) Make sure you have a big C-clamp (7"+) or a vice to compress the auto-tensioner piston. Supposedly you are supposed to compress this piston very slowly so as not to damage the seals, like one turn every minute. That might be overkill, because I just turned mine slowly and carefully so it remained lined up, and I've noticed no ill effects so far.

3) Be positive that your engine is at TDC before you line stuff back up, and make SURE the pins near the center of the cam gears are in the 12 oclock position, as you can have timing 180* off even if the timing marks line up!

Geez, you probably won't have nearly as many problems as I did my first time doing this stuff. I am most likely just inept (hell, I used the Haynes manual--didn't even find the Vfaq until about 3/4 of the way through ;)!). If you have questions about stuff by all means ask before you do it, preferably Kevin and/or Jake, but I'll help if I can (and if not I'll just guess :p).

right on. will do.