Timing belt Replacement writeup?

91 DX

I'm looking ahead to a timing belt replacement.

Is there a good writeup on this job? I have the Chilton's Fine Manual but prefer to get multiple sources.

Any gotcha's I should know about now? Special tools needed? Aprox hours?

Assume I need to do a valve adjust as well.

Replace the water pump as well, just to be sure?

Specific yea/nah on parts suppliers?

Heres a site for the official Helms manual for a 91 CRX. I would highly recommend downloading this and using it for your tbelt job.

http://hondatech.info/search/91/crx//

From the timing belts I've done, the hardest part is always getting the crank bolt out to remove the crank pulley - I recommend an air gun with at least 400ft lbs of torque, that should take it right off, then your only problem after that is getting your hands in everywhere to remove all the timing belt cover bolts and stuff. I'm assuming the motor is still in the car. Also, be careful when tightening the bolts for the water pump, then don't need to be torqued down much - I've heard of them stripping easy (hint hint). Hope this helps.

the hardest part is always getting the crank bolt out to remove the crank pulley


Thanks... I figured that crank bolt was going to be an issue...

Thanks... I figured that crank bolt was going to be an issue...

Hit it with some liquid wrench or pb blaster and let it sit before hitting it with an air gun. If you still can't get it off, you can always just take it to a friendly shop and have them bust it off, it may or may not cost you.

i dunno how u ppl have issues with these crank bolts..ive never had a problem with um..lil elbow grease girls:disappoin

Is the crank bolt socket special [deep, thinwall, etc] or just standard impact?

Size?

Well the interesting part on the crank bolt if you don't have air is holding the damn motor still. Several creative solutions for this depending on the type of pulley you have. The later motors take a special socket to hold the pulley, the older ones you can put a couple bolts in the holes and get a long bar to stuff between them to hold it. Usually if I can keep it from turning, my 1/2" breaker bar breaks it right loose.

There's actually a special service tool that engages the flywheel and locks the motor from turning... Snap-On makes one for Honda, I believe.

There's actually a special service tool that engages the flywheel and locks the motor from turning... Snap-On makes one for Honda, I believe.

Which I'd rather avoid buying....given I'll use it once...

I'm talking a 91 DX, and hope that air will do the job.

I was worried it was some weird [say] 20 mm deep socket. The manual page I see says it's a 14x1.25 bolt. Is that correct? It sounds way too small...

Which I'd rather avoid buying....given I'll use it once...

I'm talking a 91 DX, and hope that air will do the job.

I was worried it was some weird [say] 20 mm deep socket. The manual page I see says it's a 14x1.25 bolt. Is that correct? It sounds way too small...

14x1.25 is the bolt measurements.... not the size socket you use to take it off...

If you have an impact, the bolt head size is 17mm... you can use a 17mm deep or shallow socket.. doesn't matter..... without the tool to hold the flywheel, or an impact wrench, you wont be able to remove the bolt.

14x1.25 is the bolt measurements.... not the size socket you use to take it off...

Doh, I knew that, honest.... See, the screw charts for laptop assembly say things like "T4x0.5" which is a #4 Torx of that length... and I got into that mindset..

Since it looks like the crank bolt is the first major step; if our air wrench won't do it, we can stop and regroup.

BTW, I know of another technique for holding an engine still, told to me by an A&P {aircraft mechanic}. Set a cylinder on its compression stroke. Snake in 0.25" manila rope, not letting go of the far end, please. Rotate to raise piston & compress rope, holding engine. Break bolt loose, back off, pull rope out. Never tried it, however.

BTW, I know of another technique for holding an engine still, told to me by an A&P {aircraft mechanic}. Set a cylinder on its compression stroke. Snake in 0.25" manila rope, not letting go of the far end, please. Rotate to raise piston & compress rope, holding engine. Break bolt loose, back off, pull rope out. Never tried it, however.

That works too, but I wouldn't want to risk getting any of the rope stuck in the cylinder.

i bought a flywheel holder from jegs to get my crank pulley off..worthless if you ask me..the point you put in between the teeth bent while i was trying to loosed it..i mean seriously shouldnt that be the strongest part of the tool since all the force would be put on it.

14x1.25 is the bolt measurements.... not the size socket you use to take it off...

If you have an impact, the bolt head size is 17mm... you can use a 17mm deep or shallow socket.. doesn't matter..... without the tool to hold the flywheel, or an impact wrench, you wont be able to remove the bolt.

He is correct on the bolt, a 17mm is the size you need. But as for the tool to hold the flywheel, you are incorrect. I never once used a tool to hold the flywheel to get the bolt loose. I have tried holding the flywheel before, but had no luck in doing that. Air is the easiest way to do it if you have enough pressure behind the gun and its a big enough gun.

But as for the tool to hold the flywheel, you are incorrect. I never once used a tool to hold the flywheel to get the bolt loose. I have tried holding the flywheel before, but had no luck in doing that. Air is the easiest way to do it if you have enough pressure behind the gun and its a big enough gun.

I have the tool, and I've used it :icon16: no complaints. I also have the tool for the newer crank pulleys that holds the pulley on the inside. :grinyes:

Of course, now I have a 1000ft.lb. impact that does the same job.... but the tools do work too.

Another aspect.... do I install a water pump at the same time? There's no hint of trouble with it, but I have no idea how long Honda pumps last. I think it's the factory one (now @ ~150Kmiles)

If I should replace it; any brand yea/ney's? I see partsamerica.com [Hey; it's a good place to start looking, if not to buy....] has ACS, Cardone, Beck/Arnley brands.

The pump may not be bad now... but you'll get the timing belt back on, and then a few miles down the road, the pump will take a shit on you, and you'll have to replace it anyways.

I never replace a timing belt without replacing the pump too, whether it's bad or not.

So I'm adding up gaskets:

valve cover
water pump
water pump pipe
3 (!!) timing cover gaskets [wow $$$]

Anything else I need?

Timing cover gaskets? Might just be me, but I would skip those. If I'm right the gasket on those are rubber, so they are usually good for quite some time, same with the valve cover gasket. They aren't like the old cork or paper gaskets that require replacement everytime, and just as long as you take care of them, they usually last a long time.

And I wasn't saying the tools didn't work, I'm sure some brands are better than others. But they aren't required. If you get a good one, yes they can make life much easier, but cheap ones usually just end in headaches.

Like Tony said... the valve cover gasket is usually fine... the water pump will come with it's own gasket... you should get a tube of rtv (room temperature vulcanizing) rubber sealant to place at the sharp corners of the valve cover gasket, and I also smooth a little around the spark plug tube doughnuts, because those always seem to start leaking a little once they've been taken off and put back.

I haven't had a problem with the Spark plug tube seals after removing the valve cover, they just seem to go bad after awhile. I think you just gotta watch them when you go and install the cover back on and make sure you don't sit the cover ON the tube, rather than around.

So I'm adding up gaskets:

valve cover
water pump
water pump pipe
3 (!!) timing cover gaskets [wow $$$]

Anything else I need?

Yeah man i would omit timing cover gaskets they should still be fine. Focus on valve cover, + SP doughnut gaskets like they said. Also make sure your not leaking oil from the camshaft on the timing belt side when you take the valve cover off.

Here's an update...

We decided to look first, then buy parts. [I.e -- it was a warm sunny day, and ....]

We got the crank pulley loose with the cheezy rat-a-tat wrench & patience; it took 4+ minutes but it did came loose. (I learned a long time about patience when working with stuck bolts....)

The upper timing cover bolts were scary. They run into pressed nuts set into the plastic other half; with no way to back it up. We got them loose, after a lot of tapping, without cracking the inner cover.

The valve cover is a PITA! There are not a lot of good places to pry and it was well stuck in place. Finally got it off. Got some razzing re: the sludge on the upper end. It's not really that bad; it's more like the tar on a smoker's teeth and lungs than sludge.

The belt itself looks in good shape, but since it's getting near in months if not miles, we'll replace it. Maybe a Conti; any opinions?

The one gasket on the upper outboard timing cover is a little tired, but still usable, and given it's not even listed as such -- see autohausaz (http://www.autohausaz.com):

A8050-44851
A8050-44855
A8050-44859


-- none of which is on the outer cover; we'll skip that.

But I had a great stroke of inspiration. With the timing belt off, and the pistons set mid-stroke; I can adjust ALL the valves without the nonsense of bumping the engine over just to go the right spot. Then move it once to set the belt timing... That will be a lot easier....

So I'll let you know how it all works out when we do the job in a few weeks.

the pistons need to be at TDC, not midstroke. Doesnt really matter if your turning the cam separately. Just be sure to get em lined back up and timed right.

the pistons need to be at TDC, not midstroke.

Yes, but the valves must be adjusted while closed. My point is that with the pistons all below TDC; I can rotate the cam pulley to do all the valves THEN sync it up with the bottom end & put the belt on.

Right..like I said if your turning it separately then it doesnt matter, but if you do it with the belt on then its always TDC.