Ozz, sounds like you are quite a wizard to pull that one off! When(it seems 2 me)they 'redesign' something, what they have in mind is to make it very user UNfriendly, ya know?
Oz Man, just exactly what kind of noises did you hear regarding your timing belt/tensioner? What did your T/belt look like, cracked, about ready to break ya think? I'm at 87,2K, & the book says replace the T/belt @ 105K, in most other brand X cars, they say 60K, so I'm feeling a tic edgy, what was your mileage when you heard the dreaded noise(s)? Oh poop,(I just re-read your thread!) 88k? WOW! I'm there!
Suggestion time, did your 2nd & 3rd speeds ever work since you got your ride? If it just quit, I'm just as lost as you are, but if some jerkwad was in there fumble-fartin around, like installing a stereo, the plugs are kinda whack. I changed my dome light, then the dimmer/door open light didn't work . I could switch it on, but no dome when open door. What I'm getting at is the male end of the (the dome anyway) plug, the prongs aren't stiff, when I plugged it back together, I left the center finger out. I don't know how it even closed, but it did, easily. So maybe that could be it.??. It's just a shot in the dark, Ozzy!
Good luck Bro! 'bird