Timing Belt *please help*

[LOUDCRXSi]

A few months ago my car broke down. :-( When it died on me it just stalled. It almost seemed like i ran outa gas. I tried to start the car and all it did was crank but would never turn over.

I was talkin to my friend and his dad the other day and i was informed that when my friends talon's timing belt went up his car stalled in a similar way. So last night i took off the cover to see if my timing belt broke. The timing belt is still intact and there are no tears or defects. (theres only 10k miles on it) What i did notice is that theres no tension on the belt. I would move the belt about 1-1/2". I know thats not good. Could it just be the tension pulley that needs to be adjusted? Or could there be bigger problems at hand. Im aware that its hard to diagonose problems over the internet from reading a forum but im looking for someone that has either had or heard similar problems and what the diagnosis was.

[Mean_B16]

Originally Posted by LOUDCRXSi

A few months ago my car broke down. :-( When it died on me it just stalled. It almost seemed like i ran outa gas. I tried to start the car and all it did was crank but would never turn over.

I was talkin to my friend and his dad the other day and i was informed that when my friends talon's timing belt went up his car stalled in a similar way. So last night i took off the cover to see if my timing belt broke. The timing belt is still intact and there are no tears or defects. (theres only 10k miles on it) What i did notice is that theres no tension on the belt. I would move the belt about 1-1/2". I know thats not good. Could it just be the tension pulley that needs to be adjusted? Or could there be bigger problems at hand. Im aware that its hard to diagonose problems over the internet from reading a forum but im looking for someone that has either had or heard similar problems and what the diagnosis was.

I've seen cogs torn off the T-belt while the belt was still one peice which would make it act that way by throwing the timing off enough, if this is the case it can be hard to see w/o the belt being completly visible or removed entirely. I assume you are driving a Honda but you never specified so ?????????

It could also be a tensioner but you say there is only 10k on it so none of your problems sound like timing belt related being that new??? what year make and model do you have??? It should still be under warranty with that low of milege

[LOUDCRXSi]

Dont take this the wrong way but since im posting in the 88-91 CRX forum, i might have a honda. Na seriously tho i have a 90' CRX Si.

Even tho my timing belt has around 10k miles on it doesnt make a differnence. My friend that has similar problems when his timing belt broke i belive his timing belt had less the 10k miles on it.

[Mean_B16]

Originally Posted by LOUDCRXSi

Dont take this the wrong way but since im posting in the 88-91 CRX forum, i might have a honda. Na seriously tho i have a 90' CRX Si.

Even though my timing belt has around 10k miles on it doesnt make a differnence. My friend that has similar problems when his timing belt broke i belive his timing belt had less the 10k miles on it.

Even though you are posting here I just had to check your car make cause people can be very dumb sometimes (just had to check)

Timing belts don't really break at 10k unless it's really old and the car just never gets driven and being a CRX I just did not assume there is only 10k on the motor (Thats crazy low milege) Either way the best way to really check it is like I said, take off the timing cover and check. If it is broken I hope you are lucky like me because My '88 REX broke it's timing belt but it was right when I took off in 1st gear and I did not bend any valves due to how slow I was going, the car just died and would not restart.

[civickiller]

maybe the tensioner came loose. pull it all apart and check everythign

[doug294]

Have you checked for fuel and spark?

[LOUDCRXSi]

Aight so i took off the timing belt cover and the belt is not broken. The belt is loose tho. i can move it about 1 1/2 - 2". Im assuming the tensioner is loose.

Here comes the hard part. I dont really wana have it towed to the shop and have to pay for the tow and to tighten the tensioner, if thats what it is. How exactly would you tighten the tensioner? Or does it show how to in the helms manual?

My knowledge of cars is above average but i've never had to mess with the timing belt before.

[89EfRacer]

my timing belt broke when i was coming from a stop light we tryed to start it do anyone think the vavles were bent

[Hybrid1990crx]

there is a hole covered by a rubber boot on the timing cover, pull the boot off and you'll find a bolt, i think its a 12mm. loosen that bolt, now ASSUMING your timing didnt slip, turn your crank pully counter clock wise and watch the belt become tighter, now tighten the bolt and replace the boot, now your done.

but i highly recomend checking your valve timing and make sure everything is at TDC when doing this to ensure the problem is fixed correctly. It should seriously only take you like 10 mins to do this if even that.

[MoneyHSK]

The exact thing just happened to me. Seemed like it was just starving for fuel, so I replaced the fuel filter, not a automachanic here so just went for the first cheap thing that came to mind. Well that didn't help, but now I got a new fuel filter, lol.

Next I was told to pull the distributer cap and see if the rotor was turning, if it isn't then the timing belt is broken. Well it turned, but I was getting no spark to any of my plugs.

So I bought a whole new Distributer, cap, and rotor, and it fired right up!

I honestly think it was just the coil, but I don't have nothing to check the reisitance between the terminals. $200 later and she is up and running better than ever.

[1990Si]

I've got a b16 in my 1990 civic si. I was cruising along the other day, and the same type thing happened to me. My motor died, and that was it. I checked my timing belt, and it's loose on the front side (left if looking at it from the left fender). The cams are still turning, and I didn't hear any valves get smashed, but has anyone seen this before. Is it possible it skipped a couple teeth or somthing?

[Smoghog]

Originally Posted by 1990Si

I've got a b16 in my 1990 civic si. I was cruising along the other day, and the same type thing happened to me. My motor died, and that was it. I checked my timing belt, and it's loose on the front side (left if looking at it from the left fender). The cams are still turning, and I didn't hear any valves get smashed, but has anyone seen this before. Is it possible it skipped a couple teeth or somthing?

The t-belt tensioner is not like most, it will not add tension when the t-belt stretches. The only time it will increase tension is when you loosen the tensioner bolt (14mm) in the middle of the timing cover.

Loosen the bolt up and use the crank pulley bolt (17mm)to turn the motor counterclockwise about 3 degrees then tighten the tensioner bolt.

If you think you skipped a tooth you better check timing too. And yes it is possible to skip a tooth or two.

SH

[1990Si]

10-4, SH, will do. I appreciate the input.