Timing belt bites the dust!

[mindlos]

What a way to go out. Started the car (actually jumped it) and went back in to get ready to go to work this morning. When I came back out lo and behold the car wasnt running. Cranks but nothing. Fuel pump working and float level okay. Getting no spark (used a timing light). Put back stock coil and still no spark. Romoved distributor cap and the rotor does not move during crank. I removed the upper timing belt cover and tugged on the belt. It does not come out from either side. The belt is still in place but feels a little loose. Something tells me it probably just slipped off but it still looks like a pain in the ass. I hope nothing happened to the crankshaft sprocket. I havent removed the lower cover yet to inspect that.

What is the worst case scenario, excluding the whole piston and valves banging heads deal? I'm so anxious since the belt does not seem to be cut (unless the ends are stuck at the lower sprocket).

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

If the belt isn't coming loose from either side, then it probably just stripped some of the teeth on the belt. I'd say you have about a 50/50 chance of not damaging anything....it just depends on where everything was at when the cam stopped turning. If it was just idling, then it probably stopped pretty quick and hopefully didn't damage anything, but there's really no way to tell without relacing the belt and then doing a compression test.

:)

[Mantis88LX]

mine broke while idling and it didnt damage anything.

[mindlos]

Hmmm, stripped. I guess that's the case. Suddenly I wish I was psychic and ordered a delta cam to take care of all this at once ... of course presuming all is good. I'm thinking I'll leave this for the weekend though.

[meohmy01]

mine snapped while going about 45 or so. no damage done. amazing really. i was very fortunate

[BDaccordguy]

mine broke doing 60 and accelerating, its my parts car now...but i have no idea if it could have been fixed..i just got myself another one...in tons better condition

[BlueSpecV03]

Mine broke while I was racing an Eclipse one time. Actually it shaved about 3 inches of teeth off. No damage done.

[mindlos]

I was bummed out earlier but I gotta say I'm very optimistic now. Anybody have anything against Pep Boys/autozone/checker belts vs one from a Honda dealer?

[POS carb]

Honda ones are actually not very expensive.

[AvgWhtMale]

Has anyone ever had a belt break and incurred engine damage?

[Grant2k]

i think that the clearence between a TDC piston and open valve in our cars is enough that it won't do damage.

[meohmy01]

all i know is that i can't kill this car. i race it all over the place. which is more like up and down the street since it's not registered, insured, or inspected, it has a regection sticker on it from 2001. i don't even remember what it failed for.

[mindlos]

I need an answer quick!!! Which way does the crankshaft bolt fasten and loosen??? I cant get that sucker off. Can I get it with an electric impact wrench (so I can get one) coz the breaker bar is not doing it. Broke part of my normal wrench. Please please please!!!

[mindlos]

Well, I guess I gave up for today. This sucks major ass but I hope an electric impact wrench will do it tomorrow. Air is just too involved.

[Grant2k]

you shouldn't have to take that off. take the cam out. it's probably easier.

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

Originally posted by Grant2k
you shouldn't have to take that off. take the cam out. it's probably easier.
No, you have to take the crank pulley off to get the timing belt on (or off) the bottom sprocket. I haven't done it on our cars, but the bolt should be standard threads (just so somebody can laugh at me again.... righty tighty, lefty loosy, hehe).

:)

[Grant2k]

i don't recall taking it off to do mine. i'll ask me dad and see if he remembers.

[AZmike]

I had to take my crank pulley off to do mine. Unless you want to break the plastic lower timing belt cover to get it off there is no other way. The crank pulley is held on by a standard bolt. What are you using to hold the crankshaft while trying to loosen it?

I would spend the extra money and get either a Gates or Honda belt. Gates has a nice kit with a new tensioner and gaskets with the belt. I'm planning on getting that when my 60k is up.

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

I was just reading in my service manual about this, and it mentioned "be sure to put transmission in gear and set parking brake" in the part about removing the crank pulley. Never thought of that before, but that would definitely work. Probably even better if somebody could hold the brake pedal as well, but the parking brake should work fine.

[Grant2k]

but the parking brake only holds the rear wheels. i should hope that if you have front of the car raised up you set the parking break anyway. you really do need somebody to hold the pedal i'd think because i bet even in gear you could just spin the transmission.

[mindlos]

I used a big flat screwdriver jammed against the ring gear teeth to keep the crank from turning. The torque spec for the bolt is 108 ft lbs so somebody overtorqued it coz there is no way a breaker bar cant do that much. I guess I'm gonna have to get a 5ft bar if the impact wrench cant do it.

I wonder why honda didnt make that cover 2 pieces around the crank pulley so that there would be no need to take it off.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[1989lxicoupe]

i am surprise know one told you this but there are many tricks in takeing the stuburn bolt of one is put oyur breaker bar on the bolt with the handle on the ground so it wont completely turn then next ap your starter and wala, if that deos not work honda has a speacial tool to hold the crank pulley, air guns do not always take it off, good luck,
kevin

[1987HondaAccord]

if you have an automatic, putting the car in gear (or park) will keep the front wheels from moving. otherwise, it would be a good idea to pick the highest gear possible.

[mindlos]

Well, I got me a 230 ft lbx electric impact wrench. Took more than a minute of straight pounding to get that sucka off. I've put everything together and took it for a little spin. Still feels as good. Since I havent done a compression test I dont know if the valves are a little bent but I'm glad it runs pretty well.

Thanks for the tips guys. Unless I'm unlucky thats one thing I will not have to worry about while I own this car. Hopefully nothing else goes.

Picture me rollin'!!!

[1988starter]

Good luck my friend