Timing Belt replacement.

I just finished my first do-it-myself timing belt replacement on my Miata using an ebay kit. I'd like to start of by saying that it went off without a hitch and started first time, but that would be so untruthful that people would suggest I enter politics. All in all, it took me a lot longer than it should have.

I did learn a few things that I figured I should pass on, just in case someone else can learn from my mistakes.

1. The ebay waterpump is not exactly the same as the water pump that came off, and caused a few problems. I won't go that route again.

2. Marking the old timing belt and sprockets with yellow fingernail polish from the dollar store, then transferring marks to the new belt helped a lot, especially after I started the car with insufficient tension on the belt and it jumped.

3. The car is sensitive to the positioning of the crankshaft position sensor wheel. It should be convex side to the front, concave side facing the engine. The car won't start if it is backwards.

4. It is a lot easier to get hands into tight places without injury if rings and watches are removed first.

Hope this helps someone.

Thanks for the tips :)

Regards.

Thanks for the info. . .I also just completed my first DIY timing belt & water pump change. Thought I would share my experience as well.

Just bought my '00 NB about a month ago with 99k, and I wasn't sure if the timing belt had been changed or not. So, I had planned to do it soon, but she turned soon into now as I began to hear crickets from underneath the hood. Turned out to be the timing belt idler pulley. I actually didn't know that at the beginning of the job because there was some roughness in the water pump pulley which I blamed.

So, tore it down to the water pump, and as it was going back together, spun the idler pulley before putting it back on--heard the same cricket noise. So, I made a trip to AutoZone for the idler.

Thanks to great directions from http://www.miata.net/garage/timingbelt.html and an A&P mechanic room mate, she started right up the first time.

So what can you learn from my experience? If you are going to break the engine down for a water pump or timing belt change, I would suggest you buy the timing belt kit with belt and idlers. Doesn't hurt to have fresh bearings around something so critical.

Just die my first diy timing belt job too. Actualy started the whole thing just to get to the crank seal, but while I had it apart..... Everything went back together AND IT DID START THE FIRST TIME!!!!! I have a pretty severe whining noise which 'Mike, the king of Miata's' (he has some pretty good video's on youtube.com) say's is due to the timing belt being too tight. We checked that dude 2x and adjusted it to where it really looked right, could it be anything else? Also, on what is probably a totally unrelated matter, I now have what sounds for all the world like a flat lifter. I know, overhead cam, no lifter but that's sure what it sounds like. Any ideas anybody?