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I am at 80k with an original timing belt on my 01 vvt Ls. I have never done a timing belt before and would appreciate an extra set of eyes. I'm in plano and have a nice garage with bright shop lights. There may be beer and burgers. Any takers? Maybe next weekend would be good.
Just realized this thread went to the wrong topic. Feel free to move to tech maintainance and chat. I couldn't find a good way to move it. Apologies.
Id like to help, learn, whatever. Just let me know where/when. Got tools too.
Bob.
You should also plan on swapping the water pump, idlers and cam seals while you're in there.
And maybe the crankshaft seal if it's even moist!Quote:
Originally Posted by sammm
....and you'll have the belts off anyway.....
Crankseal, if its not leaking it will.
everything you need...
http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/prod...MK0017%29.html
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogue
Thanks guys. I understand replacing a bunch of gaskets while in there but why on earth would the pulleys need replacing?
The Idlers fail, so the kit comes with them.
This is the tried and true kit…..I have installed hundreds of them.
Rogue, thank you. I went ahead and bought that kit. Any chance you will be near south central Plano any time soon ? :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Rogue
Also, mine is a VVT. Anything special I need to do for that? I found lots of info on how to do non-VVT miatas but just wondering if there's any extra steps or parts that need replacing for the Variable Valve Timing.
The VVT ads a few more steps. BTDT ;-)
If you can get a hold of the flying Miata Timing Belt tools it greatly simplifies things. https://www.flyinmiata.com/flyin-miata-tool-kit.html
Good stuff - http://revlimiter.net/blog/2009/09/n...g-belt-change/
I've got a set of FM tools for sale.
I am planning to do the same job on my 2003 LS in the coming weeks. I dont have experience doing this job but I want to offer my help anyway.
I've got all the parts but I need a special tool. Just need to find a piece of steel 1 in wide and 14 in long to drill and grind. Or eBay it. Looking like next weekend.
Unless one of you guys has this tool..https://www.flyinmiata.com/flyin-mia...bolt-tool.html
You can get a piece of flat steel bar like that at Lowe's or Home Depot.
Thanks. I found something, now to find a template!Quote:
Originally Posted by sammm
I didn't need that crank holder tool I just put the car in gear and used my big ass breaker bar. YMMV
Also on the FM tools for my VVT car they didn't have correct size of the VVT Cam seal installer. Once again YMMV ;-)
Oh noes!!! Whatever did you do? We should make a tool so you can make tools to use tools to install parts that don't need tools!Quote:
Originally Posted by POS Racing
I cried a little then I manned it up and put in the seal old school with a hammer and will to succeed! ::EvilBanaQuote:
Originally Posted by slowchildmiata
I have a full set of fm tools including that bar for sale, but people only want free. :(
OZMDD I PM'd you but never got a response. I am right in the middle of deep doo doo and could use some help from someone with experience and also would probably use that bar. Can someone come out to plano tomorrow? Already got it taken apart. I am near PArker and Alma and I will give you beer and be your friend forever.Quote:
Originally Posted by OZMDD
He's likely at the pro solo race today...
Sorry, been in MW all day. You might give Jerome DuPont a call. He is JDSM on here, and he is on the MME FB page.
So I made it through the timing belt change and these are the things that were interesting:
I figure I could make a crankshaft bolt tool. Bad idea. We went through three of these tools (galvanized 18 ga steel, then two carbon steel from home depot's welding section) before we got something that stood up to the massive torque needed for the crankshaft bolt to go back on. (Car is an auto.. so putting it in gear isn't an option).
At one point, one of the crankshaft pulley bolts got sheared off by my attempts at a tood (the galvanized steel one). So getting that out of the hub boss was.. fun. Even better, it broke AFTER the crankshaft had been torqued to spec.
Then the power went out in Plano and it was out for half the day. The guy helping me needed to get home to feed the horses. So we got out the generator and soldiered on making tools with the angle grinder, mag light and sawzall. But there went the specs we had on the computer but hadn't printed out, all of the before pictures I had taken, etc. Not good.
So that part didn't mess us up too much. We had to use mag lights in my garage and it was a pain finding the right sockets. But one thing that did get us was I used the "engine head cover torque". Not sure what this is but this is NOT the torque for the valve cover gasket. I was just tired and wanted the job to be done at this point, and I snapped my front center valve cover bolt (#2 in the ordering) at about 20 ft lbs. Not my sharpest moment.
So now I have a car that runs, but I need to remove the plugs and valve cover again and then get the bolt out. Hopefully it isn't too far down in there.. Any pointers?
OH also I didn't torque down the banjo connector feeding oil to the variable valve timing and the first time i cranked the engine, got about a quart pumped onto my garage floor. So that was awesome.
Hopefully someone will learn from my mistakes.
Lessons learned
1) Always have friends / beer around
2) A dependable bicycle is how you get to autozone
3) Don't make your own tools. They will not work.
4) If it aint broke, don't fix it? Timing belt looked great at 80k, not a crack in sight even bending it under a magnifying glass
5) If you follow a checklist, make sure you add the things for your model (VVT Banjo)
6) Don't work when you're pissed off and tired b.c your power and air conditioning and internet is out.
Thank you guys for your tips and suggestions with this project and I apologize to the people who wanted to observe, but with as much of a fiasco this has been for me, I am kinda glad no one did.
Non interference motor. Changing the water pump because it's weeping? Go ahead and do the timing belt. (better yet, pay TDR or Ace or Rogue to do it). Just bored? Do something else.
Thanks for pointing me to these guys. A good mechanic who knows your car is worth a lot. If I had to do this again I'd pay someone to do it. I have just had some mechanics worse than me, and that's really bad.Quote:
Originally Posted by goofygrin