Timing Belt Front Cover and Seal REMOVAL & INSTALLATION Only the 2.0L engine is equipped with a timing belt.
Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Remove the serpentine belt.
Remove serpentine belt tensioner bolt (loosen the bolt and the tensioner arm will swing downward).
Unfasten the cover bolts and nuts, then remove the cover.
Remove the crankshaft key and thrust washer.
Using a suitable small prybar, carefully pry out the old oil seal.
Use care to avoid damage to seal bore and crankshaft. To install:
Thoroughly clean and dry the oil seal mounting surface.
Use the appropriate installation tool and drive the oil seal into the front cover.
Position the timing belt cover, then secure using the bolts and nut. Tighten to 89 inch lbs. (10 Nm).
Install the serpentine belt tensioner, then tighten to 40 ft. lbs. (54 Nm).
Install the serpentine belt.
Connect the negative battery cable.
Timing Belt and Tensioner
Vehicles equipped with the 2.0L (VIN M) engine are the only vehicles covered by this information which utilize a timing belt. The timing belt should be inspected for cracks, wear or other damage and should be replaced every 60,000 miles (100,000 km).
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION 2.0L Engine 1987-88 MODELS
Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Remove the timing belt cover. For details, please refer to the procedure located in this section.
If not done already, raise and safely support the vehicle.
Remove the crankshaft pulley.
Carefully lower the vehicle until it is just above floor level.
Remove the coolant reservoir.
Loosen the water pump mounting bolts, then remove the timing belt.
To install:
Position the camshaft so the mark on its sprocket aligns with the mark on the rear timing belt cover.
Position the crankshaft so the mark on the pulley aligns with 10° BTDC on the timing scale.
Do NOT turn the camshaft. Use only the crankshaft nut to turn. Turning the nut on the camshaft directly can damage the camshaft bearings.
Install the timing belt.
Check the timing belt tension using tool J-26486-A or equivalent. Tool J-33039 or equivalent, is used to adjust the belt tension at the water pump. With the gauge installed, adjust the tension to within the band on the gauge. Adjusting the tension with the gauge installed on the belt will ensure an initial over-tensioning with the new belt.
Crank the engine, but DO NOT start it, about 10 revolutions; a substantial tension loss should occur as the belt takes a set position.
Recheck the tension with the gauge. If a tension increase is needed, remove the gauge and adjust the water pump. Repeat until the tension is within specification.
Do not increase tension with the gauge installed or the resulting tension will be inaccurate.
After the proper tension has been reached, tighten the water pump bolts to 19 ft. lbs. (25 Nm).
Install the timing belt cover and all related parts.
Raise and safely support the vehicle.
Install the crankshaft pulley, then install the serpentine belt. If equipped, install the A/C belt.
Carefully lower the vehicle.
Install the coolant reservoir.
Connect the negative battery cable and road test the vehicle.
1989 MODELS See Figure 4
Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Remove the serpentine belt.
Remove the timing belt cover as outlined earlier in this section.
Loosen the water pump mounting bolts and relieve the tension using tool J-33039 or equivalent.
Raise and safely support the front of the vehicle.
Remove the crankshaft pulley.
Carefully lower the vehicle.
Pull off the timing belt.
To install:
Turn the crankshaft and camshaft gears clockwise to align the timing marks on the gears with the timing marks on the rear cover.
Install the timing belt, making sure portion of the belt between the camshaft and crankshaft gears has no slack.
Adjust the timing belt using tool J-33039 or equivalent, to turn the water pump eccentric clockwise until the tensioner contacts the high torque stop. Temporarily tighten the water pump screw slightly to prevent movement.
Turn the engine by the crankshaft gear bolt, 2 full revolutions (720°) clockwise to fully seat the belt into the gear teeth.
Turn the water pump eccentric counterclockwise until the hole in the tensioner arm is aligned with the hole in the base. This must be done with the engine at room temperature.
Tighten the water pump screws/bolts to 19 ft. lbs. (25 Nm), making sure the tensioner hole remains aligned as in Step 13.
Install the crankshaft pulley.
Attach the timing belt cover and all related parts.
Connect the negative battery cable and road test the vehicle.
Are you removing the belt? if so use a 3/8" ratchet and use that on the belt tensioner to remove the belt apply pressure to the tensioner to loosen the belt
Answers & Comments
Timing Belt Front Cover and Seal
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Remove the serpentine belt.
- Remove serpentine belt tensioner bolt (loosen the bolt and the tensioner arm will swing downward).
- Unfasten the cover bolts and nuts, then remove the cover.
- Remove the crankshaft key and thrust washer.
- Using a suitable small prybar, carefully pry out the old oil seal.
- Thoroughly clean and dry the oil seal mounting surface.
- Use the appropriate installation tool and drive the oil seal into the front cover.
- Position the timing belt cover, then secure using the bolts and nut. Tighten to 89 inch lbs. (10 Nm).
- Install the serpentine belt tensioner, then tighten to 40 ft. lbs. (54 Nm).
- Install the serpentine belt.
- Connect the negative battery cable.
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Remove the timing belt cover. For details, please refer to the procedure located in this section.
- If not done already, raise and safely support the vehicle.
- Remove the crankshaft pulley.
- Carefully lower the vehicle until it is just above floor level.
- Remove the coolant reservoir.
- Loosen the water pump mounting bolts, then remove the timing belt.
- Position the camshaft so the mark on its sprocket aligns with the mark on the rear timing belt cover.
- Position the crankshaft so the mark on the pulley aligns with 10° BTDC on the timing scale.
- Install the timing belt.
- Check the timing belt tension using tool J-26486-A or equivalent. Tool J-33039 or equivalent, is used to adjust the belt tension at the water pump. With the gauge installed, adjust the tension to within the band on the gauge. Adjusting the tension with the gauge installed on the belt will ensure an initial over-tensioning with the new belt.
- Crank the engine, but DO NOT start it, about 10 revolutions; a substantial tension loss should occur as the belt takes a set position.
- Recheck the tension with the gauge. If a tension increase is needed, remove the gauge and adjust the water pump. Repeat until the tension is within specification.
- After the proper tension has been reached, tighten the water pump bolts to 19 ft. lbs. (25 Nm).
- Install the timing belt cover and all related parts.
- Raise and safely support the vehicle.
- Install the crankshaft pulley, then install the serpentine belt. If equipped, install the A/C belt.
- Carefully lower the vehicle.
- Install the coolant reservoir.
- Connect the negative battery cable and road test the vehicle.
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Remove the serpentine belt.
- Remove the timing belt cover as outlined earlier in this section.
- Loosen the water pump mounting bolts and relieve the tension using tool J-33039 or equivalent.
- Raise and safely support the front of the vehicle.
- Remove the crankshaft pulley.
- Carefully lower the vehicle.
- Pull off the timing belt.
- Turn the crankshaft and camshaft gears clockwise to align the timing marks on the gears with the timing marks on the rear cover.
- Install the timing belt, making sure portion of the belt between the camshaft and crankshaft gears has no slack.
- Adjust the timing belt using tool J-33039 or equivalent, to turn the water pump eccentric clockwise until the tensioner contacts the high torque stop. Temporarily tighten the water pump screw slightly to prevent movement.
- Turn the engine by the crankshaft gear bolt, 2 full revolutions (720°) clockwise to fully seat the belt into the gear teeth.
- Turn the water pump eccentric counterclockwise until the hole in the tensioner arm is aligned with the hole in the base. This must be done with the engine at room temperature.
- Tighten the water pump screws/bolts to 19 ft. lbs. (25 Nm), making sure the tensioner hole remains aligned as in Step 13.
- Install the crankshaft pulley.
- Attach the timing belt cover and all related parts.
- Connect the negative battery cable and road test the vehicle.
- Check for any abnormal noises.
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
Only the 2.0L engine is equipped with a timing belt.
Use care to avoid damage to seal bore and crankshaft.
To install:
Timing Belt and Tensioner
Vehicles equipped with the 2.0L (VIN M) engine are the only vehicles covered by this information which utilize a timing belt. The timing belt should be inspected for cracks, wear or other damage and should be replaced every 60,000 miles (100,000 km).
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
2.0L Engine
1987-88 MODELS
To install:
Do NOT turn the camshaft. Use only the crankshaft nut to turn. Turning the nut on the camshaft directly can damage the camshaft bearings.
Do not increase tension with the gauge installed or the resulting tension will be inaccurate.
1989 MODELS
See Figure 4
To install:
Hope helped with this.
its possible that you can find diagrams or graphics in autozone.com (free register).
Are you removing the belt? if so use a 3/8" ratchet and use that on the belt tensioner to remove the belt
apply pressure to the tensioner to loosen the belt