How to replace your 03-04 Timing Belt (finally)!!!

[medman]

Originally Posted by 94eg!

Well, I just started the t-belt on my wife's 04 this afternoon. I'm taking my time because she and kids are out of town. I forgot what biznach it is to get all those small bolts off that hold on the timing covers. I spent over an hour just getting them off.

BTW: I bought the TCKWP286 timing kit from Gates and I can confirm everything is OEM except the water pump. Pulleys are Koyo, and tensioner is Aisin just like the Honda ones. Belt is Gates, but they make the Honda version as well. I think it cost me $175 shipped with the AC & PS belts tacked on as well from Rockauto.com (with google 5% off coupon code). Can't beat that deal. Were else are you gonna get a timing belt & water pump for less than $200 installed?



Should get it all finished up tomorrow.

Does this kit come with the gasket for the water pump?

[jestmaty]

Not sure about the kit wp in question, but I have a Gates pump and it came with the gasket in place. Kind of like a thick piece of spaghetti made out of a rubber-like material.

It's not an old school paper or cork gasket.

Most of that TCKWP286 kit appears to be Gates, I'd bet the wp is too.

[94eg!]

Yes the kid does include the gasket. It's packaged in the bag with the pump.

[94eg!]

Okay it looks like I spoke a little too soon. Yesterday (two days after driving w/ new belt & pump) I get a CEL/VTM light after backing out of my driveway. Motor was running perfect, and still is. I shut it down and re-start and the VTM goes off, but the CEL is still on (stored codes). Now I'm pissed and second guessing myself. This has continued every cold startup but this afternoon.

So I go to O'Reilly's and get the code reader. I've got 5 separate miss-fire codes:
- P0304
- P0305
- P0306
- P0300
- P1399

Odd thing is the motor is definitely not missfiring. It's smoother than it was before the new belt. So now I'm wondering if the CKP (crank position sensor) behind the crank pulley is really sensitive or something. I do remember trying to pull the crank cog for the timing belt off, and it was blocked by this pulley. Also perhaps having coolant spill over the sensor from the water pump is not so good, I don't know (no such warning in the manual). Does anybody have any input on this one? It's only throwing these codes about 10 to 20 seconds after start-up.

[jestmaty]

Originally Posted by 94eg!

Okay it looks like I spoke a little too soon. Yesterday (two days after driving w/ new belt & pump) I get a CEL/VTM light after backing out of my driveway. Motor was running perfect, and still is. I shut it down and re-start and the VTM goes off, but the CEL is still on (stored codes). Now I'm pissed and second guessing myself. This has continued every cold startup but this afternoon.

So I go to O'Reilly's and get the code reader. I've got 5 separate miss-fire codes:
- P0304
- P0305
- P0306
- P0300
- P1399

Odd thing is the motor is definitely not missfiring. It's smoother than it was before the new belt. So now I'm wondering if the CKP (crank position sensor) behind the crank pulley is really sensitive or something. I do remember trying to pull the crank cog for the timing belt off, and it was blocked by this pulley. Also perhaps having coolant spill over the sensor from the water pump is not so good, I don't know (no such warning in the manual). Does anybody have any input on this one? It's only throwing these codes about 10 to 20 seconds after start-up.

Well hell.......

You may be on the right track about a wet crank position sensor, just a guess. I've read all over that even if you drain the radiator AND the block, coolant will still splash/spill all over the tb area when it gets cracked open.

My junk Haynes manual did mention something about removal of the cps and I just disregarded it as being stupid. My neighbor and I mainly followed the alldatadiy.com steps and there was no mention of cps removal. If you recall, I didn't do a wp change last month when I did my tb.

You'd think that the wiring down there is supposed to handle being wet on occasion, ie. driving in high water OR doing a tb/wp change and spilling some coolant on the sensor.?

Please hang in there and keep me and the piloteers.org gang abreast of what happens in the near future.

I've enjoyed chatting with you via this site and and am kinda pissed myself that a cel bug has jumped up and bitten you.

[94eg!]

Oh it's all good. Car isn't running funny so I'm not too worried. There is mention in the manual of inspecting the crank pulley (small one for the timing belt) teeth for damage or wear and replacing it. I'm wondering if when I tried to pull it off maybe I chipped one of the teeth (though I highly doubt it). I'm also wondering if maybe the CKP wire was stressed in some way. But I would imagine that either of those would cause problems all over the place. I may have to get in there and have a 2nd look and maybe just clean all the CKP related parts. Another weekend job. Once the crank-bolt has already been removed once, it's all easy work from there on. And I should only have to remove the lower cover and drive belts.

For other peoples reference, here are the parts were talking about:

The crank pulley is #12. The large cog looking teeth at the back are where the magnetic CKP checks for proper fluctuation of crank speed related to ignition (should have 3 measurable bursts of acceleration per crank revolution).



This is the oil pump, and the CKP is #17. It bolts in front of the crank pulley and blocks it from being removed.

[94eg!]

Well since resetting the ECU in the previous posts, the CEL has not returned. That same evening I refilled the gas tank with Chevron 87 and checked all engine harness connections, so it was most likely related to one of those. My mechanic friend that works at Honda insists it was an unrelated coincidence anyways.

Hopefully the CEL stays gone.