Removing the Timing Belt

• 1). Remove the air cleaner, air duct and the coolant reservoir. The coolant reservoir can remain attached to the hoses---just unbolt it and move it to the side out of your way. Remove the serpentine belt. Before removing the serpentine belt, make sure there is a diagram on the hood or radiator support to show you the belt routing. If the belt routing sticker is missing, sketch out a picture of the belt routing.
  
  
• 2). Siphon the fluid out of the reservoir of the power steering pump, or be prepared to cap the line ports off. You can cap the line ports off with a piece of rubber hose. Close the open end of the hose with a large bolt. Unbolt the power steering pump from its bracket and set it aside. Cap any open hose ends or pipe fittings. This will prevent additional fluid loss.
  
  
• 3). Remove the right timing belt cover, spark plug wire cover, left timing belt cover and the ECM harness cover using the ¼-inch tools. Remove the serpentine belt tensioner with the 3/8-inch tools. Unclip the power steering hose from the alternator. Using the ¼-inch tools or the 3/8-inch tools, remove the center timing belt cover and the right and left camshaft covers.
  
  
• 4). Remove the tensioner side plate. The side plate is located just under the left cams and has three bolts holding it on. The tensioner is hydraulic and includes a plunger unit. Turn the plunger unit to remove it from the pulley arm and socket. Make sure you do not lose the tapered brush that sits between the plunger and the mount. Loosen and remove the tensioner pulley bolt (located at about 10 o'clock on the tensioner pulley). Tape the pulley pivot bushing to the pulley so it doesn't fall out. Remove the pulley and the arm. Remove the timing belt.
  
  

Installing the Timing Belt

• 1). Bend a thick paper clip so you have a straight piece of wire at least 1.85 inches long. Clamp the tensioner plunger at its center in a vise, with the plunger pointing toward the ground. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to get the oil into the rubber boot. Remove the plug from the flat base of the plunger and insert a small screwdriver into the vent hole. Turn the screwdriver counterclockwise until the pushrod is retracted. Make sure the pushrod is fully retracted before moving on to the next step.
  
  
• 2). Push the wire peg you created in Step 1 into the vent hole and turn the screwdriver counterclockwise until you feel the wire peg lock into the pushrod. Fill the plunger with 5W-30 synthetic engine oil to the bottom of the hole. Do not overfill the plunger. Put the plug back on the plunger. Make sure the plug is in securely and the plunger is completely sealed. Wipe the plunger clean of spilled oil.
  
  
• 3). Clean the tensioner pulley, but do not lubricate it. Turn the crankshaft clockwise until the number 1 cylinder (front cylinder on the driver's side) is at top dead center and the timing marks on the crank pulley and the block are lined up. Top dead center is achieved when the piston in the number 1 hole reaches its complete height in the rotation. You can feel for this by sticking a screwdriver in number 1 spark plug hole while turning the crank pulley.
  
  
• 4). Turn all four of the camshaft pulleys so that the machined flats are facing up. Install the timing clamps on each camshaft carrier. Torque the bolt on the timing clamp to 22 foot pounds of torque. If there are any timing marks drawn on the camshaft pulleys, erase them.
  
  
• 5). Loosen the camshaft sprocket bolts. Using a rubber hammer, tap each camshaft sprocket to remove any taper. Tighten the sprocket bolts finger-tight. Spin each sprocket to be sure the sprocket turns freely. Make sure there is no back and forth freeplay when the sprockets are being turned.
  
  
• 6). Install the timing belt starting with the crankshaft pulley. Route the belt to the right guide pulley (as you are facing the engine), then the right exhaust camshaft sprocket, over the top of the right intake camshaft sprocket, then under the center guide pulley, over the left intake camshaft sprocket and over the left exhaust camshaft sprocket. Make sure the timing belt is tight on the right side and loose on the left side (again, as you are facing the engine).
  
  
• 7). Install the tensioner pulley, making sure the pivot brush does not fall out. Leave it taped or use a magnet to hold it in. Torque the tensioner pulley bolt to 37 foot pounds of torque. Install the tensioner and the side plate. Be sure the pushrod end is seated properly against the tensioner pulley. Torque the side plate retaining bolts to 18 foot pounds of torque. Remove the locking pin and let the plunger extend to its normal position.
  
  
• 8). Set the torque wrench to 89 foot pounds of torque, then put the torque wrench on the square lug of the tensioner and torque it. This applies initial tension to the timing belt. Turn the crankshaft sprocket three times by hand. This ensures seating of the timing belt and makes sure the engine turns freely without the valves hitting the pistons. Check to be sure the crankshaft pulley timing marks are still lined up.
  
  
• 9). Torque the bolts on the left camshaft exhaust and intake pulleys to 96 foot pounds of torque. You will need to hold the sprockets to keep them from turning while torquing the bolts. Remove the timing clamp from the left side camshaft carrier. The cams should not move when removing the timing clamp. Turn the crankshaft one complete clockwise rotation and align the crankshaft pulley marks.
  
  
• 10
  
  Repeat Step 9 for the right camshaft exhaust and intake pulleys, expect when turning the engine, turn it two complete clockwise rotations and align the crankshaft pulley marks. The flat, machined surfaces on the camshafts will be facing up on one side and facing down on the other side.
  
  
• 11
  
  Mark the left camshaft exhaust pulley at 2 o'clock and the left camshaft intake pulley at 8 o'clock (the marks should be in line with each other) with fingernail polish or heat paint. Mark the right camshaft exhaust pulley at 10 o'clock and the right camshaft intake pulley at 4 o'clock, lining up the marks. Install all components in the reverse order of removal.