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TIMING BELT INSTALL
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Just replaced the timing belt on my '86 TC. I took a couple of photos and decided to write this small how-to 'cause there's not a lot of good info out there on how to install the belt properly.
Disassembly:
I didn't take any photos here 'cause it's pretty straightfoward.
Remove the NEG battery cable.
I decided to change the water pump and thermostat while I was in there so I drained the radiator and removed the hoses. I removed the fan also to give me more room to work.
Remove the #1 spark plug and put something thin and flexible in the hole. A pipe cleaner or straw work well. Now put a socket and ratchet on the crank bolt and turn the motor over by hand until the straw pushes all the way up. Now you're #1 piston is at TDC.
Loosen the A/C pump and alternator and remove the belts. Remove the w/p pulley and crank pulley. You may have to coax the crank pulley off, they tend to corrode onto the shaft. Remove the outer timing cover. Remove the oil slinger on the crank. If it ain't broke, just cut the old timing belt with a razor knife and pull it out. Remove the distributor cap and remove the dizzy holddown bracket.
Get a couple of cans of brake cleaner and clean everything up.
Installation:
Loosen the big bolt with the spring behind it that holds the belt tensioner. Also loosen the smaller adjusting bolt. At this point you may want to purchase a new belt tensioner. Turn the cam gear to this position. Note the large 'bump' is lined up with the middle hash mark on the inner timing cover.
Reinstall the crank bolt and turn the engine clockwise until the timing mark on the crank gear is in the 12 o'clock position.
Now slip in the new timing belt. Install it on the crank pulley first, then around the aux shaft pulley, then over the cam pulley. Now take a prybar (this is the one I used. It's a standard 18" prybar with a pointed tip)....................
........and wedge it against the aux pulley with the shaft of the prybar as far to the inside of the tensioner roller as possible. The aux shaft is gonna want to spin so you have to place the prybar just right. Now push against the tensioner roller so you can just slip the belt over the edge of the roller. Remove the prybar and you should be able to push the rest of the belt on by hand.
Now retighten the 2 tensioner bolts. Lift the distributor out of it's hole and reinstall with the rotor pointing towards the #1 terminal on the cap. You may have to try this a few times to get it right. Basically, when installed correctly, the rotor should be in the 4 o'clock position.
There, the hard part is done! If you're replaceing the water pump and thermostat, make sure to remove all the old gasket material and put pipe thread compound on the threads of the water pump and thermostat bolts. Put everything back together, fill with coolant, start it up and slap a timing light on it. The factory calls for 10* BTDC. Mine likes it better at 12* BTDC. All done! Hope this helps someone!
