# timing belt question



## SATURNTERMINATOR (Nov 12, 2004)

hey everyone I started removing everything to replace my timing belt today and noticed while lokingin my hanes manual it says to remove the rocker covers, I am wondering is this a neccesary and why?

I have almost everything apart tomorrow i just need to remove the crank pulley and the 2 bolts behind it holding on the rest of the timing cover and that should be about it. then move the tensioner, line the marks and put the new belt on? 

thanks, just dont feel like doing this twice

Brandon


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

You dont have too. Just pull the timing belt covers and replace the belt. it is really straight forward.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

I need to get a pulley puller for mine. You know I found out my timing belt has almost an inch of slack in it?  But it's in perfect condition otherwise, not cracked or anything.


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## SATURNTERMINATOR (Nov 12, 2004)

thanks guys, yeah it was really easy so far, i cant see the freaking dealership charging a grand, those girly thingys.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

SATURNTERMINATOR said:


> thanks guys, yeah it was really easy so far, i cant see the freaking dealership charging a grand, those girly thingys.


And the Z31s in particular is an easy one to do. Lots of room in front of where you need to work. Once my fan and fan housing came off, I had plenty of room. Imagine a DSM, where the crank pulley bolt has to be removed through a hole in the frame next to it...


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## SATURNTERMINATOR (Nov 12, 2004)

haha, thank god I dont have to do one of those


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## Spongerider (Nov 18, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> I need to get a pulley puller for mine. You know I found out my timing belt has almost an inch of slack in it?  But it's in perfect condition otherwise, not cracked or anything.


If you didn't know Pep Boys lends them out for free.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Spongerider said:


> If you didn't know Pep Boys lends them out for free.


 It ends up being free only if you return it. You still pay the $25 or whatever to rent it in the first place.


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## Spongerider (Nov 18, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> It ends up being free only if you return it. You still pay the $25 or whatever to rent it in the first place.


No, you pay a depost of $50 but when you return it you get your deposit back. I done it 4 times already. :loser:


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Spongerider said:


> No, you pay a depost of $50 but when you return it you get your deposit back. I done it 4 times already. :loser:


Dang that's too much for a pulley puller. I can buy one around here for $25. Might as well do that, then I'll have it for when I need it.

Those of you that have pulled the crank pulleys off the VG30, is there any tricks I should know? Is this a 2 piece damper pulley or what, and should I be careful with the puller arm placement.......... :loser:


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

On all the Maximas I've done, they use a 1-pc pulley with soem rubber injected in the middle for vibration damping.

when you pull it, be sure to grab hold of a strong section that's not directly touching a belt surface. on the Maxima there are weak and strong sections of the pulley where the metal is thinner/thicker. the thinner sections will bend and end up pinching a belt.. the thicker ones don't move.

also some of the pulleys just come off by hand, don't need a puller.. others I've nearly broken my puller getting it off. whatever you do, be sure to spray some penetrating oil inside the bolt hole once you remove the crank pulley bolt.. makes things a ton easier.

also might want to replace the cam and front crank seals while you're in there. very common to leak on Maximas and easy enough to do while you have it all apart.


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## Spongerider (Nov 18, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> Dang that's too much for a pulley puller. I can buy one around here for $25. Might as well do that, then I'll have it for when I need it.


Are trying to be funny?!?


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Spongerider said:


> Are trying to be funny?!?


 Ummm no. Some of the cheap ones can hit $17. Might only be good for one or 2 uses, like those cheap spring-pointer torque wrenches, but thats all I need it for.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Paid $35 to rent a pulley puller today.......  Oh well, at least I get it back when I return the @$#%! thing. 

Anyway, I was poking through the FSM, and it says the reason to remove the rocker covers is to loosen the rocker shaft bolts, because you can't tension the belt properly otherwise. Now that doesn't make much sense to me, but whatever the FSM wants. *shrug*


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

Get ready to tap the crank sproket to get it off. In fact I would recommend going ahead and getting a new sproket.


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

Good tools aren't cheap. do you expect autozone to just hand you the tools for free and *hope* you bring them back?


FYI, I paid about $40 for my pulley puller from Sears. lifetime warranty.. I've pulled some serious shit with it and it's still in great shape. definitely something you'll be glad you have in your tool box when you have to do a job.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> Get ready to tap the crank sproket to get it off. In fact I would recommend going ahead and getting a new sproket.


 Off and back on already, actually. Wasn't too hard, I actually did the screwdriver deal as specified in the Haynes, seemed to work pretty well. Popped the seal out, cleaned the groove and the crank snout, popped the new seal in, rear T-belt guide plate and the crank sprocket back on, all in about 20 minutes. My next trick is the water pump and cam seals and she'll be ready to go back together. $35 for the T-belt tensioner, btw. Mine had that dry bearing sound to it, so I figured it was due.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Matt93SE said:


> Good tools aren't cheap. do you expect autozone to just hand you the tools for free and *hope* you bring them back?


Oh I know, I'm just bitching.  It's been returned already. Next time I'll just buy one, but it wasn't in the budget this time. Besides, the brand wasn't one I would have kept anyway. Checker uses "_Powerbilt_" or something like that.....


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

[email protected] said:


> Off and back on already, actually. Wasn't too hard, I actually did the screwdriver deal as specified in the Haynes, seemed to work pretty well. Popped the seal out, cleaned the groove and the crank snout, popped the new seal in, rear T-belt guide plate and the crank sprocket back on, all in about 20 minutes. My next trick is the water pump and cam seals and she'll be ready to go back together. $35 for the T-belt tensioner, btw. Mine had that dry bearing sound to it, so I figured it was due.


I H4T3 you. Sears must of hated me when I came back to have a warranty claim on the Craftsman screw drivers that broke off. You got lucky. The majority of the time they will not come off.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> I H4T3 you. Sears must of hated me when I came back to have a warranty claim on the Craftsman screw drivers that broke off. You got lucky. The majority of the time they will not come off.


 Definitely took a little patience. Took about 10 of the 20 minutes I spent to do everything to get it off there. The hard part was getting it going, it was easy after that.


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## SATURNTERMINATOR (Nov 12, 2004)

I was just wondering how to get off teh crank pulley bolt. theyre arent any holes in it or anything to wedge a screwdriver into and the crank just spins when i try to go backwards. Is there any easier way than taking off teh starter and wedging a screwdriver into the teeth of the flywheel? any info asap would be appreciated, thanks.


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## AZ-ZBum (Nov 21, 2004)

Impact gun is easiest.
Second easiest is wedging a screwdriver into he flywheel. This also helps when you have to torque it back on.


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

Your trying to get the pulley off? Why not put it in gear then the crank won't spin...


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> Your trying to get the pulley off? Why not put it in gear then the crank won't spin...


It's an automatic.


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## SATURNTERMINATOR (Nov 12, 2004)

well i finally had the time to get the car back together and it started right up. The old belt wasnt broken but a couple belt teeth were missing so this must have let it move and cause it not to start. I also took the time to eliminate the air conditioning that didnt work and i got rid of the power steering and i cut the exhaust so im running an open downpipe, and it sounds sweet. I also had an extra electric fan hanging around from my saturn (13 inch) so i mounted that to the radiator and threw away the crappy belt fan. also got a new battery so she'll be back on the road tomorrow after i put in some new headlights. Gonna be nice to drive it again, it was sitting since last april lol.

thanks for the help everyone
-Brandon


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