So I have the 4g69 ecipse, I just rolled over to 70k and am in need of changing the timing belt. I took it to my mechanic and he was kind of confused over the instructions on the PDF manual pertaining to the special tool... http://tearstone.com/eclipsefsm/2006...0000100-00.pdf (starts on page 51).

I know several of you guys have done this yourself and I know this topic gets kind of beat on quite a bit. I was just hoping that one of you guys can offer me some good insight. We are both pretty mechanically inclinded, it's just I have never done a timing belt job and he's older and is a "Chevy Ford" kind of dude.

Thanks in advance!

 

you dont need a special tool, if I'm right about what I think you;re talking about, to take off the auto tensioner, you have to put a 1/4" drive from a socket wrench and turn it counter clockwise and then slide a screwdriver (or some small metal pipe) through the two holes to hold it in place, then you can take the timing belt off.

EDIT, before you take the belt off, make sure the camshaft is in TDC, and I would put chalk marks on the old belt and then transfer them to new belt, JUST to be sure everything matches up right.