Hey folks. I'm trying my hand at a timing belt change with assistance from Supercarmio, Paul at Boosted, and Chris Goorbarry. With those combined videos I've reached the point where I'm putting on the new timing belt. I've got the cam gears locked and all the timing marks lined up. I'm using OEM Evo IX everything from Daytona Mitsu. I've also searched through several threads on here regarding timing tension but I haven't found this particular issue. If I'm wrong I'll happily take a link to something I missed. Anyway, the problem I'm faced with is that it feels like the belt just doesn't want to fit. I know it does because I've managed to get it on twice now, and both times the bottom timing marks were off, forcing me to try again. I feel like I must be doing something dumb because all the videos I've seen show people sliding the belt on with relative ease. But in my case, it feels 2 or 3 mm too small. I noticed a lot of people manage to get the belt nice and tight across the cam gears with just the lock and nothing more, but the only way to get mine to fall into the teeth is by leaving a bit of slack. If I pull the belt tightly across it won't fall in (pic 1). I can, however, gently pull the intake and exhaust cam apart a pinch and make it work, but I thought that's what the cam lock was supposed to help with.

Can anyone see anything obvious that I'm doing wrong? I'm happy to post any further pictures as necessary. Again, I have gotten it on, which makes me think I'm being very, very dumb somehow. Thanks!

Pic 1

Tight belt won't fit in the teeth.


At rest.

Also at rest.

 

So a couple things.

Your cams are rolled in ever so slightly. My timing cover marks fall inside the marks on my gears, but just barely. If memory serves there are 17 teeth between the marks on the cams. This is what is giving that “bulge” at rest. Your exhaust cam needs rotated CW to move it a half tooth to line with the belt.

I always have a hell of a time -pun intended- on getting the belt tight in the right places until I adjust the tensioner pulley. I lock in the timing mark on the exhaust gear, pull the tension out on the crank to align the mark on the trigger plate, then make sure that the tensioner pulley takes the slack out of the intake. I did a BS delete though so I didn’t have to worry about that nonsense.

So long as you have the right distance on your belt between the cam marks it will line up under tension. Turn it over a few times by hand and make sure it all lines up again and the grenade pin comes out and you are good to go.

 

I dont like using the plastic cam gear tool. I like using the metal ones. Line up the cams to the timing marks on the cam gear and then make sure everything else is timed. The timing belt tensioner should be loose and the belt will slide on. If you are still having problems then you need to examine the situation with a video showing us where its tight.

 

Do you think the metal STM gear holder would work better? I'll need to remove it to move half a tooth but I want something that will keep the gears where they need to be. Or if you have any other recommendations...

Thank you both.

 

from here it looks ok... get some tension on the belt, pull out the plastic and check all timing marks..

 

All right, with the STM cam gear holder and a bit of ingenuity I got the belt on properly. Tension looks good as well; I checked it after rotating the crank two times and waiting 15 mins. Pin went right back in to the auto tensioner. My next (hopefully last) question...should I rotate the crank six times? I've read on other dsm boards that you should. Thoughts?

 

I always turned it like crazy but I didn’t want issues. I ran it at least 3 full cam rotations to check the marks. That should be 6 crank rotations. But sometimes I would do it more or check it again.

If you only turned the cams one rotation then I would probably do more.

 

All right, thanks again folks.

I've got everything put back together, gave her fresh oil, burped the coolant, and everything fired right up. Engine sounds like it's running smooth as butter.

...BUUUUUUT. I'm now getting a flickering oil light when braking. I ordered a new oil pressure switch and hope that's all it is. Maybe I bonked it because I was raising and lowering the engine a little bit.

Can anyone else think of anything I might have horribly broken? I know my ocd brain can think of plenty of things lol

 

It was/is a known issue that a lot of people had on the 9. Many had them replaced under warranty and outlined in this forum. Replace the sending unit/pressure switch and you should be good to go.

 

Yup, likely the pressure switch. Just had to replace mine last year when the light was flickering but my AEM oil pressure gauge was the same its always been.