Adjust Balance Shaft Belt Tension

thatklazzickid · Dec 6, 2012

i had my timing belt and water pump and all that replaced at the 100k mark and when they did it they put to much tension on the balance shaft belt so now it makes the annoying sound discussed here. the shop wants way to much in labor so im gunna see if i can tackle it myself with a friend.
most of the stuff im using as a guide is about replacing the belts and whatnot. like this amazing guide, and this video, as well as this one.
im referencing the videos to see how its done but mainly looking to follow the written step by step guide.

im just wondering how much of the walkthrough is unnecessary in terms of just adjusting the balance shaft belt. on the removal part of the walkthrough, on step 19, is that really the only part that i need to get too? like do step 19, give the belt a little more slack by moving the tensioner up a little and then retighten the adjustment bolt? then i can just put the covers back on and reverse of the steps to put it all back together?

I know (IR II IC IK) has done it and if this leads no where i can pm him but just wondering if anyone had any insight on the issue.

also, would i need to replace any seals or gaskets? i dont want to get all in there and find out i need something and have my car in pieces.

001Stunna · Dec 6, 2012

If i may ask...you paid the shop to do a proper timing belt, balancer belt, water pump install right?
But they didn't so why would you have to pay more for them fawking up?

thatklazzickid said:
i had my timing belt and water pump and all that replaced at the 100k mark and when they did it they put to much tension on the balance shaft belt so now it makes the annoying sound discussed here. the shop wants way to much in labor so im gunna see if i can tackle it myself with a friend.
most of the stuff im using as a guide is about replacing the belts and whatnot. like this amazing guide, and this video, as well as this one.
im referencing the videos to see how its done but mainly looking to follow the written step by step guide.

im just wondering how much of the walkthrough is unnecessary in terms of just adjusting the balance shaft belt. on the removal part of the walkthrough, on step 19, is that really the only part that i need to get too? like do step 19, give the belt a little more slack by moving the tensioner up a little and then retighten the adjustment bolt? then i can just put the covers back on and reverse of the steps to put it all back together?

I know (IR II IC IK) has done it and if this leads no where i can pm him but just wondering if anyone had any insight on the issue.

also, would i need to replace any seals or gaskets? i dont want to get all in there and find out i need something and have my car in pieces.

thatklazzickid · Dec 6, 2012

thats correct. i did go back to them and told them that the noise wasnt there before. they told me that it was because the timing belt was new and that it would be like that for 1,500 miles or so. i took it back again for a wheel bearing that was worn and they didn't see that before and gave me a runaround kinda but got the bearing replaced. i ran with the noise for another 5k miles and the noise was still there.

we have decided to go to a different shop now.

im now at 132k miles so that was awhile back.
i didnt learn until a few months ago that it was the balance shaft belt being too tight.

001Stunna · Dec 6, 2012

From the picture guide I think I posted before the only thing I'd say that is not necessary is removing the alternator and just loosening it to get the belt off. Aside from that you're doing almost half the job that one would do to replace the pump and belt. As soon as you take the timing lower/upper cover off...MAKE SURE you mark the timing belt on the pulleys with whiteout or a marker just in case something goes wrong and you have to line things up again. You can then use the markings to aid you.

thatklazzickid · Dec 6, 2012

gotcha. ill do that. the thing im wondering about is in this guide the "Installation" part about half way down, do i need to do all those steps? if not all of them, which ones can i skip? sorry for the noob questions

001Stunna · Dec 6, 2012

thatklazzickid said:
gotcha. ill do that. the thing im wondering about is in this guide the "Installation" part about half way down, do i need to do all those steps? if not all of them, which ones can i skip? sorry for the noob questions

Thats the guide I was referring to. You do not have to remove the alternator...just loosen it.
Otherwise you're doing #1-19//adjusting the belt tension and then the reverse of it all making sure you torque bolts down to spec.

With that said, it wouldnt hurt to watch the videos a couple of times too and feel comfortable with it all.

thatklazzickid · Dec 6, 2012

thanks man!!! thats what i was hoping!!! and yeah, i will def watch those videos over and over. im gonna get a friend to help who has worked on cars a lot and done timing belts and the like.

any idea on how much slack or deflection i should leave in the balance shaft belt?

001Stunna · Dec 7, 2012

thatklazzickid said:
thanks man!!! thats what i was hoping!!! and yeah, i will def watch those videos over and over. im gonna get a friend to help who has worked on cars a lot and done timing belts and the like.

any idea on how much slack or deflection i should leave in the balance shaft belt?

I'm not sure if there is a set value to be honest. The place that has done my timing belt twice now(once at 126 once at 226) uses a belt deflection tool which measures deflection based on belt width.

i took a look on alldatadiy and the honda service manual and didn't notice a value for belt deflection.

thatklazzickid · Dec 7, 2012

yeah i looked around and never found a value either. only thing i read was another member saying "pretty loose, not loose enough for the belt to skip teeth, but still pretty loose" or something like that.