Honda Car Forum

For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing cover a
real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I lost it
and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There just
doesn't seem to be enough clearance.

Maybe I'm just used to Toyota longitudinally-mounted inline sixes? But this
timing belt job was *far* more difficult to do than that on my supra!

Comments?

Kofi

On 11/3/03 11:31 PM, in article w86dncsUl6DnpTqiRVn-gg@comcast.com, "Kofi
Anim-Appiah" <partialresponse@comcast.net> wrote:

> For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing cover a
> real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
> struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I lost it
> and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There just
> doesn't seem to be enough clearance.
>
> Maybe I'm just used to Toyota longitudinally-mounted inline sixes? But this
> timing belt job was *far* more difficult to do than that on my supra!
>
> Comments?
>
> Kofi
>
>
>
Had the same problem with the '96 Odyssey (which is built on the Accord
chassis). The secret there was to remove the brace that runs from the front
of the frame to the suspension across that space. It was not in the Helms
manual. I found out you have to remove it from an accommodating Honda
dealer. Hondas are far and away the most difficult vehicles to change
timing belts on that I have encountered.

> > For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing cover a
> > real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
> > struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I lost it
> > and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There just
> > doesn't seem to be enough clearance.
> Had the same problem with the '96 Odyssey (which is built on the Accord
> chassis). The secret there was to remove the brace that runs from the front
> of the frame to the suspension across that space. It was not in the Helms
> manual. I found out you have to remove it from an accommodating Honda
> dealer. Hondas are far and away the most difficult vehicles to change
> timing belts on that I have encountered.

i've never pulled the radius rod out. those timing belts shouldn't
take more than an hour if you know what you are doing.
try a DOHC dodge stealth sometime.
the timing cover comes right out if you move it just the right way
Chip

On 4 Nov 2003 16:29:29 -0800, chip@chipanddebby.com (Chip Stein)
wrote:

>> > For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing cover a
>> > real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
>> > struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I lost it
>> > and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There just
>> > doesn't seem to be enough clearance.
>> Had the same problem with the '96 Odyssey (which is built on the Accord
>> chassis). The secret there was to remove the brace that runs from the front
>> of the frame to the suspension across that space. It was not in the Helms
>> manual. I found out you have to remove it from an accommodating Honda
>> dealer. Hondas are far and away the most difficult vehicles to change
>> timing belts on that I have encountered.
>
>i've never pulled the radius rod out. those timing belts shouldn't
>take more than an hour if you know what you are doing.

Book time on my Acura Integra (I-4) was about 3 hours for the timing
belt. I've personally never seen a Honda/Acura timing belt done in an
hour.

__________________
Note: To reply, replace the word 'spam' embedded in return address with 'mail'.
N38.6 W121.4

On 11/4/03 6:29 PM, in article
5ddcea74.0311041629.4f42de0@posting.google.com, "Chip Stein"
<chip@chipanddebby.com> wrote:

>>> For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing cover a
>>> real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
>>> struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I lost it
>>> and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There just
>>> doesn't seem to be enough clearance.
>> Had the same problem with the '96 Odyssey (which is built on the Accord
>> chassis). The secret there was to remove the brace that runs from the front
>> of the frame to the suspension across that space. It was not in the Helms
>> manual. I found out you have to remove it from an accommodating Honda
>> dealer. Hondas are far and away the most difficult vehicles to change
>> timing belts on that I have encountered.
>
> i've never pulled the radius rod out. those timing belts shouldn't
> take more than an hour if you know what you are doing.
> try a DOHC dodge stealth sometime.
> the timing cover comes right out if you move it just the right way
> Chip

Total BS if you are talking about the Odyssey. You are welcome to come
demonstrate on mine how you can change it in an hour any time you want. How
about a wager to make it interesting?

Kofi Anim-Appiah wrote:
>
> For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing cover a
> real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
> struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I lost it
> and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There just
> doesn't seem to be enough clearance.
>
> Maybe I'm just used to Toyota longitudinally-mounted inline sixes? But this
> timing belt job was *far* more difficult to do than that on my supra!
>
> Comments?
>
> Kofi
-------------------------

Kofyi,

The secret I found last week, is to make sure the left wheel is hanging,
not jacked up, and to lower the engine a few inches, as measured at the
motor mount. The cover also goes _around_ the stabilizer bar, not
between it and the motor.

Now write it down so you'll know for next time !! Also, owning a good
17mm deep socket is worthwhile, for the motor mount.

'Curly'

-----------------------

There is *no* way anybody can change the timing belt on a 96 Accord in 1 hr!
Remove it in an hour? Possibly. But completely change it and reassemble
everything? Please be honest. Either that or you grossly overestimate what
an hour is!

Kofi

"Chip Stein" <chip@chipanddebby.com> wrote in message
news:5ddcea74.0311041629.4f42de0@posting.google.co m...
> > > For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing
cover a
> > > real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
> > > struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I
lost it
> > > and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There
just
> > > doesn't seem to be enough clearance.
> > Had the same problem with the '96 Odyssey (which is built on the Accord
> > chassis). The secret there was to remove the brace that runs from the
front
> > of the frame to the suspension across that space. It was not in the
Helms
> > manual. I found out you have to remove it from an accommodating Honda
> > dealer. Hondas are far and away the most difficult vehicles to change
> > timing belts on that I have encountered.
>
> i've never pulled the radius rod out. those timing belts shouldn't
> take more than an hour if you know what you are doing.
> try a DOHC dodge stealth sometime.
> the timing cover comes right out if you move it just the right way
> Chip

Curly,

ah, I see. I had the left wheel on a ramp. The engine was hanging as low as
it could (I removed the jack from underneath the oil pan). I had absolutely
no problem with the engine mount, though.

Thanks much for the tip. I *will* remember it!

Kofi

"'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco_@_interbaun.com> wrote in message
news:3FA8815F.A51B474F@_interbaun.com...
> Kofi Anim-Appiah wrote:
> >
> > For those that have done this work personally, was the lower timing
cover a
> > real pain to remove or was there some anomaly with my engine? I really
> > struggled to get it off after removing all the screws. Eventually I lost
it
> > and just forced it out from the bottom...partially cracking it. There
just
> > doesn't seem to be enough clearance.
> >
> > Maybe I'm just used to Toyota longitudinally-mounted inline sixes? But
this
> > timing belt job was *far* more difficult to do than that on my supra!
> >
> > Comments?
> >
> > Kofi
> -------------------------
>
> Kofyi,
>
> The secret I found last week, is to make sure the left wheel is hanging,
> not jacked up, and to lower the engine a few inches, as measured at the
> motor mount. The cover also goes _around_ the stabilizer bar, not
> between it and the motor.
>
> Now write it down so you'll know for next time !! Also, owning a good
> 17mm deep socket is worthwhile, for the motor mount.
>
> 'Curly'
>
> -----------------------

"Kofi Anim-Appiah" <kofi@ti.com> wrote in message news:<bobkbc$mnu$1@home.itg.ti.com>...
> There is *no* way anybody can change the timing belt on a 96 Accord in 1 hr!
> Remove it in an hour? Possibly. But completely change it and reassemble
> everything? Please be honest. Either that or you grossly overestimate what
> an hour is!
>

I do them everyday, and i know how long an hour is. sometimes i
set the timing marks upside down just to show people an engine can be
timed at any point if you know what you are doing. believe it or don't
it doesn't really matter to me.
Chip

Chip has a deadly threesome working for him:

-Organization
-Experience
-Air tools

Most of the rest of us mortals have only one, or possibly two of the
above . . . :-(

'Curly'

-------------------------------

Chip Stein wrote:
> "Kofi Anim-Appiah" <kofi@ti.com> wrote in message news:<bobkbc$mnu$1@home.itg.ti.com>...
>
>>There is *no* way anybody can change the timing belt on a 96 Accord in 1 hr!
>>Remove it in an hour? Possibly. But completely change it and reassemble
>>everything? Please be honest. Either that or you grossly overestimate what
>>an hour is!
>>
>
>
> I do them everyday, and i know how long an hour is. sometimes i
> set the timing marks upside down just to show people an engine can be
> timed at any point if you know what you are doing. believe it or don't
> it doesn't really matter to me.
> Chip