rk434 Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 (edited) Hey guys, so I've been reading up a bit on the how toos and whatnot, and now I have a week off starting tommorow. I'm gonna try to get all the parts and tools together and then throw her up on jacks on Tuesday. I'm planning on changing the timing belt... the trucks got 196000kms on it, and the previous owner didn't know if it had ever been changed. While I'm under there, planning on changing the tensioner and waterpump, and also installing an inline coolant heater for winter. Just wondering how much time I should alot for all this, I've been working on my own vehicles for awhile now, but never something this new. What kind of oil? synthetic? how much do I need? I don't have the manual... so im kinda guessing for the most part. Also planning on changing the spark plugs, air filter, and the headlight bulbs... when i turn on the lights at night, the low beams don't light up, but they work fine otherwise. Also thinking of relaying the headlights, seems like a smart idea. Gonna tint the windows and install the new stereo too if theres enough time! Big week for the purple pathfinder. I really appreciate your help in advance! Ryan Edited July 14, 2007 by rk434 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Whoa sounds like you have your hands full. Well as far as time, I wouldn't worry about getting it done under a certain time limit, especially when changing the timing belt, this is something you want to take your time on doing and not rush cause timing is everything on these engines. Make sure that everything is in place correctly. As far as oil is concerned, it depends on what you want to run and the type of area you live in, cause temperature is a factor. The manual recommeds 5w30, I run 10w30, 5w is too runny for me. If you can run synthetics, that would be great. I would reccomend 3 1/2 quarts of oil. For the head lamps, there have been a problem with the actual switch for the lights that is mounted on the steering column. Take the plastic cover off the column and then unscrew the switch from the column, unhook the harness and clean the contacts, this is a temporary solution. There's a thread about rewiring the headlights in the garage section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 PM'd ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk434 Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 alright, im gonna go order the parts and see if i can't rent a puller this afternoon. im assuming thats pretty well the only special tool i need, i have everything else i think, except maybe that giant metric wrench - ill have to check. the timing belt seems like its going to be alot of work, but two of my roomates are AMEs up here - they figure i can do it, and they said they'd help if i needed so we'll see. is there any hard set number of miles on it when the belt needs to be changed? i dont want to jump the gun and do a bunch of work and potentially screw up my truck if i don't have to! im also a little unsure of how to set the timing again, im under the impression that you do it while the truck is cold, and you put the pulleys and stuff back on exactly in the same position you took them off in, marked with some paint marks. is this right? seems pretty time intensive, but relatively straight forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csutke Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 (edited) the T-belt should be done around 100k miles or so IIRC Edited July 9, 2007 by csutke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj big shoe Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Since you're going to spend all the money for parts, you might want to cough up an extra $30 and get a Haynes manual and a cheap-o timing light. The manual will explain step-by-step how to replace the t-belt and set timing. If you have any specific problems, there's a write-up on t-belt replacement in the garage section, too. Take your time with it and you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk434 Posted July 13, 2007 Author Share Posted July 13, 2007 ok, so im almost done. new plugs, oil, and k+n filter, the deck is in, and the windows are tinted. started into the timing belt today, got most of everything off... now all i have to do is figure out how to block the crank shaft so i can get that pulley off! i took the starter off, but im not sure how to go from there, a buddy of mine suggested sticking a rope down one of the spark plug holes to jam it, but im a little concerned that might bend a valve... i dunno what to do from here... seems like im almost over the hump tho. i appreciate and ideas on how to get that pulley off! thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 You can put a belt on your PS or alternator and vice-grip it together in the middle so it's tight and won't let the crank turn. You can also use the starter-bump method to remove it, stick a breaker bar on a ratchet and brace it against the frame then tap the ignition once. The starter torque will break loose the bolt. Or do like I did, get yourself a v-belt pulley wrench from Harbor Freight Tools for $7.99 and use that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk434 Posted July 14, 2007 Author Share Posted July 14, 2007 ok, so i got everything off - got the new belt on, everything WAS lined up... did a bit of reading while taking a break, the book says that the new belt has three lines which coincide with the dots - 'ok' i thought, 'ill just pull the belt off again and then move it until all three lines match up to their respective dots... cool' pull the belt off, CLUNK, the left cam shaft moves just a fraction on a turn 'OH @!*%!' i forgot that i had cranked it over with the new belt by hand a few turns just to see if everything matched up... idiot move. so i put the belt back on, and moving the left cam pulley just a bit the other way so the teeth match up again... so now ive been cranking it by hand... probably bending every valve in the damn engine. is there any way that i can pull this out of the fire? or did i just wreck my new truck, that ive spent all week babying... this is really crushing, i hope someone has done this before... please help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk434 Posted July 14, 2007 Author Share Posted July 14, 2007 so i talked to the old man, and the semi-mechanic next door and they both say that if i take the belt off and line everything up independantly and then reinstall the belt, that it should be fine... so this is what i did, im changing the thermostat while i think about whether this will work or not... or if someone on here tells me to stop before i wreck anything else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 That should work...just don't force the cams around. Count the teeth on the belt between each timing mark to make sure. 40 teeth between the cam pulley dots and 43 teeth between the driver's side cam dot and the crank dot. Let me guess, yours didn't have a match-mark on the oil pump for the crank sprocket either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk434 Posted July 14, 2007 Author Share Posted July 14, 2007 (edited) That should work...just don't force the cams around. Count the teeth on the belt between each timing mark to make sure. 40 teeth between the cam pulley dots and 43 teeth between the driver's side cam dot and the crank dot. Let me guess, yours didn't have a match-mark on the oil pump for the crank sprocket either? nope it sure didn't, but i was thinking ahead (for once) and made a mark on the top of the crank sprocket and on the back of the case there, so that matched up. i had to use a socket to spin both cams... i really really hope i didnt bend anything in there. to me it seems pretty tough to bed something from spinning it over with a socket... but sometimes i don't know my own strength... it almost seems too easy to just line everything up independantly and have it magically work! also, the only belt i could get is one from canadian tire... i hope it holds! Edited July 14, 2007 by rk434 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 another way to make it easier is to loosen up the rocker arms (if its a MPFI I would only do the pass side)...pull plug for cylinder #1 and use a LONG pieces of threaded rod, welding rod or something to that effect and turn the crank over until its at TDC (top dead center)...then u know the crank is good...then line up the cams to their "dots" and put the belt on making sure the line with the arrows (usually one of the cams) is pointing outwards) and then count teeth between the cams and crank to make sure its all right ( i usually never line up the lines and just count teeth... i doubt you wrecked any valves...if u did you've done the hard part (or most critical part) for a top end rebuild (replacing the valves b/c i would seriously doubt anything else got messed up and i really doubt the valves did unless it hit a rough spot and wouldnt turn and you forced it) teeth count is 40 between LH cam mark and RH cam mark and then 43 teeth between the crank mark and LH cam mark (which leaves 50 between RH cam mark and crank mark (133 teeth total) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk434 Posted July 15, 2007 Author Share Posted July 15, 2007 well good news... i put it all back together and presto! it runs! i cant believe it didnt explode. still keep having night mares that maybe i didnt tighten the tensioner enough... or that its all gonna come apart on the highway! thanks for all the help guys, i just hope i can get a few miles out of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 still keep having night mares that maybe i didnt tighten the tensioner enough... or that its all gonna come apart on the highway! I did that 1 night...I woke up and was like @!*% I didnt tighten the tensioner...pulled it apart and sure enough it was tight...DOH...i started writing things down now to keep track when I get tired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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