timing belt rubbing cover

[sidekick57]

Hi, on my 96 tracker 16V 1.6 my timing belt is rubbing the inside of the belt cover. I pulled back the cover and I can see the belt is riding about an 1/4" or a little more off the pulley. Can this be ajusted? I noticed when I had the cover off earlier there were groves in the cover from the old belt.

[jtgh]

you have a serious problem, do not drive car.
this car is not free running, if the belt slips or snaps, good bye engine.

full examination of :
crank bolt may be loose (big one in the center) 94ft/lbs torque,
crank key way destroyed.
cam cog gear loose.
belt has napped internal cords causes forward bias you obseved.
idler bearings shot.
or ?

but it is bad.

save car from bone yard.
PS:
96s and new are supposed to be ok on crank bolt torque but last mech, might not have
read the spec and set it way less. there is a TSB on this bolt.
can send it.
cheers. it still runs.

[sidekick57]

I just put it all back together. The key way and the timing gear and key all looked to be fine. I torqued it to 76 ft lbs what Hanyes told me. The cam gear pulley is fine and torqued to 50 ft lbs, it has a new timing belt and idler pulley. Could it be that cheap ebay timing blet kit? Are these belts directional when new or just after they have been in use?

[jtgh]

there is a TSB , the Haynes is wrong. ( no surprise there)

the TSB , states 94ft/lbs on all kicks up to 96 , as factory changed to this, on that day.
lots and lots of them wrecked the crank end. costing owners a fortune.
many posts here , on this forum of those sad events.....

some are directional. especially cheaps one, just like cheap tires.

I recommend a top name belt like GATES rubber. (oem's uses lots of Gates)

there are belts as cheap at $7-15 from China that are just a waste of time .

see pm. for TSB. you PM mail here.

Get a good one , for an 16v as it is the life blood of this interference engine.

[sidekick57]

Thanks for the pm, I'd better get the torque wrench back on that bolt. Yah that's why I picked this tracker up for $700. the timing gear on the crank sliped a bit not enough to kill the engine it was cought in time, but it did mess up the crank. I got one from the junk yard and had it ground and put it all back togeather with new bearing and seals. now if I can get this belt problem taken care of. Do you think the belt is the problem?

[jtgh]

if the belt doenst run true and all looks straight, then there are bad threads in the belt. By straight I mean the cog gears are perfect and flat and no damage.

the belt is not just rubber , its has cords.
if one cord cracks, this will cause a bias to run in, or out.

the belts are throw away items. just replace it and watch it.
I'd run it with the cover off , after finding what you found.

Im glad you saved a 16v , nice work. !!!

[sidekick57]

I took off the cover and the belt is riding right on the edge of the pulley, it looked like it was riding off the pulley form what I could see when I pulled back the cover but it was definitely rubbing the cover. The cover was a little distorted. I put few a washers on the middle stud behind the cover the that seemed to do the trick. 0h yah I torqued the crank gear bolt to 94 ft lbs

[corvey]

Hey, think I'm going to buy one tomorrow and put one on... I want get a good brand but there are few to chose from locally... Advanceautoparts lists a Goodyear brand timing belt for my 16v tracker... Any reviews for that brand of timing belt? Lists for $29.99

[corvey]

omfg, they want over 60 bucks for the tentioner, f'phin rip off.... What are the odds that is going to be worn out too on a 80k mile Geo?

When I replaced the timing belt on my Toy with 200k miles on it that tentioner bearing was shot and had to be replaced too. But those parts were much cheaper.

[jtgh]

80k it may be good.
120-150 k, not , too good.
spin it if it sounds dry, replace,
if it is smooth and still viscuse , it is good.

cheers.
hope she sings soon.