Hey guys, just registered to the forums so if i don't know the honda terms sorry, I just bought a 92 accord ex from a buddy of mine, and ran into some problems. (timing belt / tensioners / valve cover)

I work at a local NTB and although I'm no mechanic, I've spent alot of time around engines, heres the scoop bought the car with a bad rad, replaced that first day, within the first week the top rad hose blew, overheated (needle was at H) for about 40 seconds (nowhere to pull off going up hill) replaced that and noticed I had a good leak going on, figured water pump, tore it apart, replaced the timing belt, water pump and was gonna wait a week or 2 for the thermostat, however got the new pump on, no leaks, however there was a loud rattle and the belt was wobbling like crazy, played with it, and this time the wobble was gone but the belt was walking about 1/8th inch off the cam gear, now a good friend of mine told me that he herd it was normal and would be fine, the rattle was still there, let a different friend go at it for a few hours, belt was moslty tight until, if i tac it to 4k+ there would be a little slack for just a second, and the rattle was gone. had the mechanic lookover it the next day and he noticed the belt is hitting the tensioner very slightly, would probly snap in 4 months of driving(guess) now I didnt replace the tensioners cause they were in perfect condition when i took them off, he said 1 seems bent but cant tell (the bracket), money is very very tight with bills and i live on my own, do I have to get raped by honda for new tensioners and hardware or is there a trick anyone here knows (local parts stores i would get discounts from only sell the tensioner pulleys, no hardware). Any help is appreciated greatly, thanks for taking the time

edit: almost forgot, pulled my spark plug wirs and noticed there is a nice bit of oil in each 1, I was thinking the tube seals are bad, and can get the seals and valve cover gasket for 25, this common?

specs:
92 accord ex
2 dr.
5 speed
216k, runs good tho
no mods

 

Oil leaking into the sparkplug tubes is sorta common, get the valvecover gasket. It'll probably include 4 O-rings for the LOWER tube seals. Hang onto those for later, because you have to remove the valvegear & camshaft bearing caps. Hope the leak is at the upper tube seals (VC gasket).

Here's the timing belts & tensioners, just in case you can recognize anything out-of-place. The tensioners are spring-loaded for adjustment, but they are locked into place by the nut #26 outside the lower cover. The tensioners are NOT supposed to be moving on their springs while running.


Here's the crankshaft pulley. The guide washer #17 should be dished AWAY from the belt. The backside of the balancer-belt pulley #15 does a similar job holding the belt in position. It's NOT normal for it to walk off it's pulleys, but 1/8" still leaves most of the belt engaged. In case the tensioner pulley bracket is bent, look very closely to ensure that pulley is very square & straight alignment.


Adjusting tension...
Remove the upper timing cover. Loosen the tensioner nut #26 outside the lower cover.

Turn the crankshaft forwards (counterclockwise as you're looking from the left-front fender) a couple teeth. This tightens the long front span of the belt, allowing the springs to take up the slack on their side of the belt.

While holding the crankshaft against slacking backwards, tighten the tensioner nut to lock the tensioner pulleys into position.

Now the belt shouldn't be TIGHT like an alternator belt, but you should only just be able to twist the long span 90-degrees or less with your fingers.

Re-check the timing marks on crank & camshafts to verify the cam timing is OK.

 

we have a program called Mitchel through napa for any "how to's" i adjusted it just as you said as tight as we could, its not exactly alternator belt tight, but its not too loose at all, I think im gonna go to the local honda dealer when i get the tensioners and just ask if i can pay a mechanic cash to come down off the clock and do it, I need the car asap, iv been paying my friends quite a bit in gas money

and we re-checked all timing marks, had it running, the helps appreciated

 

did you by any chance put a bolt on the tensioner ?? # 17 in the picture ....

there is a write up on the DIY section about oil in spark plug tubes ,,,, and yes it is very common on older cars ....being a 1992 ,.if i were you i would replace the upper and lower seals ..

 

Yes, the bolt to part#17 is in, I think I bent the bracket to the pulley (17) or the other bracket part #13

thanks for the suggestion on the seals, I'm going to do the tob tube seals for now, I simply don't have the time to rip anything else apart until everything else is in proper working order

 

The bolt for number 17 should not be installed once you are finished with the timing belt. That bolt is installed so you can remove the tension from the timing belt. Remove that bolt and tension the belt properly.

 

We were keeping bolt # 17 loose, tightening the belt, then tighting bolt #17 to hold it in place. have been messing with it and noticed the belt is walking off the tensioner closest to the engine block (pulley #17) and rubbing the second pulley (#10), it has been ran for probly a total of around 7 mins, and an extremely small amount of rubber has been shaved off, small enough that you cant see it unless you get about 4 inches from it with a bright light, my friend said he thinks the washer should go in between but I don't remember there being 1, nor does it show 1 in the picture abov. any thoughts? ps if i cant completely fix the problem friday how long would you assume i have, its imparative i have the car, and i figures if i only take it to work, and check the belt every day, i would notice how bad it is getting and replace it when needed, until i get enough for an actual tech to fix it

 

When you're done, #17 shouldn't have a bolt. At all. BOTH pulleys are held in place by the outside nut, #26 which is tightened onto the end of stud #22.