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Hey guys more fun news on my 05 timing belt. It lasted about 4,000 miles! I had left my upper cover off of it, so I could keep an eye on how it was doing. It seemed fine for awhile, but then recently it was pretty loose, on the front side of the belt, but tight on the rear side. I left it go, and it snapped on me driving last Friday night. I thought it had just slipped, but no it was snapped. I have it all apart now, but stiil don't know about the damage? I need to mention that I couldn't find anything loose with this broken belt situation now. The problem is once again my lower cover was really packed full of shavings. I think something caused a weak spot and it snapped. I will send a photo with a good shot of how it broke. The belt teeth all look good to me. The first belt looked ok too, In that case it was obvious the tensioner had came very loose as the tensioner bolt had all but fallen out. Only the cover kept it from falling out on that first fail and jumped timing off one tooth. I had helicoiled that stripped thread situation. On my original problem the belt had cut into the lower cover really bad, and I got new covers. I didnt clean my lower cover yet so I'll send a photo of how bad that is packed with debris! Some shiny particles in the debris too. I'm trying hard to get this issue resolved, and fix it right this time. I know the belt was running loose on that front side quite awhile now. Maybe that caused the debris, and for it to wear and eventually snap? I'll get those pics to you guys today. Please advise me, and thank you.
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Oh man, I'm going to be that guy with the worst case scenario news, but you highly likely have bent valves.
I had my 2002 Civic's TDC sensor vibrate loose and chew up my timing belt to ¼" wide, and that was enough to bend all 16, since the TDC sensor kamikazed itself with the timing belt at about 2000-2500 RPM. When I took it all apart, the crank pulley and cam gear were (at least) 270° out of time of each other, but that's not taking into account how much extra the crank pulley rotated more than the camshaft.
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Thank you for the reply. I'm going to install a new belt, and adjust my valve lash before attempting to start it. I can't find my tensioner holding clip thing? is there anyway I can tension my new belt without it? i did save it, but gave up looking this evening. Please advise? Thank you
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
i will say it had no worn edges. or frayed spots! Just broke kinda jagged in one spot. Are there some cheapo belts that do fail just for being junk? idk these things? Sry. I paid around $50 for the belt, tensioner, water pump, and new valve cover gasket. I was worried about the water pump, and tensioner, but the part manufacturer had good reviews. i wasn't going by the seller reviews. It gave the part manufacturer but maybe that wasn't actually the parts supplied? I'll go and find the belt, and get the name off it, and send it to you guys soon. Maybe you guys can tell a lot by the way it broke? i hope so. Thank you
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Originally Posted by Colin42
What brand was the timing belt?
It is a " Evergreen " brand. It definitely has rub marks on it when I just found it and looked closer. I struggled with the first timing belt replacement due to that stripped tensioner thread. The tensioner bolt was still nice and tight this time though. You guys need to explain what the heck the belt could be rubbing on? The alignment looked fine to me. All was good after a few rotations. Then I torqued it to 33 and pulled the pin out. It ran fine but I feel certain I heard what I thought was a rubbing sound?
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Originally Posted by Colin42
Cheap kit is probably the issue
I would fully agree. That small amount of rubbing surely isn't the cause of the belt breaking. A Gates brand timing belt is $6 on Rockauto. However, if the tensioner and water pump are also this Evergreen brand, get the Gates kit that includes them for $90. GATES TCKWP312.
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Originally Posted by BrotatoChip
I would fully agree. That small amount of rubbing surely isn't the cause of the belt breaking. A Gates brand timing belt is $6 on Rockauto. However, if the tensioner and water pump are also this Evergreen brand, get the Gates kit that includes them for $90. GATES TCKWP312.
I agree with you 100%.Idk what I was thinking buying the kit off eBay for 52.95? Like you said, even 8f I didn't want to spend what all OEM would cost, at least go with something like Gates quality. I got 2 more photos. You will see the one outside edge has been rubbed, and I believe that led to a split, and the eventual break. I now think this Evergreen belt is probably very poor quality. I'll have the new belt on later today after work. Can I try to start it with all covers off just to see how, or if it even runs? Can I start it without the side mount on? Just engine supported?
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Thank you for that information. I installed. T-belt this morning before work. Something I have discovered. I had to hand drill out the tensioner threads on my 1st belt I did on it. The tensioner is not aligned properly. It sits with the left side facing it, slightly cocked inward. Now I realize why the belt doesn't sit flush on the tensioner pulley. The belt protrudes out a little on the left side of the tensioner. I wondered why when I did my hand rotations ,the belt would pull away on the left side of the tensioner. I feel that could be causing a problem? I'm definitely not going to try and re-drill it. I used a shorty drill bit, but still not enough room to get my Harbor Freight close quarters drill adapter. I turned it in with small Vicegrips. Did the best I could
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Does anyone think I could use a half of a washer, and shim out the left side of the tensioner a bit? I tried placing a thin stainless washer on the rear of tensioner. That moves it all out a bit but it's still not aligned.
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
That's why the timing belt was rubbing. I still don't think it should have failed like that so quickly but I digress.
You need to fix the threads. A washer might make the alignment on the pulley a bit better but the new belt will just rub something the same way. I had to lower the driver's side of the engine down quite a ways before I could get a drill in through the wheel well for the timesert kit.
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Originally Posted by BrotatoChip
That's why the timing belt was rubbing. I still don't think it should have failed like that so quickly but I digress.
You need to fix the threads. A washer might make the alignment on the pulley a bit better but the new belt will just rub something the same way. I had to lower the driver's side of the engine down quite a ways before I could get a drill in through the wheel well for the timesert
I was thinking that maybe I can shim out the cover a little so it doesnt rub. Idk if the belt is over the pulley edge a little will that cause damage in it's own right, or not?. As in as long as the belt isn't rubbing on the cover?
Last edited by Flocker; May 19, 2023 at 08:15 PM.
Reason: Update.
re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Hello to all who replied to me. I ended up having to shim the tensioner out a bit, using 2 washers, One a little thickier, and one thinner. After doing so, and re-installing the belt, and rotating, I was happy to see the belt now riding on the tensioner nicely. With that done, I finally got it all together this morning. Remember I was coming off of a belt that broke while I was driving 2 weeks ago this Friday. I spent some extra time rotating my engine 90 degrees at a time, and checking valve clearences for all 4 cylinders. All seemed to be good. I am happy to say she started right up, She sounded good, so I went on with installing everything to finish. I changed my oil as the final touch. Some positive extras are no more oil leak now, must have been the valve cover! I haven't taken her out yet, but she's waiting for me, all cleaned up too!! I got very lucky on this one. I thanked God when she started and ran ok! My Honda is a Texas girl, and being an 05 she has zero rust. Underneath is super clean. Bad repaint, but I love her! LOL and thank you guys!
Re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Thank you, and Idk it was rare for damage not to happen? I was thinking of selling her, but I guess I better keep her then. I call her Christine sometimes! Lol
Re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
I am happy to realize now, that I had some luck! I had watched a video on You Tube, in where " Eric The Car Guy, " installs a new timing belt on his son's 2005 1.7, that had broke the belt while driving it. The basis of this video was on, " How do you know if you did damage, when your timing belt breaks? " He basically said it's easier to just go ahead and install a new belt, and try to start your car. He starts the car, and it was loaded up a little at first, but it clears out and runs good. That was ironic to me, because when my car died, on broken belt, I smelled a lot of raw fuel.Mine did not load up though upon first try to start after the new belt. I was slow at getting it done, due to work schedule, and it sat quite a while with no plugs in it. I also cleaned my plugs while they were out. They did smell like raw fuel. Since his started and was ok, I thought it was no big deal that mine also was ok. You guys have made me realize that I was lucky, and I sure needed some good luck! I wish you all some good luck in your near future. Thank you all again!
Re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Originally Posted by Flocker
I ended up having to shim the tensioner out a bit, using 2 washers, One a little thickier, and one thinner. After doing so, and re-installing the belt, and rotating, I was happy to see the belt now riding on the tensioner nicely.
Glad you got it running again but I want to point out that needing to shim the tensioner to get the belt to ride in the middle means it's not sitting flush on the block. Will it last 100k miles like this? Who knows. Will it eventually cause rubbing to occur and possibly break the belt again? Very likely.
Re: More timing Belt problems on my 05 LX [solved]
Originally Posted by Flocker
I am happy to realize now, that I had some luck! I had watched a video on You Tube, in where " Eric The Car Guy, " installs a new timing belt on his son's 2005 1.7, that had broke the belt while driving it. The basis of this video was on, " How do you know if you did damage, when your timing belt breaks? " He basically said it's easier to just go ahead and install a new belt, and try to start your car. He starts the car, and it was loaded up a little at first, but it clears out and runs good. That was ironic to me, because when my car died, on broken belt, I smelled a lot of raw fuel.Mine did not load up though upon first try to start after the new belt. I was slow at getting it done, due to work schedule, and it sat quite a while with no plugs in it. I also cleaned my plugs while they were out. They did smell like raw fuel. Since his started and was ok, I thought it was no big deal that mine also was ok. You guys have made me realize that I was lucky, and I sure needed some good luck! I wish you all some good luck in your near future. Thank you all again!
"Some luck" is an understatement, considering it's an interference engine.
During my experience with my timing belt getting damaged, I prayed that it was just the timing belt. I swapped in a new belt, went to start it, and it made the nastiest groaning sound. I can only describe it like if you try to restart a car you thought you stalled, but didn't, then make it about 10 times nastier sounding. Zero compression in my case
