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I'm taking my engine apart to replace my head gasket and noticed
The timing belt is being shredded on the right side.
In the picture, see how the belt is on the edge of tensioner, like it's trying to move off.
On the camshaft gear, it's also towards the edge.

What could be the reason that the timing belt is moving slightly/slowly toward the outside?
Is something out of alignment?

I'm wondering if it means that the tensioner is somehow wrong, or out of alignment?
Is there any adjustment on the tensioner, other than the spring?
I'll replace the belt, but
What can I do to fix this?

This belt is about one year old, about 25,000 miles.
2003 Civic LX, D17A1

Thank you,
Bill

 
Rep Power: 518

FYI, left and right of a car is determined as one is sitting in the drivers seat. Left is always the same no matter where you are standing.

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Belt is walking outward. Away from the engine.

Set everything at TDC as usual, remove the belt, and inspect the water pump for play in the shaft and bearing, and inspect the same for the tensioner pulley (both its bearing and its pivot).

One of them is no longer aligned straight and true to the rest of the pulleys when tension is applied.

If the pump is shot, you will feel play when you grab and wiggle the pulley (gear).

The tensioner may or may not have noticeable play in it.

The shop manual has a procedure to measure the tensioner, 0.030" difference side to side is considered bad because it will let the belt walk like yours has done.

If it is the tensioner, I strongly recommend only factory parts.
I'd throw away aftermarket before installing it. It's cheaper that way.

 
Rep Power: 209

my money would be bet on the water pump,

i would replace the water pump and the tensioner and put a new belt on, that should solve your problem, its not very likely the crank or cam causing this,

 
Rep Power: 518

There should have been some other, more dramatic symptoms if either of those were outta whack and running crooked.


Like a brief, loud, rattle-bang, followed by crickets chirping.

 
Rep Power: 209

maybe, but what else can it be?

only two other possibilities are the crank or cam pulley, and i cant see either of them causing this,

i am surprised the OP didnt hear the belt rubbing against the timing cover

 
Rep Power: 518

It certainly can't have a crankshaft running crooked, nor a camshaft running crooked.
A loose pulley might wobble back and forth, but the shafts must still be straight if the engine is still able to run.

Gotta be the water pump or the tensioner.

OP must investigate and hopefully update.I'm not.

 
Rep Power: 209

i didnt realize you quoted this with your last reply.....

i thought u were including the water pump and tensioner with your remark, my mistake,

 
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I had same issue!
Experts might not agree, but i fixed it with two washers between block and tensioner. It was with new oem water pump and tensioner. As a result, tensioner bolt is against lower timing belt cover but timing belt rotates where it should be.

BUT STILL Listen to EZone first ! I am just a hobbiest auto handyman (besides being a physician).

 
Rep Power: 518

LOL

I'm not a real mechanic, but I play one on T.V.

 
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Was the pump and tensioner changed at the last timing belt change?

 
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I have a 2003 honda civic. Just did a full timing belt job, replaced everything. The initial problem was the tensioner spring broke and was rattling around and it threw a CPK sensor code. Two weeks after the k
Job the spring broke again??? Why? Is there a way to instal it wrong. I'm a good mechanic but not a pro and I work on Toyota pick ups usually. Ezone- I used DNJ timing belt kit including tensioner and spring. It's not duralast but its not honda??? Help

 
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ezone- before I replace the spring and belt again I need to make sure it wasn't my fault what do you think about DNJ and is it possible I put the spring on "backward" if that's possible. During installation i eased the spring of the perch to facilitate allowing the belt to go on easier as I had pulled the grenade pin already and then discovered I had missed a step- the middle dust cover wasn't on lol. Is it possible i broke something while easing the spring off and then back on- the tensioner was torqued to full spec at that point?? Affect the unloading procedure when you torque the tensioner down for the last time- you know and then pull the grenade pin like I DID NOT?

 
Rep Power: 518

Use factory parts.
There is no question of quality that way.
Expensive? No. Priceless.





Tensioner pulley and spring must be replaced as a set.
The worn out hole in the tensioner arm will wear or break a new spring.
I have seen the hole in the tensioner worn all the way through.

Factory sells tensioner and spring as a set.

Factory tensioner has a bushing or grommet pressed into the hole where the spring rides, some aftermarket units do not.


Someone had posted a really good pic of one of these not too long ago, only I can't remember if it was on this particular site or not.

 
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So OEM is that an AISIN unit or AISIN/ Denso like i see on my Toyota. AISIN offered a timing belt kit. And yes I replaced everything at once including the sensors.

So is there a way to put the spring on "backwards" or Ina way that leads to failure. My new parts failed in 2 weeks??

I have used DNJ parts before. They offer a HD upgrade for my 22re Toyota and they worked great. DNJ stands for domestic and Japanese.

I know the mantra well of use OEM or else as most my toyo parts are OEM from Toyota- the ones that matter like rocker arm assembly but I have done well with what I call OEM quality after market like a DOA or DNJ or AISIN. You may be laughing lol that's ok.

 
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Gonna tear it apart Monday ill look close ate tensioner.

Bottom line can anyone say why my spring failed the first time and then the new one in two week??? First one was presumably original and was not changed by whomever did the first timing belt job so I figured broke due to fatigue- weird I thought- but possible. The new spring should last just as long- so I thought.

Why spring break?????

 
Rep Power: 518

Post pics of the failed parts, and closeups of their problem areas.

 
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yes it is possible,

the honda spring has a rubber boot at one end marked "up" that end connects to the engine post, not the tensioner,

i dont know of anybody who makes an aftermarket spring, even aftermarket tensioners come with a factory honda oem spring (as far as i know)

 
Rep Power: 209

pulling the grenade pin is the final step, the absolute last thing you do before putting the covers back on

 
Rep Power: 209

brand new parts do not fail in two weeks, i dont care who makes the parts, OEM or aftermarket, new parts do not fail in two weeks if they are installed correctly, in my opinion you screwed something up big time,

 
Rep Power: 518

Back that truck up!

Your belief is quite mistaken.

I present ChinaZone (and many others). Cheapo parts. Counterfeit parts. Mismade parts. Recalled parts. The list goes on.

They can fail before they are ever installed.
Bad on the production line, skipped past quality inspection.
Then, to YOU!
Bad, right out of the box.
"You MUST have installed it wrong. No warranty for you."

NEW stands for Never Ever Worked.



Your own wheel bearing lasted only 3 years. Must have been your fault ...No?
Ok, what about the poster that had a bearing failed in 2 days, then the next replacement lasted only an hour?
Clicky: https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...blem-help.html
YOU were in that thread man, don't you remember it?

A quote from one of my posts in there:

From this site: http://www.vbearings.com/sales/657/
"However how to distinguish counterfeit bearings from original NTN beairngs? Some counterfeit bearings look so much like the real thing that only a trained technician can tell them apart. However, the poor quality of counterfeit bearings %u2013 and the risks they pose to equipment %u2013 can sometimes be revealed after just hours of use"



Common to see aftermarket timing belt tensioners on this engine last 1/20th as long (or less) as a factory part.

/The defense rests.

 
Rep Power: 518

I put the spring back on, then I like to make certain it is really in time before putting the covers on.

 
Rep Power: 209

3 years is alot longer then 2 weeks, i wouldnt say its uncommon for a wheel bearing to go after 3 years

same as this case here.....installation error

 
Rep Power: 518

That was giving you static, for the most part. Since about 2005 model year, we have been doing far more wheel bearings at an unusually early age than on previous years.
Like hell it was. It's pretty damn tough to screw up the install of a rear hub and bearing assembly.

My money is still on counterfeit parts for that thread. It's a common problem in the aftermarket. (OP never posted a resolution.)



Same with this thread.
If it is the fault of the tensioner, and the bolt is still tight, then it is a part failure.
The only installation error that will let the pulley run crooked is having the bolt come loose.
If the tensioner bolt is tight, then it did not fail through an installation error, even if other errors had been made.

 
Rep Power: 209

you dont get two defective wheel bearings in a row, i dont care how bad your luck is, and i dont care what brand your buying....buying two defective wheel bearings in a row is just not happening....its still an installation error IMO

 
Rep Power: 518

You are out of touch with the real world.

The counterfeit bearings are poorly made, improper hardening process or just plain bad steel.

Here's one for you: 2 bad reman starters IN A ROW from HONDA. For an 03-07 body 2.4 Accord. Had to get one from the local Carquest to get it out the door. No installation errors at all. Just bad luck.


Someone needs to email the OP of the wheel bearing thread and have him update with a resolution to his problem.

 
Rep Power: 313

It's very possible to get two defective wheel bearings if your buying 20 dollar bearings. Sometimes they are so bad they are defective out of the box and make noise... FAIL.. It's possible to get 7-8 defective ones and then the one that works lasts like 2 weeks lol.

 
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Ok so new parts on and running great for approx 1000 miles.

Ezone a shout out to you. It indeed was the little brass insert in the new
, I'm mean never ever worked, part that had been crushed and deformed. Although the spring had a broken end...again it had also fallen down and become seriously mangled by the crank pulley.

The tensioner bolt was still tight.

The spring had so much play it was wacking the can
M shaft sensor which caused other MIL to come on...had to replace that...again. As well as ht ckp sensor btw.

So the real honda tensioner had a reinforced area where the spring attaches. I believe the failure is due to cheap parts.

Oh and the spring did not have any rubber on it or any indications for direction of instal.


Thanks to everybody.

 
Rep Power: 518

Hope you become a believer now!

Where's mikey1 at now?

 
Rep Power: 186

^What ever do you mean ezone?

 
Rep Power: 518

<<<----- something about that line right there.