How do I move the cam without moving the crankshaft?
No slack on the left.
All the slack on the right.
Tester
How to do that tho ?
Take the car to a shop.
Youâre in over your head.
Tester
I can remove the belt and install it back but how can I tighten the left and then right with out moving the crank shaft
I would take it to shop lol but Iâm trying save money and also learn about my car so I can repair it on my own.
Itâs a need to know issue because the pistons rise to their topmost position in their compression stroke and next time on their exhaust stroke. You want piston #1 at TDC on its compression stroke when you put the big pulley (harmonic balancer) on. The distributorâs rotor should be pointing close to the wire for spark plug #1. The camshaft pulley should have the Up label up and its 2 marks aligned with the top of the engine block.
One way to find when a cylinder is in its compression stroke is to stick a snug plastic hose into its spark plug hole. Put a balloon over the end. When itâs inflating, its on the compression stroke.
Or if you can get your finger to cover the open hole and have someone else hand crank the engine, you can feel the pressure build during the compression stroke.
On your Honda Civic, the engine turns counterclockwise. Watch the big pulley, viewed from the left wheel well. Always turn the pulley/crankshaft counterclockwiseâŠ
Thank you so much for youâre help. Do that tomorrow and update you. I really appreciate youâre help and time shanonia.
You just need to line up the marks on the crank and cam.
When the crank mark is lined up, the piston for #1 cylinder is at the top of itâs stroke.
When cam marks are lined up, both the intake and exhaust valves are closed for #1 cylinder.
Tester
The crankshaft pulley can be install when on the compression stroke, exhaust stroke or any other position, it makes no difference.
The position of the camshaft determines whether the engine is on the compression stroke or exhaust stroke, the crankshaft has to accept what the camshaft is providing.
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Rotation to the right would be clockwise. Counterclockwise would be rotation to the left (looking at the rotation from the top).
Youâre right. I was wrong. Itâs when installing a distributor that you need to know when the piston in cylinder #1 is at TDC on its compression, not its exhaust, stroke. Morris_C. has had troubles with the distributor, turning it to get the ignition timing right, but if he has not removed it and reinstalled it off kilter, his ignition timing problem stems from a misstep in the timing belt job.
I did remove it once, about a week ago. I took down the transmission to replace the rear main seal. I had to remove the distributor.
Did you get the distributor back in with its rotor pointing the same direction it had been? And most important, did you do his without any turning of the crankshaft?
Itâs possible the distributor was reinstalled a bit off kilter. If the TDC timing marks on the big pulley and the camshaft pulley are indeed right on, you may need only to try pulling the distributor while looking at the rotor, and rotate the rotor it a tad in the desired direction before pushing the dist back into place. Maybe some trial and error will get the distributor close enough that you can rotate the dist body one way or the other and touch up the ignition timing with your strobe gun.
Iâm a bit lost
But this is what I did. I removed the distributor then I turned the crankshaft. But because I needed to remove the bolts that hold the turbin between the engine and the transmission.
After I was done I just put the distributor back.
You canât install the distributor wrong on this engine.
The tabs on the distributor shaft that mate up to the camshaft are different sizes.
Tester
Should I tighten my belt like this guy did ? Because I didnât do it like that ?
Something just occurred to me:
On any engine with the marks lined up, you can be at top dead center or bottom dead center. You have to visually inspect a cylinder (through a spark plug hole) to make sure the proper cylinder is at the top of its stroke rather than the bottom.
Itâs not too late to let a professional finish this job. Since youâve started it, it might only cost $200-300 to finish it.
The car is put together tho, I want to do it my self and learn.
No. The crankshaft should only be turned counterclockwise.