Timing Belt (Warning: Noob post)

[XWRed5W3]

So I see this NAPA timing belt on ebay for like $27, and I'm getting near the point where I have to get mine replaced. So my question is - exactly how hard is it to change a timing belt? Or is this one of those things best left to a professional? Thanks.

[SuperGLS]

Here's what you do...

Go to www.hmaservice.com (then bookmark/favorite place it for later uses).

Go to Service Info, then WebTech.

Put in Elantra, and your year. Then hit SHOP.

Go to Engine Mechanical System.

Then Timing System.

Then Timing Belt.

Then Disassembly/reassembly.

Then you can decide whether or not it's the job for you. I'm lazy, I'd probably have someone else do it, or have a fellow Elantra owner help out.

[rckozma]

Moved post because timing belts are not really suspension/brakes/drivetrain.

[FordFasteRR]

dude... if you have never done something like this, and you are not used to working on cars.. DO NOT attempt this on your own.

Just fork up the labor cost and pay a real mechanic to do this for you... you will thank me in the end..

just so you know, your chances of f_cking this up are like 80% or higher if you have never done it before at all....

[XWRed5W3]

Wow those are some bad directions. Can someone say repetitive?

1. Remove the crankshaft pulley, coolant pump pulley and drive belt.

2. Remove the alternator bolt.

3. Remove the coolant pump pulley and belt.

4. Remove the crankshaft pulley.

But wouldn't I have to do it at least once in order to get better at it? That's kind of an oxymoron, isn't it? I shouldn't do it because I'm inexperienced, but I have to do it in order to get experienced?

Anyway, just being a smart a$$. I really don't think I'll end up doing this myself, but thanks for the info.

[Cyberz XD]

Ford is right because one little mess up you can jack up the engine really fast. Not only that you can blow that engine to because if your cam shaft is off by a digree your screwed. You can also mess up your pistons also.

[dragonfighter60]

Sorry to bring thread back from the dead, but I have a quick question. To mark the cams position before the belt change, couldn't you use whiteout to mark one of the teeth and the keep the line going onto the block? heres one of ford's pics for reference with a paint mark to show what I'm talking about.

[NorthernYankee]

Yes you can do that and you also would want to put a mark on the crank pulley too.

--NY

[dragonfighter60]

sweet thx

Sorry another quick question, Do you really have to take off the sprockets and the tensionor and idler pullies do you, just for changing the belt like webtech says?

[slow 2K2GT]

you can be off 4 teeth on the belt...believe me I know

[nomolag]

When I did the timing belt on my Camry, I just painted marks everywhere the timing belt made contact with a toothed surface on both the belt and the gears. Then I just made the exact same marks on the new belt by counting teeth and put it all back together. I didn't even have to set it at TDC or anything.

That should work on this engine, right?

Chris

[BlackElantraGT]

It's time for my timing belt to be replaced. Do you guys recommend changing the water pump also on our cars when getting the timing belt replaced?

[KeWLKaT]

i recommend changin the A/C belt too.

[sed]

honestly, its that that big of a job....

As long as you mark EVERYTHING. You can't mark too many things. Mark the belt, mark the crank pulley mark the tbelt pulley, mark the new belt. Mark your face cause its fun....

Also, make sure you change the hydraulic tensioner, it may not SEEM like you need to change it, but do you want to gon 20k miles and have to do the job again because you didn't change the tensioner?

shawn