How to change timing belt.

[Schwartz1986]

I was just going to ask the board what size socket that tensioner takes. Thank you!

Toby

[jimig1]

i found this http://home.earthlink.net/~aveobot/id1.html

[cwilliams]

I had found that too! Great information. Will be using that when I have to fix the timing next week.

[NYChevoo]

i found this http://home.earthlink.net/~aveobot/id1.html

thats a very useful post!! very interesting to read about the procedures involved.

[04AveoLS5204]

This is all true. MY dad and I replaced the timing belt on my Aveo at around 90,000 miles and the darn belt still seems to be in great condition! No cracks, warps, etc... In a nutshell, we took the passenger wheel off, unbolted the crankshaft pulley, removed the motor mount (from the fender and the engine), and used some adjustable wrenches to unscrew the water pump. We even had to get the alternator out of the way just to get the water pump to unscrew properly!!!

A word of caution...try to get the engine to Top Dead Center (TDC) BEFORE you remove the timing belt, and MARK THE LOCATION OF the MARKS IN A MARKER!!! (lots of marks there...lol). MY dad and I forgot this one part, and it took us almost a day and a half to get the engine resynced and stuff before we installed the new belt. This is a two person job, so be prepared.

In all, after about approx $150-$200 (maybe less) and two days of work, we got the timing belt replaced, as well as the idler pulley for the serpentine belt and the serpentine belt itself. Be careful if you try to start the engine after you place the new timing belt on to test it...you need the "harmonic Balancer" on the crankshaft pulley to balance the engine as well as keep the timing belt from slipping off. IF you disconnected some sensors to get them out of the way, your computer will throw you the CEL and some codes. Those will turn off after a couple miles of driving.

If you do it yourself....GOOD LUCK and Have Fun!

[petrified.rabbit]

not to sound rude, but how much experience do you and your dad have working on cars?