Thanks to everyone for taking time to reply. I posted a photo, if
you're curious:

http://hondaswap.com/attachments/gen...093006_001.jpg

 

Thanks. No shortage here of that "special vocabulary".
Any other tricky things to watch out for?



Michael Pardee wrote:

> Besides the special techniques, I think the special bolt requires
> special vocabulary. But once it moves the rest is downhill.

 

Thanks. No shortage here of that "special vocabulary".
Any other tricky things to watch out for?



Michael Pardee wrote:

> Besides the special techniques, I think the special bolt requires
> special vocabulary. But once it moves the rest is downhill.

 

Thanks. No shortage here of that "special vocabulary".
Any other tricky things to watch out for?



Michael Pardee wrote:

> Besides the special techniques, I think the special bolt requires
> special vocabulary. But once it moves the rest is downhill.

 

Hmm.. That could be it. I thought it funny for Honda to leave it
exposed like that. Since the rainy season began, this car has waded
through ankle-deep water a few times, and sometimes it splashes into
the engine bay. Could it be that being hot and getting wet caused the
cracking? I guess some previous mechanic forgot to put it back..


Jim Yanik wrote:

> Maybe that's why your new belt is degraded?
> It was left exposed to the elements by a missing cover.
>

 

Hmm.. That could be it. I thought it funny for Honda to leave it
exposed like that. Since the rainy season began, this car has waded
through ankle-deep water a few times, and sometimes it splashes into
the engine bay. Could it be that being hot and getting wet caused the
cracking? I guess some previous mechanic forgot to put it back..


Jim Yanik wrote:

> Maybe that's why your new belt is degraded?
> It was left exposed to the elements by a missing cover.
>

 

Hmm.. That could be it. I thought it funny for Honda to leave it
exposed like that. Since the rainy season began, this car has waded
through ankle-deep water a few times, and sometimes it splashes into
the engine bay. Could it be that being hot and getting wet caused the
cracking? I guess some previous mechanic forgot to put it back..


Jim Yanik wrote:

> Maybe that's why your new belt is degraded?
> It was left exposed to the elements by a missing cover.
>

 

Elle wrote:

> What sort of driving conditions does this car see? Anything
> that would qualify as "extreme" per your owner's manual?
> E.g. a lot of dust, cold starts, Canada-like temperature
> extremes?

Apart from wading into ankle-deep water a few times, it doesn't see
very extreme conditions. Weather is mild here, if somewhat hot and
humid. No evidence of oil on the belt, at least not now. It did have a
slight leak at the head gasket, before I replaced it. It's an easy jump
from there to the belt.

As cars this age go, it has relatively low mileage: less than 60K
miles.


> On the "special" pulley bolt: If I (an amateur who has
> slowly been accumulating more proficiency in the last ten
> years) can get it off using hand tools, I think just about
> anyone can.

Thanks for the advice, Elle. Since getting all your responses, I
prudently avoided running the engine. This afternoon I sprayed
penetrating oil into the bolt, to maybe help it along. What hand tools
did you use? I assume you made your own special wrench.

 

Elle wrote:

> What sort of driving conditions does this car see? Anything
> that would qualify as "extreme" per your owner's manual?
> E.g. a lot of dust, cold starts, Canada-like temperature
> extremes?

Apart from wading into ankle-deep water a few times, it doesn't see
very extreme conditions. Weather is mild here, if somewhat hot and
humid. No evidence of oil on the belt, at least not now. It did have a
slight leak at the head gasket, before I replaced it. It's an easy jump
from there to the belt.

As cars this age go, it has relatively low mileage: less than 60K
miles.


> On the "special" pulley bolt: If I (an amateur who has
> slowly been accumulating more proficiency in the last ten
> years) can get it off using hand tools, I think just about
> anyone can.

Thanks for the advice, Elle. Since getting all your responses, I
prudently avoided running the engine. This afternoon I sprayed
penetrating oil into the bolt, to maybe help it along. What hand tools
did you use? I assume you made your own special wrench.

 

Elle wrote:

> What sort of driving conditions does this car see? Anything
> that would qualify as "extreme" per your owner's manual?
> E.g. a lot of dust, cold starts, Canada-like temperature
> extremes?

Apart from wading into ankle-deep water a few times, it doesn't see
very extreme conditions. Weather is mild here, if somewhat hot and
humid. No evidence of oil on the belt, at least not now. It did have a
slight leak at the head gasket, before I replaced it. It's an easy jump
from there to the belt.

As cars this age go, it has relatively low mileage: less than 60K
miles.


> On the "special" pulley bolt: If I (an amateur who has
> slowly been accumulating more proficiency in the last ten
> years) can get it off using hand tools, I think just about
> anyone can.

Thanks for the advice, Elle. Since getting all your responses, I
prudently avoided running the engine. This afternoon I sprayed
penetrating oil into the bolt, to maybe help it along. What hand tools
did you use? I assume you made your own special wrench.

 

sharx333 wrote:

> Jim Yanik wrote:
>
> > Maybe that's why your new belt is degraded?
> > It was left exposed to the elements by a missing cover.
>
> Hmm.. That could be it. I thought it funny for Honda to leave it
> exposed like that. Since the rainy season began, this car has waded
> through ankle-deep water a few times, and sometimes it splashes into
> the engine bay. Could it be that being hot and getting wet caused the
> cracking? I guess some previous mechanic forgot to put it back..
>

"Mechanic" is too nice of a word for someone who "forgets" to reinstall the
lower timing belt cover.

Eric

 

sharx333 wrote:

> Jim Yanik wrote:
>
> > Maybe that's why your new belt is degraded?
> > It was left exposed to the elements by a missing cover.
>
> Hmm.. That could be it. I thought it funny for Honda to leave it
> exposed like that. Since the rainy season began, this car has waded
> through ankle-deep water a few times, and sometimes it splashes into
> the engine bay. Could it be that being hot and getting wet caused the
> cracking? I guess some previous mechanic forgot to put it back..
>

"Mechanic" is too nice of a word for someone who "forgets" to reinstall the
lower timing belt cover.

Eric

 

sharx333 wrote:

> Jim Yanik wrote:
>
> > Maybe that's why your new belt is degraded?
> > It was left exposed to the elements by a missing cover.
>
> Hmm.. That could be it. I thought it funny for Honda to leave it
> exposed like that. Since the rainy season began, this car has waded
> through ankle-deep water a few times, and sometimes it splashes into
> the engine bay. Could it be that being hot and getting wet caused the
> cracking? I guess some previous mechanic forgot to put it back..
>

"Mechanic" is too nice of a word for someone who "forgets" to reinstall the
lower timing belt cover.

Eric

 

sharx333 wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for taking time to reply. I posted a photo, if
> you're curious:
>
> http://hondaswap.com/attachments/gen...093006_001.jpg
>
dude, that's in seriously bad condition. you were lucky to catch it
before it broke. it's guess the belt was /way/ over-tight.

 

sharx333 wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for taking time to reply. I posted a photo, if
> you're curious:
>
> http://hondaswap.com/attachments/gen...093006_001.jpg
>
dude, that's in seriously bad condition. you were lucky to catch it
before it broke. it's guess the belt was /way/ over-tight.