Getting Ready to do the timing belt and water pump

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:25 am

Sometimes you have to pop the plastic cover on the alternator pulley to see the red dust. In addition the alternator clutch should not be engaged all the time and with a bad clutch it's common for the serpentine belt tensioner to bounce a lot (as opposed to barely twitching) which can destroy the tensioner.

The correct pulley runs about $80-100 (cheaper ones are not correct) and can be a problem to remove while a rebuilt alternator with the correct pulley and a lifetime warranty can be had from like AutoZone for IIRC ca. $150. If so a full alternator replacement is the way to go.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:48 am

When I first got my CRD last year, it was making the same chirping sound at idle. Soon as you increased the motor speed, it would go away. Tried spraying the serpentine belt with belt dressing and it made it worse. Turned out the serpentine belt was bad causing the chirp; replaced the belt with a good quality Gates belt and the chirp was gone.

I did later replace the tensioner pulley assembly I got from ID Parts as the old one was jumping up and down a little bit to much at idle. :roll:

One quick way to diagnose this problem is to remove the serpentine belt from the tensioner and start the motor and listen if the chirp goes away. This rules out the belt and everything it drives. If the noise is still present, then it may be coming from one of the timing belt pulleys... :shock:

Caution! Only run the motor for a very, very short period of time without the belt for diagnostic purposes. :juggle:

k5robnp · **Joined:** Tue May 28, 2013 10:10 am **Posts:** 47

Thanks so much for the quick responses. The dust cover is already off of this alt pulley and thats why i noticed the red dust. I went ahead and ordered the oe replacement decoupler to save a couple bucks. Are these normal threads or reverse threads?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:13 am

See viewtopic.php?f=5&t=75841&p=796353&hilit=alternator#p796353 for a DIY removal tool or you can apparently use the Lisle tool kit LS57650 at O'Reilly or ID Parts.

See geordi's comment on thread direction. Apparently I was wrong.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:49 pm

I made exactly that mistake, and turned the pulley the wrong way to remove it, locking it on so tight that I actually broke the tool trying to undo the stupidity.

If the center shaft of the alternator is held as if it is locked in place... Then the pulley removes normal - standard threads.

k5robnp · **Joined:** Tue May 28, 2013 10:10 am **Posts:** 47

okay so to be clear the pulley has regular threads, meaning clockwise to tighten and counter clockwise to loosen.

jws84_02 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:15 pm

Yes, normal threads.

I never thought the removal was hard. I completely removed my alt, put it in a vice and used a 1/2 impact gun with the correct size Allen socket and spun it right off

k5robnp · **Joined:** Tue May 28, 2013 10:10 am **Posts:** 47

got started tonight. Got most stuff off except the pulleys. The alt pulley came off real easy with an impact wrench and the h17. Thanks for the advice. Tomorrow is the rest, hopefully the tool gets here by then.

k5robnp · **Joined:** Tue May 28, 2013 10:10 am **Posts:** 47

Got the new water pump on and the new timing belt, tensioner and idlers on last night. Man what a PITA getting the new timing belt on everything is..... Finally got it on starting at the crank and ending at the passenger idler pulley. Thanks everyone for the advise and quick responses. Im hoping everything is still lined up. It turns smoothly with a wrench and I guess the only thing that really matters is that the crank marks still are close to lined up when its all said and done since the cams themselves were locked down independent of their sprockets. What would happen if the crank was a tooth off? I dont think it is but just curious.

Thanks

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:15 am

You wouldn't have the protection of that spacing when the belt wears in and slowly stretches the timing spacing between the pistons and the cams - The result would be valve impact and rocker breakage eventually.

If the marks aren't lining up, then you are a tooth off. Very easy to do, and important that you fix it now while you can.

The crankshaft bolt holes should be perfectly vertical and horizontal, and the cam pins should go straight in on both. That is the main thing that matters.

k5robnp · **Joined:** Tue May 28, 2013 10:10 am **Posts:** 47

Thanks for the advice. I don't think I'm off a tooth or anything but was just curious. Got it all back together and it runs great. Seems smoother than before even. I'm sure the new alternator decoupler has something to do with that as well.

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:57 pm

geordi wrote:

3 hours is a safe estimate hood-to-hood. What is your best time?

My timing belt/water pump took about eight hours. That was with taking multiple phone calls from work, lunch break, friends coming up to visit, etc. It was August, and pretty darn hot out as well. That said, if I didn't have so many interruptions, it probably would've taken me between four and five hours on that first one. I didn't struggle with the fan so much, I had bought a fan clutch tool. I had more trouble with the harmonic balancer. That thing was stuck, that took me a good hour alone just to remove that. I also replaced the factory thermostat as well. The right tools are absolutely crucial for not only getting the job done properly, but for getting it done in a timely fashion. I had the correct tools, and everything went smoothly.

Getting Ready to do the timing belt and water pump

Who is online