Hve I caused pblm changing 2007 Pilot timing belt?

[Dan]

Hello,

I am new here and first time poster.

I spent several weeks reading, YouTubing, researching about how to change the timing belt and water pump in our 2007 Honda Pilot. My plan was to do it today during the Labor Day weekend. It was going very smoothly and then I had, or possibly created a big problem for myself.

After getting to the point where everything was removed (timing belt off) and I had replaced the water pump I was getting ready to call it a day. (Took me over 2 hours just to get the crank pulley bolt off. Broke two 1/2 breaker bars in the process. Finally, remembered that I have a 3/4 breaker bar from my VW Beetle days. Went and got a 3/4 19mm socket and got it off in a few minutes using a four foot piece of gas pipe as a cheater bar.)

I wanted to put all my pulleys at TDC. So, first I lined up the little dimple on the crankshaft gear with the mark on the engine. Then I lined up the number “1” of the front cam with the TDC mark on the engine. Then I went to the rear camshaft pulley and when turning the pulley to line up the mark on the pulley with the mark on the engine, I would get to that point and the pulley would kick forward past the mark. If I reversed it and went backwards to align the pulley with the mark, when I got to the mark, the pulley would now kick backwards. So I was thinking, “how am I going to get the rear cam pulley to line up?

In the process I was turning the rear pulley several times, backwards…forwards…sideways…. :S Anyhow, I did an experiment by taking the old belt and putting it in the rear pulley. With the belt on the pulley I found that I had more control and when turning the pulley I was now able to line up the marks at TDC. I can now see how I will get the rear pulley to line up at TDC when I finally get to that point.

So, here’s my concern and would really appreciate your feedback. I now know, after reading more articles that you really should not be turning the pulleys like I was and in addition without a belt on. When I finally called it a day all the marks are at TDC on the three pulleys: crank, front cam, rear cam. BUT….with all that turning and so forth are the pulleys at TDC just because the marks are lined up? I have a sick feeling that by doing this I may have really screwed something up and now I am going to have to have the Pilot towed to a bunch of “I told you so” service guys at Honda and have them do it at twice the price.

Thanks in advance. I’m thankful for forums like this that can help a dufus like me.
Dan :sick: 😳 🙁

Topic

[jacobnbr1]

Just because the manual says not to (they all say this) doesn’t mean something was damaged. The only way to know for sure is at this point finish it and start it.
I’m not going to say I told you so but I will say you now know what’s us “stealership” techs go through.
The crank bolt takes a special tool but if you don’t have one you can brace a good snapon 1/2 drive breaker bar against the frame and let the starter loosen it up for ya but I gotta caution new users of this work around to be careful and do it with the belt still attached and in time.
If it damaged it then it damaged the valves where you will have a misfire on a particular cylinder.
I hope you aligned the crank pulley to the large triangle pointer towards the back and not the small one closer to the radiator side.

[Dan]

jacobnbr1,

The point I am now at is:

– I have aligned the small dimple on one of the teeth of the crankshaft gear (that turns the crankshaft pulley) with the TDC small arrow on the engine. Then, I have the two cam shaft pulleys aligned with their marks. I have only done the removal part of the job, no installation yet except for the water pump. The engine has not been started.

I believe that when I slide the crankshaft pulley onto the Woodruff key on the crankshaft gear, the notch on the crankshaft gear aligns with the larger arrow on the lower cover. Is that what you are referring to?

If I have all the markings lined up, turn the crankshaft pulley a few revolutions and the marks still line up, would that mean that everything as far as alignment is where it should be?

In the service manual, it instructs you to line up that little dimple and then the two cam pulleys. But by turning the rear camshaft pulley over so many times I am worried that I could have thrown something off that I can no longer fix.

What do you think?

Thanks! I appreciate your help and anyone else as well. Really worried about what I may have done and am afraid to turn the car on after reassembly.

Dan

[jacobnbr1]

Sounds like you have it right. The only confusion I’ve noticed guys fallen error to is the front cam gear and the crank alignment but I think if guys would carefully read the procedure before they tear into it they would rectify their problems.
The rear has only one line to line up so I think it’s right.
See images..

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• image_2014-09-02.jpg

[jacobnbr1]

I was referring to the attachment where it shows the pointer on the cover aligned with the white mark on the pulley.

Attachments:

• image_2014-09-02-2.jpg

[EricTheCarGuy]

I don’t know if you’re aware, but I actually have a video available for that job. Here’s a link.

Honda J Series Timing Belt Replacement VManual

What you describe is a common issue. In fact, I believe we’ve addressed it here on the forum in the past. The rear cam on that engine lines up in such a way that the tension on the cam lobes from the valve springs can cause the cam to move unexpectedly. I like to use the box end of a 17mm wrench to put the cam in the correct location when installing the belt so that I can place it where I want it accurately. It doesn’t matter that the rest of the engine isn’t spinning. You can place the cam in the correct location without moving the rest of the engine. If you’ve been able to line things up again and you’ve rotated the engine around and the marks are still in the correct locations you should be fine.

Please keep us updated on your progress.

[Dan]

09-02-14

Eric,

Thank you so much for your reply. I look forward to watching your VManual Video tonight!

There is one point I should also draw to your attention. It may or may not be critical, I don’t know.
When noticing that the rear cam pulley would jut forward when aligning to the TDC mark, and in an effort to reallign it at TDC with the mark on the back cover, I used a ratchet to turn that pulley clockwise. I tried 4 or five times but of course every time the pulley would jut forward or backward. I turned it so many times that now it is hard to turn the pulley and I do not want to force it for fear of bending something internally. Even the bolt securing the pulley to the engine begins to further tighten if I put that much pressure on it.

Do you think that I have moved the cam shaft into a position that could be critical if I were to start the engine once it is all assembled? Because the cam won’t “agreeably” turn another revolution do you think I should turn it “counter-clockwise” for 4 or 5 revolutions?

Well, hopefully after watching your video tonight my questions will be answered. Thanks again Eric. I really appreciate your help and most of all I appreciate your site and the videos that you produce.

Dan

[Dan]

Would anyone be able to help me on what I asked about in my previous post?

“There is one point I should also draw to your attention. It may or may not be critical, I don’t know. When noticing that the rear cam pulley would jut forward when aligning to the TDC mark, and in an effort to realign it at TDC with the mark on the back cover, I used a ratchet to turn that pulley clockwise. I tried 4 or five times but of course every time the pulley would jut forward or backward. I turned it so many times that now it is hard to turn the pulley and I do not want to force it for fear of bending something internally. Even the bolt securing the pulley to the engine begins to further tighten if I put that much pressure on it.”

This was done without the belt on…

Thanks,
Dan

[Lorrin Barth]

Interference engine means the pistons and valve heads occupy the same space in the cylinders but at different times. What keeps these parts from hitting is the timing belt.

For most engines with a timing belt the procedure is to turn the crankshaft to where all the timing marks are aligned and then remove the timing belt. If a cam is going to turn due to valve spring pressure once the belt is removed the person doing the job should know of this before hand and know what direction and how much. If the cam or cams will move more than a little it is usually a good idea to lock them into position using either a special tool or by rigging something up.

Before the timing belt is removed it is very helpful to paint white marks on the sprocket and then onto the old belt. With both the old and new belt stacked on top of each other, transfer the marks to the new belt. This way when the new belt is installed everything is in time and the slack is in the correct place.

Turning a cam with enough force to tighten the sprocket fastener is bending valves. I asked my wife who was reading this post if the engine would run. She said, “Nope.”

So, I think it is time to admit failure and have it towed.

[EricTheCarGuy]

If you’re not able to rotate the cam into position, then move the crank slightly to move the pistons out of the way. Do not crank on the bolt if the cam is not moving, you may bend the valves if you continue to do that. As I stated in my last post, you don’t want to use a ratchet when moving that cam, use a 17mm box wrench to move the cam so you have more control. As you get it closer to it’s timing mark, it will stay in position if you don’t bump it.

[Author]

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