How do you install a timing belt in a 1989 Pontaic Sunbird?

Answer 1

Removal:

Remove the engine coolant jug from side ( 3-4 screws ). Get it out of the way. Leave the hose connected. Remove the vacuum hose on top of the camcover ( 1 bolt ) and leave it there.Disconnect battery -ve terminal.Remove accesory drive belt by pushing down on the belt tensioner.Remove the alternator ( 2 electrical connections and 3 bolts and 1 nut ) Get it out of the way. Remove the steering pump, leave the hoses connected ( 2 attach points ; nut on the intake side of head and 2 nuts on the engine mounting bracket. Get it out of way.

Jack up the car and remove front passenger wheel. Remove the splash guard so that you have access to the crankshaft pulley.

Standup again.

Remove 5 - 6 bolts on the timing belt cover plus a nut in the middle of the cover. Remove the cover.

Loosen 3 bolts on the water pump ( 1 bolt accesible and 2 thru holes on the back cover).

There is a little tab on the water pump to push it down. This will remove the tension from the timing belt. Remove timing belt.

Suggestion :

Change the water pump too if req'd now otherwise you have to do this all over again.Remove the top sprocket sprocket.Crankshaft pulley can be removed by removing the accesory pulley ( 4 bolts ) and then take the bottom cover of the tranny ( 3 - 4 bolts ). Jam a screwdriver between the teeth of the big gear to hold it from spinning and remove the crankshaft pulley ( small one on the bottom )Remove the idler in the middle.Remove the 2 bolts and remove the back cover.

Now you can remove the water pump and replace it too.

If not replacing the water pump it is good to replace the rubber o-ring on it.It's 20 cents and saves a lot of troublelater with leaks.

Installation :

Install water pump and leave it loose.Install back cover.

Install Idler pulley. Look at the little spring tab hole and the hole on the bracket because this is the hole to line up for tensioning the timing belt.

Install top sprocket. The alignment mark should be up and in line with the notch on the back cover on top.Insatll the bottom small pulley with the alignment mark at bottom lined with backcover at bottom.Torque - 115 FT-LBS.Install timing belt. And tension it by moving the tab on the water pump clockwise ( UP ) until the hole on the idler spring tab lines with hole on the pulley bracket.

Tighten the water pump bolts.

Insatll the frontcover, Steering pump, alternator, Vacuum hose and battery -ve .

Install the accesory pulley and belt.

Install splash cover ant wheel.

Adjust timing by loosening the distributor as req'd.