This is the best timing belt video on RU-vid. Everything is demystified and explained clearly. I always recommend this video to people asking if their timing is right or not.
I am a bit late to the party here. Basically, thanks for simplifying this process. Any one with doubts just follow this guide. My engine has stopped with none of the marks showing anywhere near anything else. i guess it had stopped at 180' out of TDC for cylinder 1. OR somehow moved while i was buggering about with belts and pulleys etc. I flapped and panicked but found this guide. I then didn't worry about turning things individually of one another. did exactly what he said. A bit of trouble will be had wriggling the belt on and holding the inlet cam in alignment. when you let go it will slacken the belt until you release the tensioner then it all pulls tight and lined up. I pissed about with this for about 30 minutes. Checked it 904 times. Used a few other pictures to double check. Slapped it all back together and only had to turn the key to test......so i tidied the garage......filled up the washer fluid.....checked tyre pressures...made a coffee, basically anything to avoid turning on the engine. with hands shaking i turned the key and kchhBrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Magic. The relief of not being a certified dickhead is massive (and probably temporary). Thanks again, Al.
You remind me of my high school shop teacher! Thanks for this video! Helped me do my timing belt on my project Miata. Great instructions! I think a few closer shots would have helped but you made it simple
Dude I’m 26 and have never done timing. This video makes me feel confident. I just need to check my timing on my nb2. But if I do have to adjust it because timings off, I’m GLAD I found this video.
I was pulling out my hair counting the teeth on mine not even 6 hours ago now I’m excited to get back in the garage and get it set right! Awesome video! I wish I had an auto shop teacher like you man!
Absolutely cleared up every bit of confusion I had about this, and made me re-gain so much confidence in my abilities as an intermediate mechanic thank you so much man so helpful.
Thanks for this! I had to tighten a couple loose bolts behind the cam gears.. and messed up my timing in the process. Your video made sure I got it right the 2nd time!
Thanks for taking the time to show step by step how to proceed. I did it on my Miata already and it's as you said super easy but need to pay attention every step.
Thank you very much,,I have a Mazda protoge with the 1,6 liter 4 cyclender that needs a water pump replacement ,i am gonna re do every thing new with a kit.thanks for the video.
Super helpful! Great vid. One question: if head has been shaved, which side is the “half-tooth” on. Above the timing mark or below? If crank to exhaust cam are correctly indexed. Both those are dead on as you mentioned in the vid. Thanks in advance.
Im just finishing my timing belt on a vvt 2004 Miata. Is there anything different between the vvt and non vvt. Also do you have a video on valve clearance. How to measure valve clearance. I measured mine though not sure I did it right. Thanks for all the work and sharing of knowledge.
I can honestly say I had never smacked a wrench on a crank bolt get it out, but hot dog did it work a treat! Best tip from any anything I've ever gotten.
I've been using the exact same method for 20 years after trying the first time to decipher the factory manual procedure.... and it has worked every time. I've sent this and your other timing vid to dozens of newbies and have gotten lots of thanks. Re the "TDC looks good" reference is that nobody knows how long the extension or screwdriver is...
@@Dannyvirk My whistling hose is easy enough to screw into the bottom of the plug well to know when compression stroke is coming up....neither of my Snap On mechanical stop DTIs will fit in the tunnel and if they did, I couldn't reach the stop nuts... I don't trust those " dead on TDC when it stops whistling" claims by the manufacturer... I modified a spent brass flare gun round that fits perfectly into the #1 plug tunnel, filled it with trimmed washers to keep the long #3 Philips screwdriver shank centered in the 1.6 #1 plug hole. By eye, I can get within about .005" of TDC - about a factor of 20 better than needed for timing belt installation and definitely close enough to know if the outer rim of the balancer has slipped...
@@cfdmedic58 How do you dial in adjustable camshafts, by using the marks on some plastic covering? I understand these are not adjustable, but use a DTI to confirm TDC. And come on bro, we are not kids here, you have to built a tool that connects the top of the piston to the DTI. Of course no standard DTI will reach to the top of the piston. And as for your video, I think it was really good, i've got mazda cambelt I have to change and I'll be using the info contained in it. I'll let you know how I go with my own video on getting the codes out of the computers OBD1 port and the cam belt swap. Thanks for your content.
superb explanation of the shaved head vs1/2- tooth off issue - Question? - if one has a choice in this situation would it be better, performance wise, to advance the intake cam by that 1/2 tooth?
Ive used the key bump method my self. Worked great lol. I know you like to see the notch but like you said the pin will be straight up. I don’t blame the people counting the 19 notches just to confirm it’s correct because in alot of the timing instructions that come with belts it tells you to do that even know it is unnecessary. but yah this is like the easiest timing belt to do so when you say it takes ppl days that surprises me.
Nice and simple. I was thinking when you put the cam gears back on they can go in any position, is there a dowl pin that locks them into one position with the cams? Seemed like you were saying that.
To remove the crank bolt I removed the swaybar brakets and attached the socket and a braker bar to the bolt, lowered the car and jump started it. I didnt work till the 7th try. But at least it did XD
Thankyou Al I'm buying a nb series 1 and have to change the water pump in the driveway of their house before I can drive it home I got quoted $700 Austrialian to fix it so thanks for the $700 bucks mate as they are supplying the water pump
Great video, my ‘97 belt snapped. I replaced it and the car tries to start but won’t. Watching your vid shows TDC with lobes facing out. I had the marks in place for tdc, but the lobes were facing each other. Any idea what I did wrong. Ty
I know this video is a year old, but I need help! I'm doing a 1995 1.8 engine swap in my 1990 NA Miata. I've done a ton of research regarding the project. I've made sure to watch youtube videos and check forums before attempting anything on the engine. I've recently replaced the waterpump, cam seals, and bottom crank seal. Next up was the timing, hence this video. But I've run into an issue. After aligning the cam gears, I went to align the bottom crankbolt with the arrow and the notch, however, I can't turn the crankbolt around enough to get it aligned. I haven't forced anything as I am too scared that I am hitting a valve with a piston. In all the timing videos I've watched including this one, the bottom crank bolt is already aligned before doing the timing, in my case, it's not already aligned. I know everything is supposed to rotate in sync, otherwise pistons will hit valves, but how do I time it right when I can't get the bottom crank bolt aligned. What am I missing?
What about the belt tensioning procedure? The crank needs to be rotated 1 5/6 turns to get the cams into the right position for the tensioner spring to apply the correct tension to the belt. That’s what the second mark is for on the oil pump, 60 degrees left of the TDC mark.
Hi, I've started this process and I am stuck. It's a 1999NB. I am down to the alternator belt removal and the lower bold that's on the back of the alternator is frozen and starting to strip. I can't get the tension out of the belt for removal. Is there a way to get the bolt off or a work around to get the belt off? I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!
On the 1.6, I prefer setting the intake cam one tooth advanced from factory spec for my daily driver and then, of course, the ignition timing needs to be retarded about 8 degrees. Results in a big gain in low end power with little if any loss on top (I assume because of the increased overlap). Also gains in fuel economy. Haven't checked, but I also assume it gains in NOX production, but should reduce carbon and CO2. :) No emissions testing where I now live so I don't need to worry about it.
Never thought about that. I'm doing my 1993 1.6 timing belt job right now, I might have to give this a try. If this really works maybe I'll be able to run the AC in between red lights haha.
@@tylerterveer57 No "if" to it. I used to always, when downshifting, choose one gear too high and then have to downshift one more to get the acceleration I wanted. Now I guess right every time. It makes about a one gear difference in the low end. So the acceleration level you were getting in second, you now get about the same in third. Not talking about max acceleration here, just when you are normally accelerating you can be a gear higher than what you were used to previously. If you read anything about lobe centerlines (not to be confused with lobe separation), the stock 1.6 intake has a centerline of 112. Advancing it one tooth will bring it to about 104. This closes the intake valve earlier (in relation to the crank) which helps low end power. Normally, this would also cause a loss of high end power, but because the exhaust cam is not moved, it increases valve overlap which helps top end power so it tends to equal out the impact. Don't forget to retard your ignition timing or you may have difficulty trying to get it to start. www.camcraftcams.com/degreeing-a-cam/
This extra half tooth slack makes sense now because I had that on mine... before my harmonic balancer snaped off at 60mph. Not fun, waiting on parts to fix.
Why would someone make their own marks with pen on the came gears instead of using the provided indents from Mazda? The previous person who owned my NB1 did that, I don’t understand why they would use their own marks if the backing plate and cams have what you need.
Same spaghetti code that breaks nighthawk with kinetic surges. Yes kinetic surges shouldn’t be buffing Goldie but they shouldn’t be lowering the damage it does either.
Just to add to this….make sure to check TDC on #1 cylinder. If you turn the crank 360 degrees, it’s now TDC on #4 cylinder. You can’t tell which cylinder is at TDC unless you use a straw or a long screwdriver in the spark plug hole to see that number one is at TDC .
hummmmm sorry that is not true, if im understanding your statement. If you line up the notch on the crank gear you will always have #1 and #4 at TDC. The head cam timing sets what stroke the engine is on. Yes you can be 180 off on the head.
@5:04 Your exhaust cam timing is off by one tooth. Engine will still run. Motor is designed for 19 teeth between hash marks and 5:04 shows 20 teeth. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DlHjYQxjIMk.html Your old video 19 teeth spacing ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KiXRtafIdik.html This video 20 teeth spacing🤪 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KiXRtafIdik.html This video 19 teeth spacing Consider the hash marks on the cam gear edges and not the letters and cam spokes. Ford/Mazda engine designers put them there. Need paint pen marks and set lighting camera angle in front and use your "invisible see thru hands" if available. Head being decked 20 will not cause half a tooth alignment error. Teeth are 0.140" or 140 mil spacing, so 35 mils 1/4tooth, 17.5mils 1/8th tooth error. Note: 35-40 mils total head and deck skim is near max before interference issues. Greatest cause of alignment error is belt stretch which can reach 2%. 2% is 0.140" x ~40 teeth crank to exhaust cam = 5.6", 5.6 x 0.02 = 0.112" 112mils =0.8 teeth.
All this is super easy when the engine is sitting on a table, at eye level, with no interference. This ease disappears when the engine is still in the car.
What a hack. Where do I begin You use an impact to remove bolts that many people break using only a ratchet. Using open end wrench to turn a crank? Almost strips the tensioner. Hits a crank with a hammer. Ever heard of a sheered or bent key? Uses a ratchet for the starter removal technique instead of a breaker bar Mazda literally tells you to rotate the engine twice to adjust tension. Never counted the teeth. You must be the king of flappy timing belts A shaved head increases compression. You see that a lot in spec Miata? The crank turns to the right if you're facing it. As all engines have for longer than you've been alive. But ok Mr been doing this for 20 years and teach kids
