Umm.... Uh oh....

AshesofPepper · Post by **AshesofPepper** » October 23rd, 2005, 10:24 pm

So i get in my MX-3 this morning and start the engine.... suddenly i hear a shearing noise and a half second later smoke starts billowing out of the enging bay. I kill the engine asap, but i'm on my way out to work and don't have time to look at it.
So now i'm home and i just pulled what i believe to be a sheared timing belt out of the engine bay. Just to clairify, it was the belt closest to the block on the crankshaft pulley(k8). Anyone changed their timing belt recently and got any hints, such as tools needed, skill needed, and if i need to pull the engine or not to do this?

Thanks in advance for the help

vozaday2000 · Post by **vozaday2000** » October 23rd, 2005, 10:31 pm

online manual page B2-107 to B2-111, also B2-060 to B2-062 should help. thats what the online manuals there for.

AshesofPepper · Post by **AshesofPepper** » October 23rd, 2005, 10:38 pm

Theres an online manual?!? Wanna-be-car-fixer-upper-boy AWAY!

Thanks =)

vozaday2000 · Post by **vozaday2000** » October 23rd, 2005, 10:55 pm

no prob. and incase you haven't found it yet it is on the mx-3.com site. look for the hyperlink

Grants · Post by **Grants** » October 23rd, 2005, 11:06 pm

Thats not your timing belt luckily. The belt you mean is a lot cheaper and easier to fix than the timing belt

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » October 24th, 2005, 12:02 am

Yup, sounds like the powersteering pump belt. However, it does sound like something may have caused the sudden failure. Did it ever squeel or anything prior to the failure?
When replacing the belt check all other components that it attaches to (the tensioner and power steering pump) and make sure that the pullies will turn freely and without any grinding/gravely feeling.
Good news is the power steering belt takes about 30 minutes to replace your first time and costs about 1/3 what the timing belt would.

Ps, to change it is simple
1. with a 17mm open end wrench loosen the nut on the face of the power steering belt tensioner,
2. with a 10mm loosen the threaded rod that pokes out the bottom of the tensioner, this will make the pulley move tword the ground and release the belt tension, if the belt is even still on there at all.
3. replace the belt with a good quality new one
4. tighten the 10mm threaded rod untill with a good push of your finger the belt will only deflect about 1/4-1/8 inch.
5. tighten the 17mm nut on the face of the tensioner
6. crank the car and if it squeels loosen the 17mm and then tighten the 10mm some more, retighten the 17mm and try cranking again.

vozaday2000 · Post by **vozaday2000** » October 24th, 2005, 12:09 am

Grants wrote:Thats not your timing belt luckily. The belt you mean is a lot cheaper and easier to fix than the timing belt

PATDIESEL wrote:Yup, sounds like the powersteering pump belt

AshesofPepper wrote:it was the belt closest to the block on the crankshaft pulley

sorry i should have read closer. but it is in the manual also. would the smoke have been from the belt or could it have been something worse? just out of curiosity for if it ever happens to me.

AshesofPepper · Post by **AshesofPepper** » October 24th, 2005, 1:33 am

Wahoo! No super costly repairs!

Now, the strange thing was that the belt split clean in half without warning(squealing ect.). Although it was rather cold out and i did slightly overcrank the engine since i was half asleep. That being said, I do think that more damage was caused though because for one, it was WAY to much smoke to just be burnt rubber and it looks as though there is a new oil leak in close proximity to the belt, but i will let you know about that tomorrow if there was more damage done. For all i know, though, the leak could have been there and i might just not have seen it before, but i'll look into that tomorrow when i get into the fix. Anyways, thanks for the help and i'll hopefully be back on the road tomorrow afternoon!

Once more, Thanks very much

AshesofPepper · Post by **AshesofPepper** » October 26th, 2005, 12:09 am

Ha! God damn i'm stupid....

So i go get the new belt today install it and everything...but i don't loosen the tensioner pulley so i keep the old tightness since it was running fine until the time it broke.. First try, major squealing, get out loosen bolt, try again, more squealing now this continues for about 5 or so more tries. Finally i decide to touch the belt after trying to crank the engine, it's burning hot and sticky.... So i'm like "WTF this is a brand new belt and it's ruined now!" then i decide to check the tensioner pulley to see if it rotates and guess what? no movement at all! Who ever put it on last tightened the hell out of it, and to top it off there was a fairly large pile of rubber on it... Then i try to loosen the nut retaining on the pulley and i notice it's stripped. Crap.

I have offically named this day "Max Becomes An Idiot Day"
Hooray for teaching myself how to work on cars....

Think i can get the pulley retaining nut at the local NAPA store or do i have to get it somewhere else? In the trade forums possibly?

But on the up side the other belt went on without a hitch

As always questions and comments are welcome, and any help is also.

BTW pat the smoke was from the belt, nothing more serious.