timing belt help

[blakevan]

How do I get this cover off? Do I have to pull the crankshaft pulley? This is the first timing belt I have tried and it is on a 1982 car.

Here is a picture of what I'm asking about.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38159687@N00/8301355428/

[courtenay]

You will have to remove the crankshaft pulley to get the lower part of the cover off. Most people leave the cover off so the timing belt can be removed without removing the crankshaft pulley next time the belt is changed.

[RRoller123]

That is actually the first picture I have ever seen of one of those inner covers!

[azruss]

mine is an 80 and i dont have the sheetmetal you are pointing to. you may investigate and see if it is separate from the back pieces. the back pieces dont have to be removed to replace the belt.

[blakevan]

The belt goes inside this piece so it has to come off. It got late and will be getting cold so I put it back together and took it for a test drive. I will retreat, regroup and re-attack at a later date. I might just pull my favorite tool out to get this one fixed.....my check book.

[courtenay]

Russ - I too have an '80 and I had the sheet metal shown in the picture. It's a two piece thingy with the lower piece needing to be removed to get the belt off. And to get the lower piece off, you need to take the crank pulley off. At least that's what I had to do - and I gather, many others as well. I didn't replace the lower piece, and if yours is missing, a PO probably did the same thing.
Bruce

[courtenay]

Blake - the hardest part of the exercise will be getting the crank pulley off, but if your game to try, there's lots of experience on the forum - just do a search on crank pulley removal and you will get all kinds of helpful advice.

[blakevan]

Thanks for all the help and encouragement. My father-in-law is going to get me a torque wrench for Christmas. I need to get the car into the garage so I can work on it while it is cold outside.

[srwilson]

Yes, the best way to get to know your car is to roll up those sleeves and get in there.

I just replaced my water pump, timing belt, and timing belt tensioner. Not that bad of a job and I think a good place to start learning.

You might want to think about replacing the water pump, and tensioner while you're in there.

[RRoller123]

Might want to do all the front oil seals too if there is any leaking, they are inexpensive and easy to replace while everything is off.

Pete

[bobplyler]

When I first did my timing belt (in 1980) I wasn't able to get the crank pully off. What I ended up doing is cutting the cover off. It's been so many years, I don't remember exactly how.

[blakevan]

The kit I bought has the water pump so that was in the original plan. I think I will look at the seals because some are leaking.

[RRoller123]

They are really easy to change (the seals) definitely a do.

[JConnerly]

Agree with roller. Change the seals. Just be careful not to damage the front part of the oil pan gasket when you take the crank seal housing off. My crank nut came right off using a good chain wrench to hold the crank pully (move the timing pointers out of the way so you don't bend them) and a 3ft pipe extension on my breaker bar.

[RRoller123]

Good advice. I kept the crank seal housing on and just changed the seal, since the gasket was apparently nuclear welded to the housing and oil pan. The Aux housing comes off easily and that can be cleaned and the seal changed off the car. Without pulling the crank seal housing it gets a little tricky to get the right pressure to press and properly seat the seal, but it can be done. If the readiator is out it is a lot easier too. I put a properly sized sockert against the seal and swung a 5lb hammer like a pendulum over a very short stroke and it coaxed the seal in easily.