2011 Honda Pilot - timing belt replacement
2011 Honda Pilot - timing belt replacement
Now that the valves have been adjusted, and the car passed its most recent California Emissions Test (SMOG test), I need to replace the timing belt.
I should have replaced it at 100k miles, but had to accept the Risk of waiting, due to Contagion, and finance constraints.
So, now I am researching procedures and parts, to DIY, like I did for the valve lash adjustments.
This procedure is long. So there will be many pages to it. This is the first page. PART 2 lives at https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/221233.html . PART 3 lives at https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/224485.html . PART 4 lives at https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/224917.html. PART 5 lives at https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/225565.html. PART 6 lives at https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/226948.html. PART 7 lives at https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/227132.html. PART 8 lives at https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/227590.html.
Venting and self stress mgmt
EDIT 2021-12-19 As a DIY driveway mechanic, I feel my skills are fine for this job.
The job exceeded the tools I had, so lots of lost time.
The AISIN kit was out-of-stock, lost a wkend that way.
I stared work with the tools I already had, even bought more, only to realize they didn't work. Tried using 1/2" gear, but was not able to loosen the crank pulley bolt. Bought 3/4" gear. Had to order some of the remaining 3/4" gear. Then had to wait for it to be shipped and delivered. That burned up a week. Can only work on it on the weekends, as during the week, I work, and the car is outside in a driveway, making winter night work during the week (*whining* and it's been raining lately, too! Cant work on it while getting rained on.) a "no go."
Being a sideways mounted engine with little clearance between the work area and the side of the car body, this project/procedure has required many "tool runs." The only 6pt 19mm socket 1/2" drive I had was a deep socket. No room to use it to turn the serpentine drive belt tensioner. Yet another tool run, today, to go get a set of 1/2" 6pt metric sockets that are _not_deep_. Whee!
References
URL of a fellow Piloteer that did their own DIY: https://www.piloteers.org/threads/my-diy-timing-belt-replacement-2011-honda-pilot.163105/#post-1612209.
Piloteer URL of recommended parts list for the procedure, as well as other possible related parts (seals, etc): https://www.piloteers.org/threads/2011-timing-belt-change-parts-list.170199/#post-1702006.
YOUTUBE URL of a mechanic doing the timing belt replacement. Mentions torque values to use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou-u5mNnTiY.
URL of Honda J Series V6 Torque specs, incl water pump bolts. https://markedmotorsports.com/honda-j-series-v6-torque-specs-p-214.html.
Seems the timing belt comes as a kit: AISIN TKH002. My local Napa Auto Parts store seems to have the kit, and the Napa kit includes the water pump: https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/AISTKH002?impressionRank=2
The AISIN TKH002 kit also comes with instructions! It has both the removal and installation instructions for all the applications of the kit, including the Pilot *huzzah!*
The Piloteers website folks were an excellent resource. If, after doing my due diligence, could not find an answer to a question (usually what torque values, or if how to remove something did not seem obvious), they were helpful and gave good guidance.
Crank pulley bolt re-installation torque
The AISIN TKH-002 documentation for crank pulley bolt re-installation torque is "Torque the crankshaft pulley bolt (3) to 64Nm (47 ft-lbs) + 60degrees."
The Marked Motorsports URL says "FOR V6 ENGINES Crankshaft pulley bolt 181 ft-lbs."
I've decided to use the AISIN kit values. I will start at 47 ft-lbs, then mark the bolt location. Will then use my 3/4" breaker bar, and do steps of torque, and stop once 60degrees is reached.
Plan on purchasing more replacement parts than just the AISIN TKH-002 timing belt kit
Plan on purchasing a new passenger side motor-mount. Plan on purchasing a new air intake "bellows" tube (mine seems to have split open while doing this job).
Plan on purchasing more tools
I needed to purchase another 1/2" breaker bar. I needed to purchase an additional pair of jack stands. I needed to purchase additional 1/2" impact sockets. I needed to purchase a set of metric crow's foot sockets. Etc.
Plan on purchasing specialty tools
Removing the crank pulley bolt required a special crank pulley holder tool. Additionally, you either have to get the special "Honda crank pulley impact socket" and maybe rent/purchase/borrow an impact gun with enough torque -OR- 3/4" breaker bar, 3/4" extensions, and a 3/4" deep 6pt socket.
Removing one of the motor mount bolts needed a 17mm crow's foot socket.
Give yourself a budget of about US$1000
Plan on the DIY cost of (timing belt kit + additional parts that needed to be replaced + tools) maybe approaching US$1000.
If you have someone that has an impact socket gun with enough torque, so you just borrow it, and buy the special honda impact socket then you'll save US$250 that I had to spend(, but that means still plan on spending US$750)!
If you have all the tools, and specialty tools, then plan on US$500 for the AISIN kit + motor mount + air intake tube + 2gal of OEM coolant.
Plan on the procedure taking three weekends to complete
EDIT 2022-04-10 Looking back, I think if I had read this procedure in advance, purchased all the tools and parts needed, it still would have taken me three wkends to complete, going slowly and carefully.
The 1st wkend would have been removal of tire, fender plastic, motor mounts, timing covers, etc, to finally reveal the timing belt and its associated rotating components.
The 2nd wkend would have been removal of original timing belt replacement components that the AISIN kit replaces, and installation of the replacement kit parts (water pump, pulleys, new belt, the rotation tests, timing belt cover reattachment, final rotation tests, final crank pulley torque).
The 3rd wkend would be engine reassembly and test drive.
***
Went to my local NAPA Auto Parts store. They were out-of-stock on the AISIN TKH-002 kit. Ordered the kit, paid-in-advance. The kit's cost was approx US$271. Got a phone call the next day: kit was in-store, ready for me to pick it up.
Got the crankshaft pulley holder tool from my local Kragen. Performance Tool Crankshaft Pulley Holder, part number W83168. Cost was approx US$30. It seems I will need two 1/2" breaker bars to remove the crank pulley bolt. One to attach to the pulley tool, and the second to remove the bolt on the pulley.
The AISIN TKH-002 kit says I'll also need a battery hold-down bolt, to thread into one of the timing belt tensioners, as part of the procedure. Bought a generic battery tie-down bolt from Kragen. Not sure if the threads will match what is needed, will check. If I have to, will just use one of the battery hold-down bolts that is holding the battery, then put it back.
Will begin the procedure in the morning, then see what length of 2nd 1/2" breaker bar to purchase to connect to the crankshaft pulley holder tool, then go get it.
Like when I did the valve adjustment, planning on likely doing many parts/tool runs, "slow is fast." Might be a one day job, or weekend, or two weekends.
***
Remove stuff to be able to access where to work
Loosen the crank pulley bolt as the first step
Fellow Piloteers had a common recommendation of what to do first: Loosen the 19mm crank pulley bolt. So, before attempting anything else, I focused to loosening the 19mm crank pulley bolt!
Park car on a level surface. Set parking brake. Put wheel chocks on both sides of a rear wheel, for safety. Loosen the passenger-front tire's five lug nuts to finger tight. Use a jack on the passenger-front jacking point, to lift up the passenger car front tire just off the ground. Place a jack under the car, on the frame closest to the jacking point. Remove the tire.
Loosen the crank pulley bolt - 1/2" drive hand tools "by the book" ATTEMPT ONE (failed)
Connect a 1/2" drive 18" length breaker bar to the Crankshaft Pulley Holder tool. Connect a 1/2" drive 25" length breaker bar to a 19mm six-sided impact socket. Turning clockwise, slowly turn the crankshaft so that the holder tool can be attached, with it's breaker bar pointing at the " 9 o'clock" position. Use an elastic cord (bungee cord) to secure the Crankshaft Pulley Holder tool inserted into the engine. Place a jack stand under the handle, to support it.
Use a 2nd jack stand to support the breaker bar and extensions that connect to the 19mm crank pulley bolt. By pulling the breaker bar connected to the 19mm pulley bolt down, the jack stand will prevent side loads to the toolset when you apply torque. Pix:
I weigh about 200pounds. I angled the 25" breaker bar to the 9 o'clock position, and slowly pushed down. The 1/2" extensions flexed under the torque, until the handle was almost touching the ground. The 19mm crank pulley bolt did not loosen.
Loosen the crank pulley bolt - 1/2" drive hand tools and cheater pipe - ATTEMPT TWO (failed)
I wrapped a rag around the base of the breaker bar, where it joined the extensions. Used a 10ft pipe over the breaker bar, and slowly used my body weight, " hanging on the pipe" and slowly pulled the pipe down. The flex on the extensions was such that the pipe almost rotated through 90degrees. The 19mm crank pulley bolt did not loosen. Credit to the hand tool manufacturers. Nothing broke. But, was unsuccessful in loosening the 19mm bolt: NO JOY.
On my last attempt, I noticed that the angle of the breaker bar did not return to it's original angle. It seems one of the 1/2" extensions was twisting! It also means the maximum torque applied was being limited, as the tool failed and twisted under load.
Loosen the crank pulley bolt - 3/4" drive hand tools and cheater pipe - ATTEMPT THREE - SUCCESS!
For the 1st time, it seems all my 1/2" hand tools are not enough. Will now purchase 3/4" gear.
3/4" specialty tools needed(what worked for me):
- breaker bar
- impact socket extensions to a minimum total length of 2ft
- 3/4" female to 1/2" male socket impact adaptor
- 19mm 1/2" 6sided deep impact socket
HFT tool run. Purchased their 3/4" breaker bar. US$90.
Was able to get the 1/2" to 3/4" impact socket adaptor at my local Kragen. Part number M765.
Both my local HFT and Home Depot did not have the remaining items I needed in stock.
Did a GRAINGER tool run. Ordered three 3/4" drive impact socket extensions, each 10" in length (part number 21WL71). Also ordered a 3/4" drive 19mm 6pt impact socket (part number 21WL16). Purchase came to about US$150 shipped. Hopefully will arrive before the next wkend.
So, yea: I might have ended up having to spend about US$250 in specialty 3/4" hardware I will only use ONCE. The cost is still less than buying a powered impact tool, which would be my only recourse, that I am likely to also have used just ONCE *rueful sigh*.
If I cannot get successful with hand tools, the only sensible next thing to try is what most professional mechanics use: powered impact tools.
***
So, the 3/4" 19mm socket I had purchased from GRAINGER did _not_ fit inside of the Honda Pilot Crank Holder Tool. It's diameter was too wide. Had I not been successful using a 1/2" socket with a 1/2" to 3/4" adaptor, I'd have had to buy a deep 6pt 3/4" socket, and lost another weekend waiting for it to be shipped and arrive.
Instead I had to use my 19mm 1/2" 6pt impact socket connected to a 1/2" to 3/4" adaptor. That connected to two 10" long 3/4" extensions, connected to the 3/4" breaker bar, with a 10ft cheater bar over its handle.
I connected the assembly like the picture (above) that was the 1/2" attempt, but I angled the breaker bar handle at about 45degrees upward. The breaker bar was pointing to the 10o'clock position or so (up and to the left of the crank pulley bolt). Pull the breaker bar down (so the torque force is counter clockwise) to loosen the crank pulley bolt. Then with the 10ft cheater pipe over the handle, slowly pulled down. After about 15degrees of flex, if that, there was a nice muted "pop" and a little bit of a metal groan, and then I could tell the 19mm crank pulley nut had been loosened. SUCCESS!
Below is a pix comparing the 1/2" rig with the 3/4" gear. Since I have only one 19mm 1/2" impact socket, it's installed on the "winning" solution. Using the 3/4" gear was drama-free. Pix:
So the 3/4" tools I purchased but did not end up needing were one 10" length 3/4" impact socket extension (bought 3, only needed 2), and the 19mm 3/4" impact socket (did not fit inside the Honda Crank Holder tool).
Torque limits for breaker bars
So, all the attempts to use "the correct tools for the job" made me want to research, and learn (not guess) what are the correct hand tool sizes for any given torque requirement.
Web search gave the URL for a tool company's site, TEKTON, that has a nice graph of their product, and a comparison to the the ANSI/ASME B107.10-2005 specifications:
1/4" ANSI Breaker Bar - 33.3 ft-lbs 3/8" ANSI Breaker Bar - 100 ft-lbs 1/2" ANSI Breaker Bar - 333 ft-lbs 3/4" ANSI Breaker Bar - 750 ft-lbs Document the outer serpentine belt routing
Before taking anything off, take a pix, or draw a sketch, of how the serpentine belt is routed. That way you can put it back without guessing if it is routed correctly.
I did not feel I could get a good picture of the routing, so drew a sketch (not to scale). Pix:
Set the mechanical timing of the engine
Connect the 19mm socket and breaker bar to the loosened crank pulley bolt. Open the radiator-side camshaft timing inspection port. It is the coin-sized rubber disc at the top of the radiator-side cam cover. that faces the passenger-front wheel.
Use a drop light and hand mirror to look into the port. Slowly rotate the crank bolt clockwise, until the number "1" is in the center of the inspection port. (This is the same procedure as used when doing a valve lash adjustment. See the pix of this part of the valve lash procedure. The URL to the procedure that has the pix is https://mrflash818.livejournal.com/218492.html. See section "Access the valve timing inspection port.")
So, at this point the crank pulley bolt has been loosened, and the mechanical timing set. Next steps will be removing more stuff. This already a long part one, so continuing on PART2.