2011 Honda Pilot - timing belt replacement - PART 8
2011 Honda Pilot - timing belt replacement - PART 8
Reconnect frame electrical ground to motor mount
Reconnect the electrical ground wire to the motor mount. 10mm 1/2" bolt to the radiator-side threaded hole on the motor mount.
Reconnect electric bus bracket to top of elastomer motor mount
Reconnect stamped metal bracket to the top of the elastomer motor mount. 10mm 1/2" bolt.
Reconnect triangular corner electrical box
Relocate the triangular black plastic electrical box from the corner of the engine bay to over the three metal tabs. Gently push down until all three tabs "click."
Reinstall coolant tank bracket and coolant tank
Put 1.5turns of pipe threads on the two 10mm 1/2" bolts, reinsert and snug down hand tight (a few ft-lbs). Then just slide the coolant tank back onto the bracket. Connect the hose to the two "U" clips along the inside edge of the radiator.
Reinstall power steering pump to engine
Clean the threads of the two 12mm 2" black bolts. Put a thin stripe of threadlock on both bolt's threads. Connect power steering pump to engine.
Reinsert the two 12mm 2" black bolts. In increments of torque, tighten both bolts to the same amount of finger tight, snug, 1/2torque, final torque.
Final torque is 16 ft-lbs
Reinstall power steering tank
Wiggle power steering tank back into its bracket.
NOTE: I was able to do this timing belt procedure without ever having to disconnect or drain the power steering pump tank or hoses! *huzzah!*
Reinstall power steering pressure hose support bracket
Put 1.5turns of pipe thread on the 10mm 1/2" bolt, and reconnect the bracket that supports the pressure hose of the power steering, to the windshield side valve head.
Reinstall black rectangular electrical module above the elastomer motor mount
Put 1.5turns of pipe tape on the 10mm bolts that connect this module to its bracket.
Reinsert the 10mm 1/2" bolts that connect this module to the bracket that connects to the frame, that you removed when you removed the short bolt that connects the elastomer motor mount to the frame.
Reinstall serpentine belt tensioner
Clean the threads of the 12mm bolt and 17mm bolt. Place a thin stripe of threadlock on both bolt's threads. In stages of torque of finger tight, snug, 1/2torque, final torque, tighten the bolts.
I had to get the 17mm bolt threads started by awkwardly accessing from above, one hand holding the weight of the assembly, while my other hand fingertips got the 17mm bolt threads started a few turns.
Once it felt the 17mm bolt was going in correctly, I then used a 17mm box end wrench from below to turn the bolt, to fully inserted, finger tight.
Then inserted the 12mm bolt to fully inserted, finger tight. Snugged both to hand tight. Then switched to my torque wrench, tightened both to an intermediate value of 10 ft-lbs, then concluded the torquing procedure to their final torque values.
The final torque for the 17mm pulley bolt is 33 ft-lbs. The final torque for the 12mm bolt is 16 ft-lbs.
Allow the threadlock on the power steering pump bolts and serpentine belt tensioner bolts to cure (24hrs).
Reinstall serpentine belt
Remove the Honda pulley crank special tool, elastic cords, wood, C-clamp, etc from the crank pulley and undercarriage of the car.
Look at the hand-drawn sketch of the belt routing in the beginning PARTS of this procedure. Use a 19mm 6pt 1/2" socket and breaker bar to compress the serpentine belt tensioner, then fully install the belt.
NOTE: For me, this was a two person task. I needed another person's help to get the belt reinstalled. I stayed under the car, and with my 19mm 6pt socket and longest 1/2" breaker bar, compressed the serpentine belt tensioner, while my Helper routed the belt around the power steering pulley.
Critically visually inspect the serpentine belt and undercarriage and engine bay. Make sure no tools remain, everything looks correct.
Reinstall black plastic engine cover
Reconnect the two twist tabs, push down on the windshield side rubber tabs.
Reinstall battery hold down bolt back to the battery
Put the battery hold down bolt back to the battery hold-down bracket. Put battery bolt's 10mm nut back on, tighten to snug.
Reinstall engine oil dipstick
Reinsert the engine oil dipstick into the engine. Doing this _last_ on the passenger side of the engine avoided breaking the orange handle, and turning this procedure into a disaster.
Install replacement intake bellows tube
If you are like me, both the passenger motor mount and the intake bellows tube failed. So replace the bellows tube.
Unscrew the two band clamps. Disconnect the mas air sensor from the intake tube, disconnect the electrical connector on the top oof the throttle intake, remove the two wires for those two from the "u" clips of the tube. Unscrew the four 8mm 1.5" long screws that hold the top of the air filter box. Remove the top cover of the air filter. Disconnect the rigid metal EGR(?) pipe that connects to the bellows tube.
Place the replacement intake tube in position. Insert metal EGR tube into it, then wiggle the tube on to the throttle body. Then wiggle the other end of the intake tube onto the top air filter box. Connect air filter box back. Reinsert mas air sensor electrical connector, wires to "u" clips. Reinsert electrical connector on top of throttle. Tighten band clamps to snug (just a few ft-lbs). Reinsert the four 8mm 1.5" screws for the air filter box. Tighten to snug.
Initial test the engine - idle the engine
Roll down the driver side window. With the hood open, start the engine, let it idle. Be ready to shut the engine off immediately if something sounds wrong. Ideally nothing will be wrong, and let the engine idle maybe 30seconds.
Shutdown and inspect the engine. Make sure there are no coolant leaks or anything wrong that you can see. Confirm the serpentine belt seems to be contacting all the pulleys correctly.
NOTE: When I did the 30sec idle test, was successful. Saw a little light smoke between the engine and firewall. Since I took so long to do this (three months!) I am going to presume it was dust and light gunk buildup burning off of the exhaust tubes.
Remove engine supports
Jack up the passenger-side frame about one inch, to lift the engine up off the support wood and jackstand that supported it during the job. Remove supports. Lower frame back to frame jackstands. Now the engine is being supported by the motor mounts again.
Reinstall wheelwell plastic
Remove the clamps bending the plastic, reinsert the bolts, putting 1.5turns of pipe tape on their threads, and the clips.
Reinstall passenger front tire
Reinstall the passenger front tire. Install all the lug nuts to hand snug. Remove the jacks and wood from under the engine. Remove all jack stands and gently lower the car so it is supported by the reinstalled tire. Torque the lug nuts in star pattern and two or three passes of torque to final torque'd.
Do a final visual check of the engine compartment and under the car, make sure all tools, jackstands, jacks have been removed. Make sure parking brake engaged. Remove wheel chocks.
Second engine test - tiny test drive
Start the engine. Perhaps to a tiny drive. Maybe just the length of the drive way and back, a few meters. Again, confirm that everything seems OK. No bad engine noises or leaking of fluids.
Third engine test - small drive
Perhaps drive around the block, 1min or 2min drive, where engine might get up to full operating temperature at most. Park, open hood and do critical visual inspection for any leaks or anything wrong. Also look under the engine for leaks.
EDIT 2022-04-16 Took the car around the block, gentle throttle, then parked in driveway and shutdown. Waited a few minutes. No leaks, nothing seems amiss.
Final engine test - 5min drive
Maybe go around-and-around the block a few times, gentle engine pedal, allowing the new rotating parts to "break in." Once done, again upon parking and engine shutdown, inspect under the hood and under the engine, for anything wrong.
EDIT 2022-04-16 Drove to my local auto parts store. Picked up oil chg supplies. Drove back home. No leaks observed under car at auto parts store parking lot. Total drive time about 20min. Feeling hopeful.
Put car back into service
If all the tests are successful, then gently and slowly start to put the car back into regular service. Perhaps starting with small errands, and trying to be gentle on the engine.
Keep checking coolant tank and power steering tank, keep at proper levels.
DONE