Yeah I was fairly surprised that it wasnt an automatic tension.

 

^^^ So, are you going to tell us how you set the tension or are you going to keep it a secret?

 

Oh were you asking me? It was mentioned in the DIY. If you use a straight edge ruler just try to get it as close within the specs as you can.

Deflection:
With A/C compressor: Used Belt: 5.5-8.5 mm (0.22-0.33 in.)
New Belt: 3.5-5.0 mm (0.14-0.20 in.)
Without A/C compressor: Used Belt: 7.5-10.5 mm (0.30-0.41 in.)
New Belt: 4.5-6.0 mm (0.18-0.24 in.)

 

Well, if you've had no problems, then okay.

Is this the DIY https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...tine-belt.html ?

Thanks mucho.

 

Hi guys,
I live in Interior Alaska and got four perfect winters out of the car with temps as low as -40 F. At 63K miles my 02 sensors failed and I decided to do a "pre-emptive" project so I can feel safe going into the next four winters. I installed a new battery, serp belt, PCV valve, evaporative canister filter, 02 sensors, plugs, had the alternator rebuilt and adjusted the valves. I could never have reached the upper 02 sensor without taking the intake manifold off to adjust the valves, and then needed the offset socket commonly used to change 02 sensors. The serp belt actually looked pretty darned perfect when I took it off. Getting it back on was a real challenge. As far as tension goes, I used partly what an old German mechanic taught me - if you can use your fingers to get the belt to twist 90 degrees between pulleys, it is good enough. I wasn't sure that was right in this case so I played with it and played with it, including how much I could get it to deflect and twist before I took it off, and tried to commit it to memory. When I put the new one on I just used memory, judgment and feel the best I could, and it has been flawless for 5K miles. The alternator didn't actually need to be rebuilt, my alternator guy says the Mitsubishi alternators used are very reliable units that can go 100K miles. Getting it off required using socket extensions from the bolt all the way over to the right side of the engine compartment, it's so tight in there. But it is all do-able, especially if you are blesed with Japanese fingers...and that is why I had the alternator rebuilt and replaced the serp belt, because I don't want either to go when it's -40.
Peace,
Dennis

 

Great report, Dennis.

Here are a few follow-up questions:

1) How hard do you drive the car?

2) How far out were the valves? Tight? Loose?

3) Why is it so hard to install the new serpentine belt? Because there is little room to work? Or is there a problem with the belt going on the pulleys?

4) Do you have to re-check the tension on the new belt after a few thousand miles? If so, will that involve a lot of disassembly again?

5) Sounds like things are generally "hard to reach" . . . ?

Thanks!

 

1) I rev it to the 4500 - 5500 range between shifts pretty routinely and accelerate briskly through the mid-range whenever I can. Once a week I take it to red line just to keep the top of the cylinder polished. Compared to the average driver, you would say I drive hard.

2) Most of the valves were a little off, I can't remember, most tight and none dangerously so. I had assumed that they were perfect from the factory. I also replaced OEM NGK iridium with Denso long-life Iridium at the big recommended gap. After buttoning up the car has run better and gotten better mileage than it EVER did from the factory. Personally I think guys are too paranoid about valve adjustment intervals. It is a roller tappet valve train and there was no damage to my engine by waiting over 60K miles to adjust the first time. The valve train routinely sounds like a sewing machine and always has, especially in really cold weather, and the sound varies somewhat with varying conditions. I no longer think these cars came from Suzuka tuned perfectly, in fact one guy looked at a photo I took of my plugs and remarked that the color on the threads seemed to suggest that one had not been torqued properly. So I say hats off to anyone that's itching to do a valve ajustment and plug check. But once you get 'er tweaked, you don't have to re-adjust every 15K miles like some obsessed souls do.

3) It's just tight as hell in there and it's not even easy to see to get the belt around all the right pulleys, and there isn't much excess slack to work with. You have to get the fender well out of the way and work from both the side and the top and figure out ways to poke a screwdriver in to hold it on one pulley while you snake it around another etc. Having said that, it's do-able. Honda does not re-tighten belts once they leave Suzuka and I don't do so on my Jeep that has a similar system, once you get it tweaked good enough you are good for 100K miles I would guess.

4) Things are generally hard to reach. I cussed at Honda numerous times during the project. But they DO get that jewel of a little engine into that tiny car, and you CAN work on it, and once it's tweaked, you get to drive the hell out of it for a long time.

5) Every member of this forum is the priest of his own religious convictions regarding the FIT and so prepare for guys to tell you how FOS I am.

 

Again, great reply, Dennis.

I don't know who's adjusting their valves every 15k mi. The book, if I remember correctly, says 100k mi. for a valve adjustment or "if it sounds noisy." Having said that, I am normally pretty fussy about maintenance, and like to overdo things, but I am also "only a driveway mechanic," and this is my daily driver, so I cannot afford to get in too deep and not be able to complete the job within a day.

I'm at 55k mi. The only maintenance I have done is fluids (all and every bloody one), filters and brake pads. I drive the snot out of the car every day. My belt is not making any noise or giving me any trouble yet. As for the engine, it sounds a little louder than the old sewing machine sound, but I cannot tell if it is truly valve noise or injector noise. By that I mean that the injectors may be getting a little louder with age. But I don't know. I was going to wait until 100k mi. for the valves, but, given your post, maybe I will try to get in there at Thanksgiving.

Your right about that little engine. It isn't much to look at, but it is a marvel. The gearbox is sweet, too. I have never had so much fun driving a car that was not a sports car. And, like I said, I get my fun out of it every damn day.

 

Excellent reply!

So when the check engine light comes on at 60K plus, it's likely 02 sensor and soon after the other will burn out. Since you need to get the top one out with intake manifiold off, may as well do so and get a new plate gasket to re-install the manifold, and adjust the valves and replace the plugs. You can re-use the valve cover silicone gasket. You need an offset 02 sensor socket that Honda won't sell you but you can get one on Pelican Parts.com for a Porsche - 19 mm. 02 sensors are really expensive - I went with factory NTK ones at $200.00 a pop but if had to do over would get Denso ones from amazon.com at a lower price like I did for my Dakota.

So keep driving the hell out of it and having a blast! Nice chatting! Cheers!

BTW, I'm ditching the Monroe air shocks tonight and installing KYB gas shocks.

 

Okay, Dennis. I'll be looking for that 02 sensor failure down the road.

I finally got my backside out of my chair and had another look at the belt. Man, that's a tight work space. Did Honda spec the belt replacement as a job that requires dropping the engine? I wonder. Did you work on the belt replacement from underneath the car, as well as from the top side?


P.S. I just did a couple of searches on Pelican Parts for that socket and didn't find anything. (Not surprising. I'm an idiot.) Can you give me a link or post a photo of your socket?

 

I am having to ditch my air shocks as well.. They have gotten to where the aren't damping at all, probably due to the shorter Swift springs that I installed shortly after installing the air shocks... I drove on a stretch of highway paved with concrete and with expansion joints and was bouncing like I was on a pogo stick... If the air shocks had a shorter stroke they may not have gone bad... My stock front struts are still working fine.

 

Sorry, here's the link for the socket - it's 22 mm, not 19....

Pelican Parts - Product Information: PEL-4491B

You can't do it from underneath, but from the top and side once you get the fenderwell insert out of the way, consult the HELM shop manual for the car or ALLDATAdiy.com.

One of my Monroe Air Shocks simply leaked and failed before one year was up. I ordered the corresponding shock from KYB, the KG 4536. It has a shorter top shaft than the Monroe, so I had to slice about 1/8" off the Honda rubber mounts in order to get the mounting nut threaded on, and also had to ground out the inside of the sleeve that fits over the shaft, because KYB has a very slightly larger diameter segment as the shaft meets the top of the shock. After that PIA, the shock mounted and the car handles SWEET. No bottom out on the worst frost heaves in Interior Alaska, and a nice smooth feel.

 

Dropping the engine is overkill. Just remember a few things and the belt will drop off and slip right on, with maximum room:

1) Disconnect the ABS data bus connector and move it out of the way.
2) Totally remove the fender well liner by silicone-spraying the fasteners and removing the completely. Set them aside in a plastic bag.
3) De-tension the alternator ALL THE WAY by following my DIY instructions (which by the way are taken from the factory service manual)
4) Crank the steering wheel all the way to the left if you're not on ramps. More room can be had by removing the passenger front wheel, but the jackstand might get in the way of your creeper.

Now that I have done it once, I'm sure I could do it again in 2.5 hours max. I'm also kicking myself for buying a $25-30 idler pulley assembly, when it's just a generic bearing nestled in a simple pulley. I could buy a replacement bearing for $4 and pound it in myself. I threw away a perfectly good idler pulley with a bad bearing inside it.

Also, I saw a belt tension tester on the Net for $9. If I had time beforehand I'd order it. The only reason I didn't use one, was because no local auto parts store rented them, and I couldn't wait for the $9 one to show up.

 

Right on. Thanks for that.

 

Riddle me this:

I get home last night and that valve train knocking noise seems louder than ever. So, I pop the hood and have a look. It appears to be coming from the exhaust side of the engine. The thing is that it doesn't sound like valves. It's not metallic. It sounds like plastic hitting plastic (or maybe plastic hitting metal), so I'm thinking it's the injectors. But, then, it would have to be coming from the intake side. Anyway, I figure I'm going to have to do that valve adjustment sooner than I thought.

Here's the fun part. On cold start this morning, I can still hear some knock, but after my 50-mile commute, I pop the hood for a listen and I can't hear the knock. All I hear is that perfect Singer Sewing machine sound that Honda does so well.

Funny, huh? I hate mysteries.

 

Dude, that's what I'm saying - the noise varies with conditions and I have never been able to figure it out. I would also listen to the tailpipe at idle and see if you hear any misses. Not the most reliable, but if the car idles nice and still sounds nice at idle and runs well, I would gather the parts you need for when the 02 sensors fail, then to maximize miles between service do it all at once - PCV valve (under the intake manifold), 02 sensors, plugs and valve adjustment. You will need a new "EGR plate gasket" to re-install the intake manifold. And the 02 sensor socket sure helps. Familiarize yourself with the HELMS shop manual or alldatadiy.com procedures. You'll be removing center console to get at the secondary 02 sensor. Or gather up the parts and just do it when you can no longer stand the suspense.....

 

Roger that.

But I'm thinking I'm not going to take action on something at is "intermittent." Not yet. I don't want to be the guy who "hears a funny noise," and gets everything unbuttoned, only to discover that he is hearing things. I've been that guy too many times before.

I've got the Honda Shop Manual. I can start making plans, as you suggest, using that.

Note: What does this mean: "You'll be removing center console to get at the secondary 02 sensor"? The center console . . . inside the car??

 

I looked at the 22mm open end to 3/8" tool. and realized how stupid I am... I have had my O2 sensors on and off a few times and used a 12" Crescent wrench with ease. A Chinese made one at that...

 

Coyote, I can't remember what it looked like in there well enough. I've replaced 02 sensors with crescent wrenches in other vehicles before, so if that's possible on the GD3, please excuse my bad. I would certainly not infer that you are stupid.

The 02 sensor in the catalytic converter has a wire set that runs up into the center tunnel through a grommet. You have to remove the console to disconnect the old one and reconnect the new one. It's not difficult.

 

I ordered the Krikit belt tension gauge from Amazon for $13. I'm going to re-check my orginal work and see how I did.