How-To: Mazda Protege Timing Belt (Remove, Replace, Time, and Diagnose)

A how to video on removing and replacing the timing belt on a mazda protege 2.0L FSDE engine.
Years 1999,2000,2001,2002,2003.
Link to Valve Cover Video: • How To: Mazda Protege ...
Tools:
Pliers, 10mm ratchet, gaskets, belt (optional: water pump, tensioner, idle pulley), cleaning fluid & Brush, jack, jackstands, impact gun, sockets, breaker bar, crescent wrench.
Follow us on our other Socials!
Instagram:
thecherrygarage...
Facebook: / the-cherry-garage-1002...
Twitter:
/ thecherrygarage
Buy your own CHERRY GARAGE merchandise!!!
thecherrygarage.weebly.com/#/

[@izakdank7]

this was super helpful i like the way u film it first person

[@TheCherryGarage]

Thanks Lax Daddy!

[@IramDomini]

Excellent video. Thanks a lot

[@lilfrappydoo1189]

Bro I been looking video after video for 3 years on KZbin for a 2001 Mazda protege mp3 timing belt video thank god for you sir now I can finally finish mines and it’s the exact model and everything your a true champ💯💯💯💯

[@lilfrappydoo1189]

Plz come out with more content about this make a model lol

[@TheCherryGarage]

Haha no problem man, glad to help! I made a few videos on this car on a different account on KZbin , mainly engine overhauls if you're interested. Stay tuned, it'll be random if we upload more repairs/maintenance for this car

[@lousarsol9005]

I have also been looking forward to finding a good video of this procedure! Thank you so much Cherry Garage. I didn't think it was urgent until two days ago my car wouldn't start and after hearing your description this might be why.

[@TheCherryGarage]

Hopefully you get it all easily figured out! Good luck!

[@lamonttwitty2585]

@@lousarsol9005 did you get it started? I just bought one from a guy today and he said that his car wouldn’t start anymore after he changed his timing belt. I wonder if my car is showing the same symptoms as yours?

[@jjjmishoe6530]

Nicely done! Short and straight to the point. This shows that DIY people can also do the work from their home. I can tell you also have the blue service book from mazda haha 👍👍

[@TheCherryGarage]

Thanks for the positive comment! Glad to help out :)

[@stevceblazevski8124]

Thanks dude I've been trying to find if this was a non interference engine just got protege5 with snapped belt and not much info out there!! ✌

[@economics464]

you make it look too easy ;-)

[@YourMom-vl2sp]

Thank goodness for noon interference engines

[@TheCherryGarage]

YESSIR

[@OneEyeGamer]

Damn I wish I can do this... looks straight foward but I feel it take a months lol

[@heccle]

your protge looks sick! mine is garbage

[@TheCherryGarage]

Thanks dude! I miss it, sold it 2 years ago

[@jordanriggs5869]

also jw for anyone out there that has oned a mazdaspeed protege notice rust on rear corner or fender well]

[@TheCherryGarage]

Yes, very common. There's some repair videos on youtube for it!

[@jacobchesser746]

Is the tensioner self adjusting and how much slack should be at top of the belt everything went on smooth but it rattling when you start their was a little slack at the top

[@TheCherryGarage]

There should be no slack throughout the belt. The tensioner should take care of all of the slack, so pull your belt to have the slack where the tensioner is once you install it. It's not easy to get the timing lined upon and slack removed, but it's necessary. But the tensioner has a small spring and uses that to tension on the belt, so it is self adjusting for a small amount. If yours is used I would recommend replacing it.

[@josejones9057]

First off i appreciate the video.. There aren't many of timing the Mazda 2.0 liter engine ok my question is i own a Mazda p5 and recently did a timing belt replacement and its not running good at all could it be I've done something wrong with the install? The marks i thought were lined up correctly lol i think ..this is my first timing job and not really use to working on Mazda's. Think you could help me out as to what should i check next .. It does start but wont stay started and im hearing air as it runs im puzzled.. Anyone have any ideas i would greatly appreciate it thanks in advance

[@TheCherryGarage]

Definitely have a vacuum leak somewhere. Be sure your brake booster hose isn't on backwards ( there's an internal check valve). If you hear air fry and find the area it's coming from. The intake manifold has some hidden hoses underneath it

[@welcometo5905]

This video gave me hope my p5 timing belt broke like some tooth’s from the belt was missing and I thought it was the end of the engine

[@TheCherryGarage]

Yea you should be good! Lucky to have the 2.0l

[@91GT347]

Im having a hell of a time with this Mazdaspeed Protege. Lol Correct me if Im wrong. You line up the I on the intake with the E on the exhaust. Im just using wrenches to lock them. Either way though, the grooves for that tool to lock them should be horizontal correct ? So it fits in both cams. I believe whoever had this car, switched around the gears/pulleys. Because when mine are lined up, the grooves are verticle. The cams are in the right place. According to mazdastuff.

[@TheCherryGarage]

There's actually 2 different setups for timing depending on which engine/ECU you have. You have to dig to find the info but it's there somewhere, it's been a while and I lost it. But the factory manual will show the setups with the pin locations and the I-E locations. One setup is 180 degrees different than the other. Either way, I and E should line up (the ones that have the dash marks next to them on the gear portion

[@91GT347]

@@TheCherryGarage thank you !

[@jordanriggs5869]

im going in the morning to pick up my 2nd speed protege first one was toyalled. but this car runs and drives only thing that concers me is the milage being at 150k and he dosent know when timing belt has been replaced and both stuts need replaced in rear my ming is go thru alot rn if someone could give me some in sight also said cat was clogged boggs down around 60mph

[@TheCherryGarage]

How much are you getting it for? Seems like it'll need more work than it's worth unless you really like it

[@cosmicsman666]

do you know if my 1.6 engine in a 2002 is a none interference ?. Many thanks.

[@TheCherryGarage]

From Google, it apparently is non-interference. If it's noisy when you turn the engine over, youll know haha

[@tucktopping8325]

I have questions how do you get the I and the E to line up so ealily??

[@TheCherryGarage]

Using two crescent wrenches on the cams, the longer the wrench the easier it is. Once they're in place you can tape them together to make sure the cams don't shift while.putting on the belt

[@johnciulla6525]

This is two things on a tensioner pulley to have to push they say there's two Springs and a denture tightener is there they say there's two Springs on attention tightener

[@Doritos-7]

That tensioner is a pain best way sometimes to cut belt

[@AlanC305]

Does this car kink the valves? When the timing belt brake?

[@TheCherryGarage]

Nope, it is non-interference.

[@ShizheZhou0805]

Hello, I want to know if you have any modification case for FSDE 2.0L engine, I’m from China! My car is protege too! But this car in China has not many case to modified

[@TheCherryGarage]

Hello! I would recommend an aftermarket camshaft, new intake and exhaust from the MP3 model or similar. You can also get the mazdaspeed turbo kit for the mazdaspeed protege. The MP3 ECU is good for naturally aspirated, but you would need the Mazdaspeed ECU and wiring for a turbo setup.

[@ShizheZhou0805]

@@TheCherryGarage very thanks bro！

[@dannylu6230]

Isn't the vavle stem gonna bent by piston once the timing belt broke?

[@TheCherryGarage]

This engine is non-interference

[@nealie14]

I have a 2002 Mazda protege lx , it cranks but won’t start . I thought it had skipped timing but all the marks lined up perfectly. My coil packs and spark plugs are new . I think it could be the crank or camshaft position sensor. I really need some help please

[@TheCherryGarage]

Does the temp gauge go all the way up when the key is on?

[@lamonttwitty2585]

@@TheCherryGarage I’m having the same issue. What does the temp gauge going all the way up indicate??

[@TheCherryGarage]

@@lamonttwitty2585 blown ignition fuse. Check your O2 sensor wires, makes sure nothing's shorted

[@91GT347]

What if the temp gauge goes up, but the fuse is good ? Been trying to figure this out for a while. 03 Mazdaspeed Protege.

[@TheCherryGarage]

Probably and issue with the actual temp sensor. If it grounds out it'll go all the way up. Make sure the wiring is good and you can also test the sensor using an ohmmeter

[@dillanblankenhorn8959]

Does it have to be at top dead center

[@TheCherryGarage]

Yes, very important.

[@patrickcortinas9894]

Have you don't a clutch replacement on this car ?

[@TheCherryGarage]

Plenty of times. You can remove the transmission without removing the engine and get it all done without a lift

[@jasiusdraxlir990]

So quite question. I've got an 2002 mazda protege5 I was driving and it just stalled out and died. Cranks and Cranks but wont start. It is possible that my timing went out will driving?

[@TheCherryGarage]

Could be. If it cranks abnormally fast, it likely is the belt.

[@jasiusdraxlir990]

@@TheCherryGarage I pulled the valve cover everything is intact. How tight should the belt be?

[@TheCherryGarage]

@@jasiusdraxlir990 tight enough not to be able to twist/warp the belt with your fingers. Make sure all of your fuses are good

[@jasiusdraxlir990]

@@TheCherryGarage OK yeah I checked my fuses. So if I push on The top of the belt I can get it to go down about 1/2 an inch. Is that too much play?

[@TheCherryGarage]

@@jasiusdraxlir990 yea that definitely seems like too much. Do the cam gears move when you push on it? I would assume your tensioner is bad, caused the belt to slip, and now your car can't start because the timing is off

[@Electromagnetor]

Same job for 1.8 L?

[@TheCherryGarage]

If you're talking about the FP engine, it looks like it would be the same, just 12° BTDC timing vs the 10° I did in this video. Also maybe different timing cover, I haven't seen a 1.8 in a protege personally.

[@chadnavaro4894]

I had a shop do my timing belt I took the timing belt cover on the top off and then when I push on the timing belt where the timing belt tensioner is then it the tensioner moves back does it supposed to do that? Tia

[@TheCherryGarage]

Yes, the tensioner is supposed to.push back it's just a spring. Keeps the belt from having slack. But it should not be super easy to push. You could have a bad tensioner or they installed the spring wrong.

[@chadnavaro4894]

Here is the video I took of it today cuz I wasn't real sure kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap-UlWuPi9iCj80

[@TheCherryGarage]

That seems slightly loose, did they charge you for a new tensioner? Try and use a long flathead screwdriver to try and pry to push directly against the belt and tensioner down in the timing cover. See if the moves, if it doesn't return to it's original spot then it's problematic. The way this works is, the movement of the belt causes the tensioner to move more toward the belt, it's kind of hand-in-hand with each other. The tensioner removes the slack, but as the belt moves, the turning and momentum causes the tensioner to tighten more.

[@chadnavaro4894]

@@TheCherryGarage Yes they charged me for the new tensioner and when I opened it it looked like the belt was moving forward and it seems like it's rubbing on the timing belt cover i see the rub marks and only thing I can think that's why it would be rubbing if they forgot to put the spacer behind the crank pulley what do you think and I really appreciate you getting back to me

[@TheCherryGarage]

I also had an issue with it running against the timing cover, I fixed it by setting the belt further back on the pulleys, it should stay in position to where it was set. In my opinion, as long as the tensioner is removing the slack from the belt (while it's running you don't see any belt slap or odd warp) then its doing it's job. You can take a better look at the tensioner, if the front of the pulley is dirty it'll be old, the new one should be shiny black. If the spring fails it won't be pushing back at all. How long have you been running the engine? And was it a certified shop?

[@alekwallin]

How long approximately

[@TheCherryGarage]

I'd give yourself atleast half a day to get it done

[@mdev8846]

You must change it each 90.000 km.

[@darkfalcon75]

So this is a non interference engine?

[@TheCherryGarage]

Yes the 2.0l is non interference

[@emersonbarahona579]

@@TheCherryGarage what does it means by non interference engine, mines is 2.0. Thanks i'll appreciate your comment.

[@TheCherryGarage]

That means the valves do not overlap position with the piston. So if your timing belt breaks, then you valves dont have a chance to get bent by contact with the Pistons.

[@emersonbarahona579]

@@TheCherryGarage Thanks bro, good to know. Is this a good engine?

[@TheCherryGarage]

Depending on what it's going in, it's not a bad engine but definitely needs alot of work to handle more power. Solid little thing stock though