Suzuki Forenza Timing Belt Replacement - Part 3

In this video, the water pump is shown being installed along with the timing belt idlers and the timing belt.
THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT! When you install the water pump, make sure that the weep hole is at the 12:00 position. As you notice in this video, there are two stops on the water pump. One to the left and one to the right. Install the pump on the stop to the right. This should place your weep hole at the 12:00 position. If you install the pump on the left stop, your weep hole will be approximately at the 11:00 position. This will prevent the tensioner pointer from reaching the 'NEW' position notch. This message is also embedded in the video of where it's pertinent.
Enjoy the video and thanks for watching!

[@chrisjacobs3018]

Many thanks! I've viewed your videos on the Suzuki Head Gasket repair twice now. Very thorough, very helpful. Thank you Sir!

[@stuzman52]

You are welcome Chris and have a great day!

[@igraber71]

I want to thank you so very much for your videos on the Suzuki forenza!! I was able to change the timing belt on my wife's car with your help. The bearings in one of the idlers completely came apart so the belt didn't break and I was blessed that no valves were bent. I just wanted you to know how very grateful I am to you! I saved a lot of money just in time for Christmas. God Bless You and your Family!!!

[@stuzman52]

igraber71 glad to hear the videos helped you out and that it saved you some money. And very lucky of you not to have bent valves. You also have a great holiday for yourself and your family. 😀👍

[@igraber71]

Thank You! The car has a auto trans I want to change the fluid but cant get a straight answer from any parts store on what the correct ATF it takes. Any suggestions?

[@stuzman52]

I sold the car years ago along with the service manual. But if it was me and I need to know about information such as this along with the repair info, wiring diagrams, TSBs, etc. I would go to this site www.alldatadiy.com and for a small fee, you can get all the information you want for a year. All of my vehicles today are through this site and I've been happy with them. Hope that helps you out.

[@timanderson9466]

What a great video! Great quality and your wife did an excellent job on steadying the cam. The vice grips!!! Brilliant! Leaving the left idlers off is the way to go. I’m ready to put my belt on tonight and after watching this I’m not dreading it as much. Thank you! Very nice work!

[@stuzman52]

Thank you Dot and good luck on your timing belt job. Remember to recheck those timing marks as this is an interference engine.

[@ronaldmahoney1283]

Your an excellent teacher! You explain everything in detail! Thank You!

[@stuzman52]

Thank you very much Ronald and glad to hear that you found the video(s) helpful! Have a great day!

[@edwardcastelhano9902]

These videos are great. very well done step by step instruction. I'm doing a cylinder head removal and timing chain on my 06 Forenza. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

[@stuzman52]

Glad to help Edward and good to hear that you found the videos helpful. And you do mean timing belt instead of timing chain :)

[@edwardcastelhano9902]

Yes, I did mean timing belt (long day). I got my head back from the shop and should have it all back together this weekend. Wouldn't have, couldn't have and shouldn't have done it without your help. Looking forward to firing this thing up. Thanks again for your attention to detail and for making this project doable.

[@stuzman52]

Sounds great Edward! Just make sure that you've got those marks aligned as if they are off and I'm sure you know, this is an interference engine. I don't want you to have bent valves :)

[@edwardcastelhano9902]

fired it up and it is running great! I was able to align the marks perfectly and held the gears in place with the vise grips. Thank you for that tip. Your detailed series of videos helped me save a lot of money and it was just fun and exciting to be able to successfully complete a project like this. Thank you so much!

[@stuzman52]

Hey Edward, that's great news to hear you got her running. And that you learned something about your car and the money that you saved. Have you ever done a timing belt job before? If not, then I guess those videos were pretty detailed as you mentioned :)

[@jesusfelixmorales3563]

Genial estaba yo atorado con los baleros y Vi tu vídeo están geniales y bien explicados muchísimas gracias son videos muy bien explicados no sé inglés pero le entendí muy bien 😅gracias maestro

[@stuzman52]

¡De nada!

[@nwinawe]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I watched all 18 of your videos and they were helpful. However I still couldn't get my timing belt to tighten up. It was driving me crazy. I went and got a new belt, I put the old tensioner back on and was scratching my head after a day of getting no where. Then I watched this 3 part series thinking maybe you'd mention something that could help me. And you did! Thank you for mentioning about the water pump struggles some have had. I took my new one out and compared it. Yes the sprocket was off by like half an inch! You would never know just casually comparing them. Went down to the Auto Parts store and matched up another one and viola! I was now able to tension the belt. I feel like I have to make a video just on that. Thanks again!

[@stuzman52]

+Neil Winawer Hey Neil, glad to hear that you got a water pump that worked! Yes, a lot of folks out there have had that same issue, although, I didn't experience it. Yes, go ahead and make that video as I'm sure it will help a lot of folks out there. Once you get it done, let me know and I'll post the link on my side so other folks can see it too. And thanks for stopping by and sharing your comments!

[@kurtjames4287]

great video. i feel alot better about this project after watching ur video. thank you

[@stuzman52]

You're welcomed Kurt! Just be sure to take your time and watch the details. This is an interference engine and if you get the timing marks off, you could stand a good chance of bending valves. Good luck on your project!

[@kurtjames4287]

went good. took five hours. had hard time cleaning block for pump and i bumped my vise grips and had to retime the cams and it started raining and sleating for a minute. other than that went good. thanks again.

[@stuzman52]

Sounds like you did a great there Kurt even though you had some issues with the weather. Glad to hear that it all worked out for you :)

[@BrionWatling]

I have the kit and replaced the WP, the tensioners set the WP at 12 clamped the cam sprockets the belt tensioner pointer is moving to the right of the pulley when I put tension on the left idler trying to slide in the belt and get the idler onto the bolt. I went and got the old and new belts measured also counted the teeth, 170. I have pushed the idler so hard that the new belt snapped. Using solid wood to leverage it in up against the alternator. So I've checked out every video on this and not one shows this critical shot, including this video. On my third belt and not any closer. Changed dozens of these to the point that this became personal.

[@stuzman52]

Not sure what the issue is Brion, but I'm sure that you'll get it as you seem to be persistent in figuring it out! Good luck and have a great day!

[@BrionWatling]

Still working on it. Ruined a couple of idlers, damaged when trying to find the hole for the bolt to slide it in.

[@stuzman52]

@@BrionWatling Just hang in there Brion as I'm sure it will all come together in the end. Have a great day!

[@williamtolan7409]

Excellent how to videos. The only thing missing is how to align the timing marks on the intake and exhaust cam shaft pulleys. I am stuck until I can figure out how to do this.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

A very well done and useful series of videos.

[@stuzman52]

Thanks David, I appreciate it and thank you for watching the series.

[@hodge1970ify]

I changed my belt and the arrow in the belt tencinor was broke off and still inside the berring so otook it out and tightened up the belt with a little bit of push play will that be ok or do you really need the arrow ten ion

[@stuzman52]

I would just replace the tensioner to be sure that the correct tension is on the belt. That would be the purpose of the arrow to ensure that the correct tension is applied.

[@hodge1970ify]

Thanks

[@rustyvideas8312]

Very good video easy to understand great job!!

[@stuzman52]

Sorry Rusty for the delay as KZbin did not notify me. Thank you!

[@titaniumautosalescom2387]

I'm rebuilding a forenza wish me a lot of luck I'm using ur video as reference

[@stuzman52]

REM Motors Just take your time and watch the details and you’ll be fine. Good luck!

[@titaniumautosalescom2387]

stuzman going to try my best my dad was my mechanic sadly he passed so going to see if I have it in me like he did to finish the job he left behind

[@stuzman52]

REM Motors Sorry to hear about your Dad. My Dad passed away in ‘85 and I still miss him. He was an auto mechanic also. I’m sure you’ve got what it takes to get the job done right. 😀👍

[@fdonosos]

I can not install the tensioner, put it in the correct position and this tour, but the marker does not move, even when I tighten the screw. I can move the net by hand and when I release it is returned to the original position.What happens, I'm doing something wrong can you help

[@stuzman52]

Hi Sergio, it's hard for me to say since I can't see what's happening. Some thoughts though. The belt must have all of slack taken out on the right side. Some have reported that they couldn't tension the belt because the water pump sprocket is in a different position. If you changed your water pump and still have your old one, you can compare the two. And this may be obvious, but you have to turn the metal tab inside the tension with a 6mm hex which will make the pointer move. Then as you hold the pointer inside the notch, then turn the 13mm head bolt to lock it down so it doesn't move. Hope that helps.

[@ivanvaldes800]

my nane is ivan i live in florida kendal my car is suzuki reno 2006 a neds fix my car

[@herophant3648]

Just did this, it was a pain keeping the gears straight. ⚙️

[@stuzman52]

Yes, the cam sprockets can be hard to keep aligned. I just put some vise grips on them to keep them in place.

[@tombowmanusa]

This video has me nervous doing this. I have done a lot of work on many different cars but this video makes it look much more complicated.

[@tombowmanusa]

and I have ordered all the tools that I need to do do this so I guess I'm going to do it. Who wants a T50 Torx bit?

[@stuzman52]

Hi Tom. If it looks more complicated than I show, then by all means, make it simple. It's really a pretty easy job.

[@stuzman52]

Tom Bowman Just take your time Tom and you should be alright.

[@tombowmanusa]

stuzman52 Thanks for the vote of confidence! I just received the few extra tools I need and I'm looking forward to doing the work. These videos will sure help a lot.

[@stuzman52]

Tom Bowman As I mentioned Tom, attention to detail is where the success of this type of work lies, which means don't rush it. Work at a pace that's comfortable for you. Don't go to the next step until you're 100% confident that your last step was done correctly in your mind. Good luck on your repair!

[@timanderson9466]

My tensioner ended up way past that desired spot for a new belt I’m not sure why it was in that position. Not sure how to get it back to the correct position

[@j.andres3697]

Thank you very much, that did the trick. I have put the engine together and it works great except it is heating up, the water pump and thermostat are new but engine still heats up after a run of about 20 miles. Could you please guide me on this..

[@stuzman52]

Maybe Jandres the new thermostat is not opening and remaining closed. You could always take the thermostat out as a test to see if it doesn't overheat. And of course, I know that you installed it correctly and not put it in backwards :)

[@j.andres3697]

Thanks, as a matter of fact I did just that took thermostat out and it still overheats cant figure out what is causing this..

[@stuzman52]

Now Jandres, that would have be nice to let me know what you've already done. Start from the beginning...did the car overheat before you tore it down? If not, there's not much left. The only real thing left is the water pump. Maybe, it's a bad pump and the impeller is slipping. See if you can pull a heater core hose off to see if you have any flow.

[@paulgeisel6784]

thanks good videos, very informative,good work

[@MrBownze]

Nice tutorial. I can't get the new tensioner to point to NEW though. Everything else went smoothly. Anyone else? Suggestions?

[@stuzman52]

Cocky Rocky If you can't get the tensioner to the correct position, you still have slack in the belt. Some folks have said the same thing. If you're replacing the water pump, compare it to your old one as others said there was a slightly different mounting between the new and old. Because of this 'new' positioning of the water pump, the belt is slacker which prevents the tensioner from tightening the belt.

[@MrBownze]

stuzman52 I did compare the two before installation and they looked identical. Are we talking fractions of an inch difference between these 2 allegedly different WP's? I find it rather odd also the tensioner I took off (the old one) didn't register on the NEW/REPLACE scale either. I just assumed it was waaaaaay stretched out. It was the OEM belt with 230K miles on it. It looked practically new... So do I need to undo all the work I did and put the old WP back on? Is that the only solution?

[@stuzman52]

Cocky Rocky I'm not really sure what the real issue is. The water pump issue was supposedly where some pumps had two weep holes and that they could mount it upside down. In my case, there was only one weep hole and there was a flange on the pump which made it mount in only one spot. That's the only thing that viewers had mentioned. If you had 230K miles on the original belt, you should consider yourself VERY lucky. With the materials timing belts are made of, timing belts don't stretch. I spoke with an applications engineer at Gates and got an education about them. So, you must have some other issue, but I'm not sure what that could be.

[@MrBownze]

stuzman52 There is only 1 weep hole in the kit WP, and it is "keyed" to the rear t-belt cover via a tab, like you said. Honestly, the WP you replaced looks like my OEM WP, and your new WP looks like the one I have in the Gates kit. I don't understand this at all :(

[@stuzman52]

Cocky Rocky Not sure what to tell you Cocky as you know, I used the Gates timing belt kit also and everything worked fine. As you saw in the video of where I adjusted the tensioner, the pointer was able to go way past the new notch, so there is got to be something simple, but I can't say what it is. For whatever reason, when you can't get the tensioner pointer to move over enough, the belt has to have some 'slack' still there. When I had the tensioner adjusted so that it would allow the most slack in the belt, it was still a little bit of a bear to get the last idler on. And after that, the belt was pretty well 'tightened' up before I even adjusted the tensioner. Did you experience this same condition when you first put the belt on?

[@timanderson9466]

I had a hell of a time getting the left pulley on with the tensioner in the closest position towards the water pump. After I got the left I turned the crank 8x and went to adjust the tensioner. The problem is that the tensioner is past the new position to the right without me being able to get it back to the proper position. I’m beyond confused because everything is in the proper positions, crank and cams are in sync. I wish there was a way to post a pic. I can’t put this back together until I understand why it’s doing what it’s doing. My Lexus timing belt was 100x easier. Any ideas or suggestions?

[@stuzman52]

The only thing I can think of Dot is that if you can't get the tensioner to tighten up that maybe the water pump needs to be turned fully clockwise before tightening it up. I know other people have mentioned this. If you changed the water pump which is always a good thing, you may want to try that. If that doesn't work, take off the new pump and try with the old pump to verify if this is the problem. Good luck on finishing her up!

[@timanderson9466]

@@stuzman52 Totally opposite. The belt is tight as hell and the pointer is beyond the position it should be on the tensioner. I took a video of the belt routing before I started and notice that in the video thew pointer is beyond the "new" belt-positioning mark.

[@stuzman52]

@@timanderson9466 There's something definitely going on that's not right. The only thing that I can think of is the belt length which you probably already done to compare with the original. Other than that, I don't really have a reason why your belt is so tight.

[@timanderson9466]

@@stuzman52 I did count the teeth on the belts which both counted at 170. I also checked the clocking of the water pump with the weep hole is at 12 which would have it in the easiest position for install of the belt. I even micrometered all the pulleys. I'm dumbfounded. I told my daughter to bring the car back to me in 3k miles so I can inspect the belt and see if the pointer moved back any. I'll let you know the 3k results.

[@stuzman52]

@@timanderson9466 Interesting problem Dot and I've never run across anything like that. I would keep a check on it as you mentioned.

[@armandoherrera7863]

If the exhaust camshaft mark is at 3 o'clock should I turn it clockwise to align it? Because it moves a little(left to right) by hand but I dont want to break or bend something if I turn it.

[@stuzman52]

Just curious how it got off that far. If your belt has broken you probably have bent valves. In any event, you can do this with the timing belt off. Turn the crankshaft from TDC to put the pistons in the middle of their bores. You can turn the crank 90 degrees for this from TDC. Then you can move the camshaft(s) without the valves touching the pistons eliminating any chance of bending the valves. Once you get the cam sprockets locked down to be aligned with their marks, then you can turn the crankshaft back to where it needs to be so it's mark is aligned. And finally, you can put the belt on from this point. Good luck on your project!

[@armandoherrera7863]

The left idler broke, thats why I had to change the belt a everything. Now I put the belt on and everything is align. But now as I try to do the final step, rotating the crankshaft 4 times, the crankshaft only rotates a little as if something was obstructing. Could it be the valves?

[@stuzman52]

When your left idler broke, you can be 100% sure that you've got bent valves and that's why you're having a problem turning the crank. The bent valves are remaining open which are hitting the tops of the pistons as you turn the crank. It sounds like you'll have to pull the head. Sorry....

[@yelaisaac7513]

I discovered one piston rod was broken so what the next step to take I need your help

[@stuzman52]

At this point, it's better to replace the engine. Sorry to hear.

[@jgunther3398]

@@stuzman52 it seems to be an engine used in lots and lots of makes and models so maybe not hard to find a good deal. Thx for the vid. Helped me too.

[@LuisAlvarez-777]

When you finish assembling the timing pulley it looks a little loose. Is that normal? Doesn't it have to be quite tight?

[@stuzman52]

Not sure if you're talking about the camshaft sprockets, idler pulley or adjustment pulley. Not sure what looks loose, but I assure that everything was torqued to its proper value. Have a great day!

[@nwinawe]

I absolutely will, once I find the time to make it. I will also raise another issue in the video. This time it was the serpentine belt tensioner! I don't know what it was with me and belts on this project. When I took the tension off the serpentine belt I heard a crunch as opposed to a smooth spring action, so I knew it needed to be replaced. I ordered one from Rock Auto. When it came time to install yesterday the belt was nowhere tight enough. I then compared the new and old tensioners and discovered that the pulley on the new tension was about 180 degrees out of phase and was the kind that did not spring down when the 15 mm nut was tightened. So thinking I had the wrong part I went online to the common auto parts stores (AutoZone, OReily's) and their tensioners looked like the wrong one too. I then went to the store and confirmed in person that indeed they were selling the wrong serperntine tensioner. The guy at the counter said aftermarket is sometimes a different design. Then I showed him the mounting points in relation to the pulley and he realized it wasn't the same part. My only recourse at this point was to go to Pullapart (we have 3 in Atlanta -- total of about 10 Forenzas divided among those 3 lots). First Forenza I came across today had the same exact tensioner as my original one. It had smooth spring action so I removed it, cleaned it up, changed the pulley/bearing (with the one from the new wrong tensioner) and installed it without any problems. Got car started today and it's running good.

[@stuzman52]

+Neil Winawer Unbelievable Neil that the tensioner was the wrong one. That's the first time that I heard that before. It could have been some people's problems where they couldn't tension their belt. From all of them that I heard, it was a water pump issue. Sure glad to see that you had the diligence to hang in there to see what the problem was. Good job on finding that issue and glad to hear that you got your car running good. And that issue along with the water pump would really make a great video which would help a LOT of people out there. Take care Neil...

[@diamondcouture2010]

Stuzman, I'm having difficulty with the tensioner. After I get the timing belt on - - - I need to know how tight should the tensioner be before tensioner with the 6 mm. I tried hand tight and the indicator didn't move. Please explain the procedure for tensioning and making the indicator move into new position.

[@stuzman52]

Not sure what to say Diamond. Starting at timeline 19:15, I show the procedure for adjusting the tensioner. Once the belt is on, you move the small lever which will move the indicator as shown in the video. Even with the belt on and the belt not tensioned, the belt is still fairly tight. If the belt is slack, the pointer will not move. So, you may want to check for that. Also, some people have said that the pointer wouldn't move when they move the small lever on the tensioner. In those cases, the new water pump had a different design and placed its pulley in a different location. You may want to check for that if you're replacing the water pump. That's all I can think of Diamond. And in the video, you'll see that when the pointer is in the notch, you have correctly adjusted the belt.

[@diamondcouture2010]

Thanks. I seen that you must have the waterpump in the proper space. This was the issue : )

[@pacheco464]

i rotate the pump on left side the little tab on the pump its close to the left side bolt . my guess is the timing belt it get little bigger am buying the belt and the tensioner today and i guess its all i need lets see if not i takethe pump out and put the oldone.tanks

[@stuzman52]

+misael pacheco You want to rotate the pump to the right (clockwise) side which will help tighten up the pump.

[@jerrywhittington7677]

You did that without one curse word. Nice....

[@stuzman52]

HaHa! I left all those out of the videos. Seriously, I don't think I did a single curse word as the job wasn't that bad.

[@RICKAFIX]

stuzman math is not easy... always nice to have a helper

[@pacheco464]

i count the theths on old belt and the new belt its 2 or 3 bigger due space betwen thooth but i put back the old belt and it looks like strech a litle like a thoth now am looking the same brand name belt its gates it was good but after fails i dont find any wrong thing what kind you use and how much you paid? tinking to buy at suzuki dealer am lost all ready all i need its a 1/4 of inch to works perfect its getting a nigtmare. grettings man and tanks for all.

[@stuzman52]

+misael pacheco I bought a Gates timing belt kit which included the belt, water pump, tensioner and idlers. It was around $100 and you are welcomed.

[@Nyck461]

I watched all your videos for this job and I have to say that you did a very very very great video for this job. It was easy to understand and also a very practical way to learn how to do this job. Congratulations to you and also to the person that was helping you. The video came out very well done. I watched another video about this job but your video is much better. By the way, how long took you to do this complete repair?

[@stuzman52]

Thank you for the feedback and that's a job in itself to watch all the videos :) The filming was done by my wife and I'll tell her you liked the shots. The job because of the filming, staging, preparation took six weekends I believe.

[@Nyck461]

I am planing to make the same job on my wife's Suzuki but also only on weekends. My big problem is that I have back pain if bending too much and it seems that this job requires too much bending down. According to your video this job does not requires too many sizes of tools. Again, congrats to you and your wife.

[@stuzman52]

Just take your time with the job and watch the details, especially with the timing marks as this is an interference engine. The job doesn't require any special tools and it's a pretty easy job. And take breaks often when you have a bad back as you don't want to make it worse :)

[@handsumdevel4893]

i have a question about torque. if i have over-torqued my car bolts ( intake manifold, timing belt tensioner/idlers etc) before would that affect the reliability of the installation now that im using the correct torque?

[@stuzman52]

The bolts that you mentioned can be reused as they are not the torque-to-yield type. If you didn't get really down on the torque, meaning very tight, you should be okay with your installation.

[@handsumdevel4893]

thanks! i also wonder if its really crucial to change the oil before starting the engine. im planning to change it later on. i also found some debris in the block but before i put the head i used a shopvac to clean it all inside the block. do you think i must reflush the system again after i start the car? the truth is the car is been sitting on my garage for months. i had to replace head and now im doing timing belt following your instructions. thanks!!

[@stuzman52]

Hi Handsum. I look at it like this. You're putting a lot of money back into the engine. Now with an engine that's been sitting for months, I would like to have clean engine oil along with a new oil filter before I fire it up. At this point, why even try to save a few bucks. You can always change the oil at its next interval. Before you crank it right up, you may want to spin the engine over a few times so that oil can get pumped around the engine. As you may know, I changed the oil and filter before its first startup, and I turned the engine over several times before firing it up. Of course, the choice of whether to change the oil or not is yours. Good luck with your repair.

[@stuzman52]

Almost forgot Handsum. You didn't say what your problem was. If you had a coolant leak, then definitely change your oil and filter before you start the engine. And then I would even do another oil and filter change shortly afterwards. Take care...

[@handsumdevel4893]

stuzman52 yes i am going to change the oil and filter. thanks for your suggestions. as for the leakage there was none. thanks again!

[@zehidamasic3417]

What brand of waterpump is that 5270 mines same just wanna know what brand it is? Thanks

[@stuzman52]

Hi Zehida. The water pump is from Gates Timing Belt Kit. It includes the timing belt, the idlers and of course the water pump.

[@khangdao788]

Thanks for replying back. Understand for you sell your Suzuki Forenza a few years ago, do you recalled the first time you did the adjustment of the timing belt tensioner ? I know for sure that your first time doing it and the needle on the tensioner did not move. Can you recall how you trouble-shoot and make the tensioner needle move when adjusting it? Do you know any Car Tech that can help trouble shoot? Please reply back.

[@stuzman52]

khang dao be sure that the water pump is turned fully clockwise before tightening it down. Some people have mentioned this. This can prevent the tensioner pointer from moving. I believe it should be mentioned in the description for this video. Good luck! 😀👍

[@pedromoralesmagonzalesmara8359]

hello i did this 30k miles ago ive heard now its time to check the timing belt. can you please tell me what to look for when i check the timing belt. i mean what do i do if my pointer is not in place. Should i reset it on place again with same timing belt and components or buy new ones. thanks Terry

[@stuzman52]

+Pedro Morales Magonzales Maratto Mulasso Modestos If you bought everything new when you changed the timing belt such as water pump, idlers, tensioner and belt, you should be good to go. I wouldn't worry about it and just change the stuff out again when you get to 60,000 miles.

[@christopherhughes8963]

awesome video buddy!!!

[@stuzman52]

Thank you Christopher for the comment and I'm glad you liked the video!

[@vikigonzales6432]

I have an 04 forenza that just jumps teeth by turning crank shaft pulley I have brand new tensioner and pulleys good what could it be........timing belt tight on top but right side loose till I turn crankshaft then pops up loosening where else can u tighten belt beside tensioner

[@stuzman52]

Hi Viki, I'm assuming the belt is the correct one and that you didn't change the water pump as I mention in one of the videos that some people had a water pump that was different. This water pump prevented the belt from tightening up. The slack on the right side has to be taken out on the right hand side going from the crankshaft sprocket which goes across the right idler and then across the exhaust camshaft sprocket. This operation of removing the slack on the right side is done manually before the belt is tightened with the tensioner. Otherwise you'll always have slack on that side. The only way to tension the belt is with the tensioner as there is no other means possible.

[@j.andres3697]

Im having trouble getting the tensioner on the timing belt the needle on move to the notch as explain in the video I have made sure the leg of the tensioner is between the groove as explained I move the little flange but it does not move the pointer to the correct spot. Please help

[@stuzman52]

Make sure that the water pump is indexed fully clockwise against the stops and then tighten the water pump bolts. That's usually the problem and it's also written in the description below this video. And it's also commented by many folks in these threads and others in this video series. Hope that fixes you up!

[@j.andres3697]

thanks will check and make sure of it

[@normcook9335]

How can you tell if you're on TDC of compression vs exhaust stroke? My idler bearing disintegrated and knocked off the belt, and now it's a no-start. So I also might have bent valves.

[@stuzman52]

We can assume at this point that the belt is off of the camshafts since the idler went. When the piston is at TDC, the piston doesn't know anything about compression or exhaust. It's when the camshafts are timed with their marks that determine when the #1 piston is at TDC on the compression stroke. When you're turning the crank, be sure that the camshaft's lobes will not allow valves to be opening when they're not supposed to when the pistons come up on TDC. You can bend valves if not careful. And more than likely since the idler came loose, you probably do have bent valves.

[@miltonlopezjr]

I am replacing the tensioner in my 2008 forenza and realized that tensioner does not have a new and used word,should I leave as you indicated? Thanks

[@stuzman52]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'does not have a new and used word'. Your sentence doesn't make any sense.

[@williejmoorejr4330]

What will happen if you don't keep the point in the gap

[@stuzman52]

Hi Willie! If the pointer is too far off too one side of the gap, the belt would be slack and could run off the pulleys and then you're going to have bent valves. And if you go to far to the other side, the belt will be over tightened which would shorten the life of the belt and the bearings in the pulleys.

[@yelaisaac7513]

Plz i have mine 4th cylinder has water in and oil it's mixed with water what can I do

[@stuzman52]

It sounds like you have a bad gasket which is common on these cars. You could run a compression test to confirm. I have the video series of how to remove the head.

[@nwinawe]

Well, I would like to say that all was good, but it's not yet (this isn't even my car--but a good friends). Anyway before I even tackled the head gasket I noted that the lifters sure were noisy. Thought that it was just one and needed to be cleaned. The machine shop did a wonderful job disassembling all the lifters and cleaning them good ($5/lifter). I've been driving the car for a few days to work out any kinks. Well today I noted the oil light flickering on/off. Searched and heard of some others having similar problems. I think it's a clogged oil pick up screen as opposed to the pump going bad. I looked at the Alldata repair info and I would really not want to tackle the oil pump as the timing belt has tom come off again. So let's hope it's just the pickup screen full of crud.

[@stuzman52]

+Neil Winawer Sounds like you probably do have low oil pressure Neil. You may can get an oil gauge on there to just confirm it. And the engine probably wasn't taken care of as far as oil changes. The engine that I did had a lot of sludge in the engine which is why I cleaned the lifters. Fortunately, everything worked out fine for me and I kept the car for about a year before I sold it. The wife was putting about 45 miles a day on it each day driving to work with no issues. Maybe a little Seafoam in the engine can help break up some of the stuff in there. But... that could break stuff up and then it gets lodged in an oil galley, lifters, etc. You'll have to make the call on that one Neil, but whatever you come up with, I wish all the success for getting it done.

[@birdz16994]

Is this the same for a 1999 isuzu 2.2 rodeo? thank you.

[@khangdao788]

turning the water pump with belt on or not. I have try with and without the belt on and it is still not working.

[@stuzman52]

khang dao Are you replacing water pump? If so, put the old pump back on and see if the tensioner works. If it works, you want to compare the two pumps.

[@pedromoralesmagonzalesmara8359]

hello my car has only one stop and the weep hole is at 12 O'Clock though. i bought the gates timing belt kit.i got all timing marks set up but after adjusting the tensioner and turning the engine 4 times the pointer goes off the "new"mark. my water pump reads the 4270 on one side. im assuming its the right one. my car is a 2001 daewoo leganza with a similar engine. should turn my water pumo all the way to right? even if the stop clocks the weep hole at 12 oclock? thanks for any help.

[@stuzman52]

Pedro Morales Magonzales Maratto Mulasso Modestos yes turn the water pump fully to the right facing the engine on the front. It's normal for the pointer to move while you were turning the engine. the pointer should be at the new mark when you stop turning. And of course the timing marks should all be aligned after you finish turning.

[@pedromoralesmagonzalesmara8359]

stuzman thanks for the quick response. the problem is that when I adjust the tensioner to the new mark all is in time but the pointer goes to the far left and stays there when i finish turning the crankshaft 2 or 3 revolutions and getting back to TDC.

[@stuzman52]

Most people that have mentioned this had a problem with their water pump being slightly different that the old one. You mentioned that you were using a Gates timing belt kit which includes the water pump. It's the same one that I used. Did you make sure that the water pump was turned fully clockwise when it was installed against the stop? That's the only thing that comes to mind. For whatever reason, you don't have enough tension on the belt.

[@pedromoralesmagonzalesmara8359]

stuzman do you think if my weep hole is not at 12 when i rotate the water pump all the way to the right would be an issue?

[@stuzman52]

If I remember correctly, the weep hole should be at 12 o'clock and the pump rotated all the way to right until it hits the stop and then tighten it up at that point.

[@fdonosos]

I got it work Thanks for you time

[@stuzman52]

Good for you Sergio. Glad to hear that you got it working.

[@FUzzyBUnnyBOoties]

How on earth are you able to see the pointer?. We tried looking above and below and were not able to see it. Right now I think I have the belt too tight because of it.

[@stuzman52]

It really wasn't any problem. You can see the pointer easily from the top so I'm not sure why you can't see it. Maybe the engine support bracket is in the way. But looking at other videos of where the engine support bracket is still attached, you can still see the pointer. Here is a video of that example kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYGznZqfnamtl80

[@FUzzyBUnnyBOoties]

stuzman52 Thank you for the reply. I am going to take it back apart and make sure the pointer is in the right spot. The wife and I both tried to see it but with the belt in the way it was hard to try to find it. She ended up feeling back there and feeling the pointer and the grove but I would still like to see it to be sure. After we put it together we are getting a loud ticking sound I think the belt might be too tight.

[@stuzman52]

FUzzyBUnnyBOoties Yes, it's always best to be sure so you may want to take another look at it. Also, be sure to find out where the ticking sound is coming from. Hopefully, while you were there, you went ahead and changed the idlers and water pump.

[@FUzzyBUnnyBOoties]

stuzman52 Yes I did. I got the complete kit from A1auto with the pump,both idlers and the tensioner. I checked the timing marks several times before and after starting it so I know it cant be a valve hitting. It runs great but that darn ticking scares the crap out of me. I will let you know what I find and thank you again for the video and the help.

[@stuzman52]

Good job Fuzzy on changing all the parts. I'm like you that I would have to find out what that ticking sound is. I assume that you didn't have it before and glad to help.

[@jonathanrichey146]

I need help doing my timing belt I been on it 3 days and can't seem to get the belt tight also I can't seem to get the pointer to move can you let me know how to do so

[@stuzman52]

Make sure that your water pump is turned fully clockwise as other people have said this. It's posted in several comments and it's in the description of the video of where the water pump is installed. That's the only thing that would keep your belt from tightening up.

[@luis1898bebo]

stuzman I had same problem but know that I fix the pump when I adjust the tensor the belt gets lose when car gets turn on

[@pacheco464]

i put the old and the new tensioner and when i turn manually get loose what can be bad its same size belt . xan be the water pump

[@stuzman52]

+misael pacheco Take a look in the description as it sounds like your water pump needs to turn all the way clockwise. Other people have mentioned this before so that's why I put it in the description.

[@stuzman52]

+misael pacheco Could be the water pump not rotated all the way clockwise. Read the description for this video.

[@ericdanuser3376]

I'm having a problem with the tensioner as well. I actually even bought another one and still have the same issue. It doesn't do anything when i try to adjust it. It just spins freely and the pulley offsets itself, but never moves the needle over at all. I've tried the dealer for help to no avail, desperately need this car back to its owner so any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@stuzman52]

Eric when you install the water pump make sure that it is turned fully clockwise until it hits the stops and then tighten the bolts. Lots of other folks had the same issue and you should see a lot of comments about it. Good luck on getting it all back together and have a great weekend. 👍

[@alopez1974]

Hello Stuzman. First and foremost I just wanted to thank you for these fantastic videos. They have made my life a lot less stressful. I have a question regarding the timing belt tensioner... Is it supposed to move when you rotate the crankshaft? That's where i'm at in this project. Whenever I rotate the crankshaft (clockwise) The plunger on the tensioner will move and there will be tension as I turn the crankshaft. Do I need a brand new tensioner or is the one I have not good? Thanks for the response.

[@stuzman52]

Hello Augustine! It is normal for the tensioner pointer to move back and forth when you turn the crankshaft. Just make sure that after you stop turning the crankshaft that the pointer remains inside the notch and you'll be good to go :)

[@pacheco464]

what brand name you use it?

[@glennminix6900]

I got a 2006 Suzuki foreza and I park it because it start leak antifreeze so then I went to start it it is head gasket blowing wite smoke .

[@stuzman52]

Yes, these cars did have an issue with head gaskets leaking. Have a great day!

[@chaekesselring4864]

i did the same exact thing on my 05 forenza and now it dont even wanna start. it cranks but it dont wanna fire. it had compression when the timing was off but now it dont have compression. why is this

[@stuzman52]

It sounds like you're saying that the timing was off. If so, you may have bent valves now. Have you checked compression or a leak-down test to confirm this? Here's a video that I did on the Forenza to confirm that valves were bent. Suzuki Cylinder Leak Down Test - Part 2 (Are Valves Bent?)

[@chaekesselring4864]

I did do a compression test and it had 0 compression. I also contacted my local Suzuki dealer and they said its the valves too. Bit they said it would cost $3000 to fix it. And I really can't do it again

[@stuzman52]

Again....So, you had bent valves earlier and was making a repair when the issue came again. Is that right?

[@chaekesselring4864]

No I replaced the head gasket ( and thanks for the videos on how to do that too by the way. I did that by watching your videos) and then it ran fine until the timing jumped. Now my car is done. Is there any possible way that any models engines would fit my forenza and work??? The reno and forenza motors look exactly the same. But they're different years

[@stuzman52]

Chae Kesselring I'm sure the engines are the same, but you could call an auto salvage yard and they should know what will fit. If it was me, I would pull the head and it will be a lot less work and money even when you bent a few valves. I'll assume that your pistons will be okay since the belt slipped at idle, right? Of course, the choice is yours, but pulling an engine is not the easiest thing to do compared to pulling a head as you already know. Oh, thanks for the comments on the videos and I'm glad that they helped you out.

[@fdonosos]

Already I check the water pump with the old one and it look in the right position but my problem is because I don't know how work the tensioner when i turn the tab it doesn't engage the pointer the tab just keep spinning I try tightening the screw but the pointer remains in the lower position so my problem is the tensioner

[@stuzman52]

Yes, it does sound like your tensioner has a problem. Do you still have the old tensioner just to see that it does work. If the old one works, then you'll need to get another tensioner.

[@fdonosos]

Yes I take it to the store and they said maybe it doesn't work so they gonna get another one today for me thanks Couald I dp keep asking you if I have some another problem thank you very much for you help

[@stuzman52]

Okay sounds good Sergio. Just keep in mind that for the tensioner's pointer to move when you turn the tab, that the belt has to be up next to the belt. In other words, as you turn the tab, you'll notice that the tensioner will swing back and forth. When you turn it to its maximum position to press against the belt, that's when the pointer will move. So, as I've mentioned, if you've got a lot of slack still in the belt, the tensioner will never take up the remaining slack, thus the pointer will never move. Sounds like you've got a bad tensioner, but wanted to point this out to you, just in case. Sure you can ask questions, that's why we're all here. And that is to learn from others, where we learn about our vehicles and to save money. Take care Segio and let us know if the tensioner fixes your problem.

[@myronrogers1126]

I just can’t get the belt back on plz someone help!!!!

[@raulflores847]

how you put the top marks on time please help

[@stuzman52]

Not quite sure I understand your question Raul.... The timing marks on both camshaft sprockets will align to the marks that's on the back of the rear timing belt cover..

[@therandomassguy]

9:00 torque for engine mount

[@therandomassguy]

12:40 idler

[@therandomassguy]

22:45 for tensioner

[@kevinljones5421]

Did the have bent valves?

[@stuzman52]

Yep, 12 out of 16 valves were bent along with 5 cracked valve guides. All valves, guides and seals were replaced.

[@kevinljones5421]

What do you recommend get a new car ?

[@stuzman52]

Well, if you can do the work, you'll be looking at around $800 for the parts and machine work of the head. Otherwise you're looking at around $2000 dollars and up to get it repaired from a shop. And that's if there's no damage to the pistons. If there's damage to the pistons, then I would get another engine or another car.

[@kevinljones5421]

Can you tell me what all parts I need I found someone to redo the heads and valves for 289?

[@billypatterson6477]

If your timing belt brakes does that mean your vavles bent

[@stuzman52]

Billy Badass Since this is an interference engine, it’s most likely the valves will get bent.

[@martinbosque9426]

Excelente

[@stuzman52]

Thank you!

[@pacheco464]

my tensioner arrow doesnt move

[@titaniumautosalescom2387]

Is it ok if I can ask advice if I feel lost some where I can send video and I can pay with vemno app

[@stuzman52]

Sure, you can ask for advice if you get into a snag. No need for money as I'm here to help when needed. If you need to post a video of something, just post it on your channel and let me know. Have a good one!

[@pacheco464]

has to be loose the bolt or little thigth

[@ozzi6588]

greeting. because it costs to start the engine of that car in some cases, you have to give it a lot of start until it turns on thanks

[@vikigonzales6432]

Water pump new belt is a 309 its just weird how its tight after a few turns of crank shaft and then all of a sudden belt pops up releasing tension......

[@stuzman52]

Yes, that is strange Viki. It sounds like the tensioner is getting loose so you may have a bad one. Get a helper and while the crank is being turned clockwise, see if you can see what's happening. The tensioner is the only thing that comes to mind at the moment. Let us know what you find Viki.

[@teelee3084]

I take my car apart completely piece by piece every night just to clean and lubricate every part , then I put it all back together before bed.

[@khangdao788]

Please make another video ASAP. Can't get the tensioner on the timing belt the needle on move to the notch. Have the CAMERA on the tensioner and the flag ONLY so we can see how to move the needle.

[@stuzman52]

khang dao Sorry, I sold the car a few years ago.

[@vikigonzales6432]

Brand new tensioner......now I had a guy look at it and he didn't check if belt was tight all around and turned car over and saw it jumped teeth and said kill it after that blamed tensioner so bought a new one and in the problem im in now

[@stuzman52]

Hi Viki, If I understand you correctly, you're saying that the tensioner was bad. Since you turned the engine over, and the belt jumped, I hope that you didn't bend any valves. Hopefully, everything will work out okay.

[@pacheco464]

i all ready try like 20 times and dont get thigth

[@pacheco464]

and tensioner too

[@timanderson9466]

Ha!!! Everyone edits out actually put in the Belt on because these cars are pieces of shit and the design is horrible when it comes to these timing belts

[@pedromoralesmagonzalesmara8359]

hello i did this 30k miles ago ive heard now its time to check the timing belt. can you please tell me what to look for when i check the timing belt. i mean what do i do if my pointer is not in place. Should i reset it on place again with same timing belt and components or buy new ones. thanks Terry

[@martinbosque9426]

Excelente

[@stuzman52]

Thank you!

[@pedromoralesmagonzalesmara8359]

hello i did this 30k miles ago ive heard now its time to check the timing belt. can you please tell me what to look for when i check the timing belt. i mean what do i do if my pointer is not in place. Should i reset it on place again with same timing belt and components or buy new ones. thanks Terry