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That old timing belt on the '98 Civic finally gave up the ghost yesterday

Heard a snap and a clatter right as I pulled into my driveway. Spent the evening swapping it out with a Gates belt and got it running smooth again. Anyone have a favorite trick for lining up the cam marks on these D-series engines?
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3 Comments
spencer400
spencer40016d agoTop Commenter
That "wrong by a single tooth" feeling is the worst, like the engine's fighting itself.
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spencer400
spencer40016d agoTop Commenter
I always put a dab of white paint on the cam gear marks and the timing cover. Makes them way easier to see in the engine bay shadows. That Gates belt should last you another 100k, easy.
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the_paul
the_paul16d ago
My buddy tried that timing job without marking anything first and got it wrong by a single tooth. The thing ran so rough it shook the whole car. Had to tear it back down right there in the lot. What @spencer400 said about the paint is the real deal, it saves so much headache. Watching my friend struggle that day convinced me to always mark everything twice before the belt goes on.
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