Timing belt installation procedures on 1994-2001 Acura B18 Series engines - Engine Builder Magazine

Timing belt installation procedures on 1994-2001 Acura B18 Series engines

Engine Builders: The following information is for installers regarding timing belt installation procedures on 1994-2001 Acura B18 Series engines. Failure to follow these procedures could result in engine damage.

Position the crankshaft and the camshaft pulleys as shown in Figure 1 before installing the timing belt.

Set the crankshaft so that the No. 1 piston is at top dead center (TDC). Align the groove on the teeth side of the timing belt drive pulley to the (arrow mark) pointer on the oil pump.

Align the TDC marks on intake and exhaust pulleys.

NOTE: To set the camshafts at TDC position for No. 1 piston, align the holes in the camshafts with the holes in No. 1 camshaft holders and insert 5.0 mm pin punches in the holes.

Install the timing belt tightly. Loosen and retighten the adjusting bolt to tension the belt. Remove the pin punches. Rotate the crankshaft about 4 or 6 turns counterclockwise so that the belt positions on the pulleys. Adjust the timing belt tension. Check the crankshaft pulley and the camshaft pulleys at TDC. They should line up.

If a camshaft pulley is not positioned at TDC, remove the timing belt and adjust the positioning, then reinstall the timing belt.

Engine Builders: There is a revised connecting rod cap screw on Mack E-Tech & E7 PLN engines. This change occurred during production of these engines beginning September 14, 1999.

The fully threaded shank identifies this new cap screw. Previous connecting rod cap screws had a long neck down shank as shown at the top in Figure 2. As a positive means of identification, the part number suffix can be found on the head of each cap screw as well.

The two 14 mm connecting rod cap screws shown in the lower portion of Figure 2 are to be used with connecting rods that have alignment sleeves in the rods. The 211M & 212M on the head of the bolts identifies them. The 16 mm cap screw is used on early E7 PLN engines having connecting rods without alignment sleeves and are identified by the 24M on the head of the bolt.

To provide strict control of torque on these rods, an angle torque method has been added to the two 14 mm cap screws. Torque values for the three connecting rod cap screws are as follows:

396GC24M

You May Also Like

Shop Solutions February 2023

Check out February’s shop tips and tricks.

Engine and machine shop tips and tricks.

Dowel Removal

This is an easy and clean way to remove hollow dowel pins found in connecting rods or mains. Start tapping the I.D of the dowel with an NPT tap. Once it starts to cut, it will spin the dowel, and with upward pressure, the dowel can be removed and reused.

Honing the LS

Modern honing techniques are as much a performance concern as they are part of engine design, and that’s thanks to the much tighter tolerances and specifications engines need these days. 

LTR Engine Build

This Late Model Engines build is centered around Concept Performance’s new LTR block, which is the first aftermarket as-cast aluminum Gen V LT block. 

LS Intake Manifolds

LS swaps are popular for many reasons, but there are a lot of variations and details to sort through – more of them than you may expect – and many of them are associated with the intake manifold.

LS Cylinder Heads

The LS engine is known for its cylinder heads, and there are tons of options available to upgrade the factory components.

Other Posts

Choosing the Correct Block for Your LS Engine Build

Whether you’re scouring junkyards, ordering cores, investigating factory options, looking at aftermarket cast iron or aluminum blocks, or spending big bucks on billet LS blocks, you’ve probably noticed it’s been harder to find exactly what you want for the foundation of your LS build than it historically has.

Open Loop/Closed Loop and Learning

Closed-loop control can be programmed to either add or subtract up to a certain percentage of fuel in order for the engine to reach the target air/fuel ratio.

Shop Solutions January 2023

Next time you have set of large journal small block Chevy connecting rods to resize, consider honing the big ends of them for a +.002” outside diameter bearing that the LS engines with fracture cap rods use.

Shop Solutions December 2022

Everyone misses occasionally, and this helps avoid dents and damage.