Miata timing belt tools needed

BenjaminGuardiola · **Joined:** Wed May 14, 2014 8:31 am **Posts:** 84

I have a Miata that I need to do my timing belt on soon. The crank seal is weeping oil onto the belt. It's not dripping, just wet to the touch. I was hoping someone local has tools or experience they could help me out with. I have basic mechanics tools, but I don't think I have everything I need.

Willing to compensate (time, money, beer, etc).

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:20 am

BenjaminGuardiola wrote:

I have a Miata that I need to do my timing belt on soon. The crank seal is weeping oil onto the belt. It's not dripping, just wet to the touch. I was hoping someone local has tools or experience they could help me out with. I have basic mechanics tools, but I don't think I have everything I need.

Willing to compensate (time, money, beer, etc).

No special tools are needed to do a Miata timing belt. It's one of the easiest to do. Basic hand tools and a little patience is all you will need.

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:48 am

Vincent Keene wrote:

BenjaminGuardiola wrote:

I have a Miata that I need to do my timing belt on soon. The crank seal is weeping oil onto the belt. It's not dripping, just wet to the touch. I was hoping someone local has tools or experience they could help me out with. I have basic mechanics tools, but I don't think I have everything I need.

Willing to compensate (time, money, beer, etc).

No special tools are needed to do a Miata timing belt. It's one of the easiest to do. Basic hand tools and a little patience is all you will need.

I agree. I have probably done somewhere around 100 Miata timing belts between my time at Sports and Compacts and my own cars. I could easily do 2 cars a day with seals water pumps, idler/tensioner bearings etc. The toughest/most time consuming part can be holding the crank shaft while loosening and re-torqueing the crank bolt. For this it is very helpful to have a tool. I welded an old jack handle to a flat piece of steel with a pair of bolt holes and shaped to fit the crank flange. I think Carl may still be using it to this day! Someone in the club should have one you can borrow.

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:47 pm

5th gear and wheel chock has worked well enough for me.

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:59 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

5th gear and wheel chock has worked well enough for me.

With that professional race car, I thought you of all people would have the SST's for the timing belt :wink:

In chocking the wheel I always had a tough time keeping the car from trying to move, plus it seems like there is a lot of flex in the drivetrain between the mounts clutch springs etc. that you end up fighting when trying to torque the bolt. Removing the bolt is easy enough, you can lay the breaker bar handle against the ground and bump the starter

*Do this at your own risk*

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:35 am

Torquing the crank bolt? Oh, you mean using red loctite and an impact?

BenjaminGuardiola · **Joined:** Wed May 14, 2014 8:31 am **Posts:** 84

Yeah I was concerned about 3 things. The crank bolt, cam gear alignment, and the water pump seal.
Someone said they might have a FM tool kit laying around, so I am hoping that pans out.

Patience is not my strong suit, so anything to make this easier will be great (including advise).

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

How many miles does the car have on it? I can send you some part numbers for stuff you should probably replace while you're there.

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:11 am

Cam alignment is easy with two wrenches and a c clamp.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5144/5604 ... c79e_b.jpg

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:15 am

BenjaminGuardiola wrote:

Yeah I was concerned about 3 things. The crank bolt, cam gear alignment, and the water pump seal.
Someone said they might have a FM tool kit laying around, so I am hoping that pans out.

Patience is not my strong suit, so anything to make this easier will be great (including advise).

I bought that cam gear tool (no idea where it is now) but it didn't work nearly as well as advertised so I ended up not using it. Seriously, all you need to do it align the cam timing marks. It's very easy.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:19 am

JamesMilko wrote:

Cam alignment is easy with two wrenches and a c clamp.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5144/5604 ... c79e_b.jpg

You can also mark the old belt and transfer the marks to the new one. Once you have the belt back on youl will spin the engine using the crank bolt a few times to see if all the marks line up. If they do, button it up. If they don't back up, rinse and repeat.

Do you have manual? Between that a Miata.net even Remchak could do a Miata timing belt job.

BenjaminGuardiola · **Joined:** Wed May 14, 2014 8:31 am **Posts:** 84

I don't have a manual. I was going to lean heavily on miata.net tutorials.

Car has around 85k on it. So I am in the ballpark of needing this done even if there was no issue.
Here is what I ordered for the job.

Mazda: Head Cover Gasket, Front Crank Seal, Intake Cam Seal, Exhaust Cam Seal
Gates: TBK, WPK, Thermostat, Belts

I know I will need oil, filter, and anti-freeze. I already did the fuel filter and spark plugs.

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

You should look into getting a new woodruff key, crank pulley (damper), and crank bolt as well. It's one of those things where if you're already there, it's worth it to replace it just to be on the safe(r) side. All of these are cheaper from Mazdaspeed (I think I paid $110 for the crank pulley, for example), but it has pictures and the p/n.

http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/product ... 06%29.html
http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/product ... 01%29.html
http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/product ... 17%29.html

When were you looking at doing this exactly? I could probably lend a hand if you're around Raleigh.

BenjaminGuardiola · **Joined:** Wed May 14, 2014 8:31 am **Posts:** 84

The parts should be here first week of May. I will probably start taking it apart as soon as they arrive.
Hate to disassemble it and find out something is missing.

I live about 1 mile from the old LRR off Gresham Lake Rd.

My schedule will happily move to accommodate help.
The goal is to knock it out between Autocross #3 & 4.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2015 1:25 pm

How old are the radiator hoses? Now would be a good time to replace those as well.

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Miata timing belt tools needed

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