Timing Belt / Water Pump Job Hours

Salonika

Monterror Pilot
I’m traveling long distance to repair and recover my Montero after a road trip breakdown. Time is limited to get it done.
Can a few ppl chime in and tell me how many hours this job will take? I’ve got a fully equipped garage and two skilled mechanics. Can this be done in 8-12hrs ? I’m doing water pump and timing belt, nothing else, going by the FSM procedure.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
Skilled mechanics can do it in 4 hours. As a unskilled YouTube mechanic, I can probably get it done by myself under 7 hours with the wrong tools.

Here are a couple of tips:

- The fan nuts are a PIA. I use extra long wrench (10mm I think) to take those off. Most gear wrench style wrenches are too short.

- the AC pump is a PIA to remove. It’s easiest to access the four super long (12mm?) bolts via the drivers side wheel well. I suggest taking off the drivers side tire for easy access.

- long handle bent nose pliers are super handy to remove all the hose clamps.

- take photos of everywhere the vacuum hoses go with respect to the throttle and idle controllers.

- the intake has a combination of short and long bolts. Super easy to keep straight, but know that there are a total of 10 bolts into the manifold below the intake, and that in the rear, there are two bolts. One of them is hard to see, unpleasant to reach, but it’s there. Actually, I don’t know why I mention that, as I don’t think you need to remove the intake to do the TB. I’m just in the habit of removing I guess :)

- I always remove the radiator to provide more working space. It’s easy and worth doing.

- The front plate that covers the pulleys and water pump has short and long bolts. Keep them organized. I drew a cardboard template for myself.


- the Earthquake XT cordless impact from Harbor Freight was able to remove my crank bolt without having the special jig

- there is a tiny tool from Amazon that pins your pulley in place that was very helpful. I’ll try to find mine and take a picture.

- take lots of reference photos along the way during disassembly.

here is a decent video to walk you through the process:
 

Salonika

Monterror Pilot
Can you please clarify what this little tool is for, and what is it called on Amazon? Also Any tips for crank pulley removal?
 

Michael Brown

You followed me, so now we're both lost
It is a tool used to tension the timing belt pulley while tightening the bolt. FSM has the procedure. It fits into 2 pin holes on the face of the tensioner pulley while clearing the bolt.
Using 2 torque wrenches, this tool applies a small torque to tension the pulley against the belt. Then you torque the bolt to hold the pulley in place.

This tool is common to some Chrysler engines as well.
 

Michael Brown

You followed me, so now we're both lost
A shop was able to do mine in 6-8hrs when I first bought it at 110k.
I did it myself at 175k last year. It took 2.5-3 days in my driveway with a good tool set, but I also was dealing with rain. I also was finding all the stripped/damaged pieces from previous owners/work.

I would also note that all of the bolts on the front plate/drive belt support are different lengths.
A flexible end gearwrench worked best on the fan bolts.
You may need to make a y-shape holding tool for the crank pulley to loosen its bolt if you do not already have one. I made one from flat steel bar and some bolts.
Replace the crank pulley and washer with new OEM parts with the change. Make sure it is the updated short bolt.

Make sure to replace the o-ring on the metal pipe that goes into the back of the water pump assembly. Otherwise it will eventually leak coolant into the valley under the intake manifold. Fixing it requires taking the timing off again or going through the top by disassembling the intake assemblies.

This engine also has the same trick as the Chrysler V6 engines for setting timing. Install the water pump assembly, but do not tighten it down until after setting timing marks. The pump pulley slightly affects the timing mark distance between the 2 camshafts. When all marks are set to the correct tooth, then tighten the pump bolts down.

I also only had to unbolt the alternator and set it to one side.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
Oh! One more important tip! The fan belt tensioner is old style, in that it doesn't pivot to apply tension. What you need to do is loosen (not remove) the bolt on the pulley, then using an impact on a long extension from under the car, turn the adjustment bolt to lower the tensioner pulley. The bracket is soft aluminum, so don't screw it up! Be sure to loosen the pulley bolt, then adjust the positioning using the adjustment bolt at the end of the assembly. I did not understand how this worked initially, and FUBAR'd mine.

It's this type:
10150962_ltn_900423a_pri_larg.jpg


NOT this type:
DNP-Belt-Automatic-Tensioner-Belt-Idler-Pulley-Fit-For-Mitsubishi-Montero-Pajero-2001-2006-3-5L.jpg
 

Salonika

Monterror Pilot
I did notice there are two different timing belt sections in the FSM, very similar, haven’t figured out yet what the difference is. 11A-31 and 11B-16
Both are titled “Timing Belt Removal and Installation”, but they are not identically worded.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
I haven't looked at the FSM in years, but I noted a significant difference between my 1998 Gen 2.5 3.5L engine and the 2002 Gen 3 3.5L engine was that the front plate was quite different, and where the accessories mounted was different as a result. The newer 3.5L front plate had the spring/swivel type of tensioner, and just one serpentine belt, verses the 1998 3.5L with multiple belts and accessories mounted in different locations.
 

Salonika

Monterror Pilot
13 hours (2 ppl too btw) could have been 10.5 but had a gasket leak on the thermostat housing so had to redo that, then one of those small hoses on the front of the manifold leaked and lost more time there. Timing belt was the easy part. Tear down took about 5 hours then 8 more with reassembly and re-do’s. Glad to be done with this job.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
Probably a good idea to summarize your thoughts here in this thread, and highlight what tips and info you feel would be the most helpful to the next guy
 
1.5 hours just the belt, i change water pumps only if they leak.The front covers, guards and fan, of my 6g are missing too, makes it a very fast exchange. new timing belt every spring. 30k miles whichever. gen 1.sohc
 

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