Power Steering Belt rubbing

[PaulSwany]

I just finished doing my timing belt, oil pump, pan gasket and exhaust manifold gasket. Everything looks good, except my power steering pump belt has no clearance on the plastic timing belt cover.

Did I get something wrong when I put it back together? It's not rubbing very much if at all, but there is absolutely no clearance.

[AlmightyCamry777]

i have two guesses:

1. Timing belt cover or covers not installed properly. I dont know what your engine's looks like but my V6 has two covers and one fits over another.
The cover may be misaligned, or perhaps the one cover really needs to go under the other and you have put it on with the wrong one fitting underneath (does that make sense?), maybe needs to be reinstalled.

2, power steering belt is the wrong kind and is too wide.

[PaulSwany]

Forgot to mentions that it's the 5FE 4 cyl. I checked the timing belt covers and they are index correctly.. I hate to have to take them off again.. but I might have to do that.

[Mister_Perkins]

Do you have a picture? It may help figure out whats going on.

Did you happen to remove the entire Power Steering pump when you were doing the timing change? If so, the PS pump may not be in the correct location

[fenixus]

did you put tension to power steering belt "manually" with a breaker bar when tightening the p/s pump lock bolt? there is no automatic adjuster or any tensioner of any sort actually, you need to pry on pump body with one hand and tighten the lock/adjust bolt with the other hand.

[PaulSwany]

Yeah, I tensioned the belt with a pry bar. It's not slipping or making any noise. It's just too close to the cover.. I've got a pic, but I can't post attachments...

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by PaulSwany

Yeah, I tensioned the belt with a pry bar. It's not slipping or making any noise. It's just too close to the cover.. I've got a pic, but I can't post attachments...

upload that pic here:
http://www.imageshack.us

no need to register, once uploaded copy the Direct Link (page will display lots of options, Direct Link should be second from top or so) and here on forums use Insert Image button and paste the link to window and click OK.

it sounds like the lower timing cover is improperly installed (not sitting flush).

[PaulSwany]

Here's the links to the pics:

[Chris Crash]

It must be installed incorrectly, the timing marks should be farther back on the crank pulley.

[PaulSwany]

So there should be more space between the timing marks and the pulley?

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by PaulSwany

So there should be more space between the timing marks and the pulley?

yes, I have just taken some pics of my 5s-fe. there is MUCH more space between them. also note the gap between P/S belt and cover (i hope you can see it).

[mspringer]

I have a 97 4cyl. Not sure about the timing tab, but my belt just about touches the timing cover, too.

[PaulSwany]

I'm almost wondering if there should be a spacer behind the harmonic balancer? If I moved it out just a few millimeters it would be perfect... I'm pretty sure I got that cover on straight... I've taken it off 3 times and I know it's indexed correctly with the top cover. It goes on first anyway and the bottom cover is the one that the belt is rubbing on.

There is a bolt in the center of the cover that holds it flush to the oil pump cover. That bolt is tight and the cover is up against the oil pump... I could pull the cover and clearance the back of the cover.. but I had doing stuff like that... Seems like it should just fit...

[Mister_Perkins]

there is a small circular metal spacer that goes behind the timing cover, Which is behind the harmonic balancer. When you installed the belt, you should have placed the metal ring over the belt on the crank shaft, then timing cover, then balancer.

Picture:

[PaulSwany]

pretty sure I got that one on...