Anyone near by wanna help me do a timing belt/cam swap?

randomZERO · Post by **randomZERO** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 8:59 pm

I have done with the help of friends and my dad all of the normal wear items on the car. Now the timing belt and water pump give me the heebee jeebees and my father has the same jeebees. Well I don't have alot of money and want the experience. That said I'm looking for a veteran that has had success doing this and by this I mean: comp400 cam and aem timing gear,belt and water pump+ tensioner install. I will pay you and provide food and cuddles(if applicable). I have plenty of tools but no garage,so driveway status. If anyone is wanting to help let me know and we can work a day and time of some type an figure it from there. Thanks[/list]

esteinmaier · Post by **esteinmaier** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:22 pm

I'd help, but I'm not gonna go that far unless being paid my normal mileage rate.

randomZERO · Post by **randomZERO** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:29 pm

Soooooooo, how many cuddles is it gonna take?

esteinmaier · Post by **esteinmaier** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:35 pm

lol $.35/mile, both ways. It's 772 miles, so 540 hugs in the form of cash, check, money order, or paypal, as well as a warm dry place to set up an air mattress for the evening. Labor, I'd work up to 8 hours for $100, since it's not exactly specialized work. You would have to have a way to lift the motor though, and I can't fit my crane in a neon for more than a few miles.

randomZERO · Post by **randomZERO** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:51 pm

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to do it for 150+food/beer(I don't drink) I really wish I had the money to fly you here and if I hit the lottery I would have you bring a turbo kit. I'm hoping to get a local to help me as to save on mileage and sleep places( I have a 16month old so sleep gets tricky). I really appreciate the info and if I come up with that kind of money I'll contact you.

Donkeypuncher · Post by **Donkeypuncher** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:57 pm

The timing belt and water pump aren't really that bad, the write-up and how-to's make the job much simpler. That cam is what concerns me, I've never had the misfortune to replace one before.

Good luck, I'm sure someone is close enough to help out.

randomZERO · Post by **randomZERO** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:29 am

Yeah it would be better and I would feel more comfortable with a lift and a daily but I got this car and uh this car. lol Im debating getting my spare head worked and then just putting the cam and springs and such in it and then swap heads when I do the belt and pump. I hate not having alot of money.

Thanks for the encouragment Donkeypuncher

T-Nasty · Post by **T-Nasty** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:57 pm

its really not that hard to do. Get a haynes it tells you step by step. Dont really need a hoist either. good floor jack and a block of wood placed under the oil pan will do the trick.

randomZERO · Post by **randomZERO** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:03 pm

I have the haynes and the fsm it's just that all the quircks from normal stuff on the neon. Just nervous I guess. I been reading through all the walkthroughs I could find on here and the other org trying to psych myself up and just do it. I more just wanted to have someone throw a hand in and have the knowledge of someone who has done this before. I will probably just end up doing it and going that wasn't so hard like the prothane bushing install.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:11 pm

Since you're doing the cam swap also, just leave the rockers off until the belt is installed, and the timing marks double checked. No worries that way if the pulley turns while tightening the cam bolt, or the marks aren't lined up properly.

Since the engine needs to be jacked up and down a few times in the process, a lift would make it harder, IMO. I did mine in the parking lot.

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:12 pm

If you're doing the belt, putting the cam in is like a 20 minute side journey.

Also IMO haynes manual is bad idea. Factory manual or no manual to me.

randomZERO · Post by **randomZERO** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:21 pm

Yeah the haynes is mainly for torque specs and to say "hey I have a haynes manual for a neon".

Memitim · Post by **Memitim** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:07 pm

Yeah, the Haynes manual leaves out a couple of minor details. On a side note, did you know that you could jack up the entire car using nothing but a single T-55 bolt?

It's really not that bad at all as long as you've got a good puller for the pulley and you can muscle the mounting plate out. Just don't bust the timing belt cover; got to special order it and it's far more expensive than a shatter-happy sliver of molded plastic has any business being.

Jerome Adams · Post by **Jerome Adams** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:13 pm

I am in the same boat. Still need to finish my head though (little more P&P, clean it up, clean the valves, get it milled, and put it back together) then install with comp 400, belt, aem gear, and new H2O pump. Hope to get to it sometime this summer (need to do brakes, suspension, and Mag intake install first)...at the rate I am going, the intake will go on with the head.