replacing water pump/timing belt on bp swap.

[Festivahopeful]

What is the easiest way to get to the crank pulley bolt, I was thinking lowering the engine a few inches but not sure if undoing the passenger motor mount will give me enough clearance. I have only done this job with an engine out of the car and since it is swapped not like I have a manual to refer to. Any help is much appreciated.

[SoCalZ28]

I've done 2 belts. 1 in auto shop 17 years ago, engine out. The second was a 86 Honda Prelude, engine in. Had th remove the passenger motor mount to seat the belt, and the tire but the Honda had a crank access hole in the fender splash guard. I found your post while search-button-ing for talk on the timing belts.

Not 100% but I think my 90 may have jumped a tooth. She's lost her spunky attitude and barely maintains 70 with my foot pegged, she used to hit 85+ no problem. ...?

Don't want to hijack ur thread tho. Good luck to you.

Another member should chime in with additional banter

[zoe60]

You can put a jack under the oil pan and undo the 3 nuts on the passenger motor mount. Then lower the engine till you can get to the bolt. Of course you need to remove the passenger wheel and remove the access panel. Impact wrench should zap it right off but if you are using hand tools you will need to wedge a prybar or something against the flywheel to keep the engine from turning. I took out the starter but there may be easier ways to do it. Some people put a strong arm and socket on the bolt and crank the starter but it seems a little risky to me. Good luck! Oops, just noticed it's BP, but should be basically the same.

[Festivahopeful]

I have the tire off and engine mount loosened, going to try to jack up the drivers side of the engine to see if that brings the crank down enough. Also my belt snapped so the timing was not preserved. I also do not have the full back plate for the timing cover as shown here.0996b43f80220baf.jpg so I am not sure how to align the camshafts correctly, is there a mark that meets in the middle of the camshaft sprockets I could use to set it. any help would be appreciated or a link to BP timing marks lined up at the camshafts so I can maybe eyeball it and pray? Again thank you guys, I would rather not be doing this but the timing belt snapped the other day and the water pump had already been leaking so it's time.

[Festivahopeful]

I am not seeing an access panel, maybe it was deleted by the same genius who decided the engine didn't need its timing covers

[Festivahopeful]

alright I undid the three passenger side mount bolts and the mount is loose but the engine dropped less than an inch. Is there something else I need to loosen to get it to move? I even tried to jack up the drivers side by the transmission with no luck. Also does this look about right for where the camshafts should line up? I found it on a miata forum and just wanted to make sure. miatacamgearsnumbered2.jpg

[Festivahopeful]

I am at a loss at how to get to this crank pulley bolt, im abt to go find a damn engine hoist and just pull the thing! I have undone the passenger side motor mount and even the front trans mount and still I am an inch or more away from getting the crank pulley bolt below the frame rail. I would rather not have to undo all the mounts because I do not have anyway to put tension on the block and am afraid I would never get all the mounts in again. I have tried to jack up the block at different locations to get the front to drop to no avail.

[william]

So the passenger mount is off? Dose this thing have solid mounts on the transmission? If I pulled my passenger mount it will fall till the water pump hit the frame lol

[Festivahopeful]

figured it out, all is well now. I had only undone the mount where it connects to the engine but did not actually remove the mount. The engine bracket was hitting the mount not allowing it to drop enough, now I can continue on!

[SoCalZ28]

Glad to hear you got it going!