How to Replace Timing Belt on 1985 Honda Prelude

In 1985, the Honda Prelude came with either a 2.0L or a 1.8L engine. Both are 4-cylinder engines, and both are interference engines. This means that if the timing belt stretches past its useful life, the valves will most likely hit the pistons and cause extensive engine damage. Honda recommends changing the timing belt every 60,000 miles as part of its preventative maintenance schedule.

Tools Used: Set of wrenches, Floor jack, Jack stands, Lug wrench, Set of sockets, Torque wrench

Replace Timing Belt

Disconnect the negative battery cable and lay it to the side, avoiding metal. Jack the Prelude up with the floor jack. Support it with jack stands. Remove the left-front wheel using the lug wrench. Remove the left inner fender panel and engine splash guard using the appropriate sockets.

Push the floor jack under the engine's oil pan. Jack it up just so it touches the bottom of the oil pan, thus supporting the engine. Loosen the accessory drive belt tensioner, then lift the accessory drive belts off the pulleys. Remove the top engine mount, upper timing belt cover and the valve cover using the appropriate sockets.

Turn the crankshaft counterclockwise until the white timing marks on the flywheel line up. Check the timing mark on the camshaft. If the hole is not lined up at the 9 o'clock position and the letters "UP" at the 12 o'clock position, turn the crankshaft one more time, until both marks line up.

Remove the crankshaft pulley bolt, then pull the crankshaft pulley off. Remove the lower timing belt cover using the appropriate sockets. Loosen the tensioner bolt and push the tensioner away from the belt. Tighten the tensioner bolt enough to hold the tensioner out of the way.

Lift the timing belt off the sprockets. Check that the timing marks are still lined up.

Install the timing belt, starting at the crankshaft sprocket and routing it over the top of the camshaft sprocket, keeping tension on the belt between the two. Bring the other side of the belt up over the top of the oil pump pulley, then behind the tensioner pulley.

Loosen the tensioner bolt and allow the tensioner to put tension on the belt. Turn the crankshaft counterclockwise until three teeth on the camshaft sprocket pass the timing mark on the head. Tighten the tensioner bolt to 31 foot-pounds of torque. Install the rest of the parts in reverse order of removal. Tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to 83 foot-pounds of torque if the bolt is a 12 mm bolt or 108 foot-pounds of torque if the bolt is a 14 mm bolt.