Removal & Installation: Removal
WARNING: This page is about a different variant/trim than selected.
- Disconnect negative battery cable. Remove upper timing belt cover bolts and remove cover. See Fig 1 or Fig 2 . Raise vehicle on hoist and remove right front wheel. Remove splash shield. Remove accessory drive belts. Remove crankshaft damper. See Fig 3.
- Remove A/C-generator belt tensioner and pulley assembly. See Fig 4. Remove generator and bracket. Remove lower timing belt cover bolts and remove cover. See Fig 1 or Fig 2 . On Sebring and Stratus, remove coolant recovery bottle.
- With engine properly supported, remove right engine mount. Raise engine with jack until engine support bracket bolts are accessible. Remove engine support bracket bolts and then engine bracket. See Fig 1 or Fig 2 .
- Before removal of timing belt, rotate crankshaft until TDC mark on oil pump housing aligns with the TDC mark on crankshaft sprocket (trailing edge of sprocket tooth). See Fig 5.
- Loosen timing belt tensioner lock bolt and insert a 6-mm Allen wrench into hexagon opening located on top plate of belt tensioner pulley. See Fig 6. Rotate top plate clockwise until there is enough slack in timing belt to allow for removal. If reusing old timing belt, mark belt with arrow to indicate original direction of rotation. Remove timing belt.CAUTION: If timing belt was damaged due to incorrect tracking (alignment), belt tensioner pulley and bracket must be replaced as an assembly.
CAUTION:
When aligning crankshaft and camshaft timing marks, always rotate engine from crankshaft. Camshaft should not be rotated after timing belt is removed, or damage to valve components may occur.
CAUTION:
Crankshaft sprocket TDC mark is located on the trailing edge of sprocket tooth. See Fig 5. Failure to align trailing edge of sprocket tooth to TDC mark on oil pump housing will cause camshaft timing marks to be misaligned.