Timing Belt: Removal
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2001 Mazda Millenia and 2001 Mazda 626. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- Disconnect negative battery cable. Remove lower engine covers. Remove accessory drive belts. Remove water pump pulley. Remove idler pulley bracket. See Fig 1 or Fig 2 .
- On Millenia, remove retaining bolts and power steering reservoir with hoses attached, and secure aside. Remove retaining nut and power steering pump pulley. Remove retaining bolts and power steering pump with hoses attached, and secure aside. On all models, remove crankshaft pulley retaining bolt. Using puller, remove crankshaft pulley.CAUTION: DO NOT damage crankshaft position sensor rotor on rear of crankshaft pulley during crankshaft pulley removal.
- Unplug crankshaft position sensor and unclip wires from oil dipstick tube. Remove oil dipstick and tube. Remove crankshaft position sensor and harness bracket. Remove engine wiring harness, located along top of timing belt cover.
- On Millenia models, remove retaining bolts and timing belt covers. On all models, support engine using hoist. Remove through-bolt, retaining nuts and No. 3 engine mount sub-bracket. See Fig 1 or Fig 2 . On 626, remove retaining bolts and timing belt covers. Support engine on hoist, and remove No. 3 engine mount rubber.
- On all models, if reusing timing belt, place reference mark on timing belt to indicate direction of rotation. Install crankshaft pulley retaining bolt in crankshaft. Rotate crankshaft so No. 1 cylinder is at TDC on compression stroke. Ensure groove on crankshaft sprocket aligns with indicator on oil pump body. See Fig 3.
- Hold timing belt tensioner and remove lower retaining bolt first, then remove upper bolt. On 626, remove timing belt timing belt tensioner, tensioner and No. 2 idler pulley. On Millenia, remove timing belt, timing belt tensioner, No. 1 idler pulley, tensioner pulley and No. 2 idler pulley.