Timing Belt Question

[excobraguy]

I had a 1995 Chevy Lumina given to me, I believe it has a broken timing belt. It has the 3.4 engine. Does anyone have any knowledge of how to put on a timing belt on one of these cars? I've done timing belts before on dual overhead cam cars, I've heard that these can be pretty difficult......anyone? I appreciate the input, thanks!

Dean

 

[THIND]

I Havent Done One Of These But Looked In Alldata And It Appears That You Need Special Tools To Lock Gears Into Correct Timing As Gm Did Not Use Timing Marks On This Motor. Also Has A Procedure To Collapse Hydraulic Tensioner Then Refill With Synthetic Oil Before Reinstalling. As A Time Reference It Pays 5.0 Hours For This Job.

 

[excobraguy]

I Havent Done One Of These But Looked In Alldata And It Appears That You Need Special Tools To Lock Gears Into Correct Timing As Gm Did Not Use Timing Marks On This Motor. Also Has A Procedure To Collapse Hydraulic Tensioner Then Refill With Synthetic Oil Before Reinstalling. As A Time Reference It Pays 5.0 Hours For This Job.

WOW! 5 hours??? I did my Volvo dual overhead cam timing belt in 45 minutes! Sounds like a lot of work! Do you have that link or is it one of the pay sites with a login??? Thanks again for your help

 

[THIND]

It Is A Paysite That I Have Access Through Work. I Can Answer Questions As Needed. The Removal Of The Covers Doesnt Look To Hard But It Didnt Really Explain Setting Up The Gear Locks.

 

[excobraguy]

It Is A Paysite That I Have Access Through Work. I Can Answer Questions As Needed. The Removal Of The Covers Doesnt Look To Hard But It Didnt Really Explain Setting Up The Gear Locks.

The lady that gave the car to me said the dealer wanted $1000 to do the job, what a ripoff!!!! the 3.4 is good engine, but high maintenance I understand...and costly to maintain at that! Thanks for the help, I might try and tackle it this weekend.

 

[THIND]

Good Luck. If You Need Any Help Just Post And I Will Try And Answer As Best I Can.

 

[GNTIM]

I have worked on a few of these motors before but never a timing belt. They are a beatch I hear. They eat alternators as it is pinched between the firewall and motor, rear brakes too. Enigine is tight on the belt side.

 

[turbofish38]

You may also want to replace all of the belt tensioners and idler pulleys too. I used to sell a lot of those parts when the 3.4 DOHC was a popular engine.

$1000 doesn't seem to far out of line. My shop has a $100 flat rate. If you do the regular maintainence stuff and replace the high wear parts than it's a bargain unless you want Cooter down at the independent shop really screwing things up.
GM Dealer=the correct special tools and a trained tech
Cooter=a pair of vise grips a BFH and a Chiltons

Good thing the 3.4 isn't an interference motor.Now if somebody gives you a Catera than say No Thanks! $$$$

 

[excobraguy]

You may also want to replace all of the belt tensioners and idler pulleys too. I used to sell a lot of those parts when the 3.4 DOHC was a popular engine.

$1000 doesn't seem to far out of line. My shop has a $100 flat rate. If you do the regular maintainence stuff and replace the high wear parts than it's a bargain unless you want Cooter down at the independent shop really screwing things up.
GM Dealer=the correct special tools and a trained tech
Cooter=a pair of vise grips a BFH and a Chiltons

Good thing the 3.4 isn't an interference motor.Now if somebody gives you a Catera than say No Thanks! $$$$

I'm convinced I can replace it myself. The lady that gave me the car had the first mechanic she took the car to tell her that the valves were probably bent. After she gave me the car I looked it up and NOPE, it's a non interference engine as you said! Sorry to disagree but $1000 to replace a timing belt is way out of line. I agree that the labor is there to justify the price but GM should have never designed a dual overhead cam that required it to be so labor intensive. I could literally change the timing belt on my Volvo 850 in 45 minutes, and it was dual overhead cam.........$45 total price!

 

[excobraguy]

I have worked on a few of these motors before but never a timing belt. They are a beatch I hear. They eat alternators as it is pinched between the firewall and motor, rear brakes too. Enigine is tight on the belt side.

Yep, I have heard that too, oh well just another one to keep me busy as if I dont have enough with the GN!

 

[tjthorson]

I'm convinced I can replace it myself. The lady that gave me the car had the first mechanic she took the car to tell her that the valves were probably bent. After she gave me the car I looked it up and NOPE, it's a non interference engine as you said! Sorry to disagree but $1000 to replace a timing belt is way out of line. I agree that the labor is there to justify the price but GM should have never designed a dual overhead cam that required it to be so labor intensive. I could literally change the timing belt on my Volvo 850 in 45 minutes, and it was dual overhead cam.........$45 total price!

The timing belt on that car is a nightmare.... Absolutely you MUSt replace all the pulleys - and do the water pump while you are in there. There are two issues - you need the special tools to lock in the cams - its a bar that bolts across the cams to hold them in place - because where you have to line it up properly to time it - it like halfway on some of the valves and the cams will spin on you.

The other bad part is the cam gears are pressed on - no keyway, no marks. If the belt died in such a way that it jammed and spun one of the gears on the shaft - the dealer will have to reset the gear in time...

If you have it torn apart that far, throw an alternator in it too. Its on the backside and nearly impossible to replace. The book calls to drop the cradle out to do it. You can do it by breaking free the tie rod and hammering a heat shield out of the way, its a nightmare too.

And... one other thing. Replace the intake gaskets as well - they are either gone, or on their way out. Symptom is high revving when cold which calms down after the engine is warm. The intake is not bolted to the heads - it "floats" in some rubber bushings and compresses a very thick spongy intake gasket. They leak all the time.
I had one of those motors in a Cutlass Supreme Convertible. Great motor - I just had to do the alternator and intake gaskets at 40K. It was a beautiful car - one of my favorites - I just wish i could have found one with the 3.1, I would have kept it and racked up the mileage..... not on that 3.4 though.... too high maintenance, IMHO.

Good luck!

 

[excobraguy]

Geesh, now I'm wondering if the car was worth "free"????

 

[gunslinger]

I've done these in the past at the independent shop that I work at.

Seems the "properly trained" technicians at the local GM dealer wanted nothing to do with it.

Even with the proper tools, the 3.4 DOHC engines are a PITA to do just about anything to.

If the car is free, what do you have to loose? Just plan on seven to ten hours to do it in your driveway or garage at home.

 

[jcz26]

This post from another site might help, go (60degreev6.com/node/181) It's not all that bad to do one of these, just need the proper tools. I only see a couple things he missed, 1) you need to remove the RT side brace from the strut tower to the rad support. 2) You need to lock both sets of cams down on each head at the same time. When you've set the crank in "TDC" lightly snug the two cam sprockets on one head. If you tighten the sprockt bolts too much, you'll tear the cam holding tool right off the aluminum head.

 

[RubyGirl]

Take it to the shop!!!

 

[jcz26]

As for the Alternator...... The tie rod, the axle, the heat shield, the rubber splash shield hanging off the frame rail, and the lower ball joint need to be popped from the knuckle to get the alt out. Anything less is hackerism, and you run the risk of damaging the axle boot and whatever a person could break. (including knuckles).

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

Also replace the o-ring & gasket for the dummy plug where the distributor would have been. It cannot be removed without pulling the head.

 

[Otto J]

I though these were interference motors?
Is the belt broken?

 

[tjthorson]

I though these were interference motors?
Is the belt broken?

They are NOT interefence motors.

And this thread was fromn December 2007 - I am sure the guy either fixed it or long gave up by now!!!!

 

[jcz26]

They are NOT interefence motors.

And this thread was fromn December 2007 - I am sure the guy either fixed it or long gave up by now!!!!

96 and up were interference, prior was not. Could be just sitting waiting for the next new owner.