Timing Belt Tension Problems
 

91 Civic, 197k miles

I replaced the timing belt and tensioner the other day. I
cookbooked my way through setting the tension, not knowing
how things worked, and am pretty sure the rat-a-tat-tat I
heard from the engine is the belt, somewhat loose, hitting
the upper timing belt cover, for one.I just re-did the
tensioning step, following especially Tegger's careful
advice at
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.a...763a5f85ca7e05
(post of Oct. 4, 2005), and the engine still makes the
rat-a-tat-tat noise. I can feel the vibrations in synch with
the rat-a-tat-tat on the when I put my hand on the upper
timing belt cover.

I watched for the TB's forward side (closest to the car's
front) going tense, while the aft side went somewhat slack.
In one attempt I did hear a little zing from the tensioner
spring. I checked and re-checked this as I tightened the
tensioner adjusting bolt. On my last attempt, I do not know
if the "zing" and so tightening of the spring occurred or
not.

I checked the timing with a timing light, and there are no
indications a tooth has jumped. I will continue to be very
aware that this could happen, especially when the tensioner
is loose or not set right.

On my third attempt, I want to

(1) loosen the tensioner screw more this time.
(2) make sure I hear the "zing" from the tensioner spring
(3) do as Jim Beam said in the above thread: (a) Turn the
engine over three times; (b) watch the tension in the belt;
and (c) watch that TDC on Cyl #1 aligns with the camshaft
sprocket being in the correct "up" orientation. I will take
the spark plugs out to make life easier this time.

Is it true for step (3) that the TB aft side should always
be pretty slack compared to the TB fwd side?

Any other clues on how to get this right?

Struggling here. Prompt responses are appreciated.