Seems like we forgot the blue loctite on Gaby for this bolt....

Only one event left, next week on a short little track like an Auto-x course.

Would you run it ? I'll bring a spare OE timing belt in case.

And will have to replace the harmonic damper this off season too.

 

what did it rub against?

 

The missing bolt for the cover.

 

oh i see. lame.

It would probably be fine for a while, but you'll probably want to eventually replace it.

 

tough call since you are dealing with an interferance engine. swapping out the belt would be quick and easy now rather than risking bent valves. maybe if you were just tooling around on the street you could risk it but not for something you are running hard.

 

V V T 1.8 is an interference engine? I must have missed that......

 

It is "interferance". Totally different thing than interference...

 

Sure will, would do it now if I had another Blue belt..

Interference, stock BP-Z3 ? Tell me more please...

 

ok, so I could swear that the VVT engines were interference(hey look, spelled it right this time!). I replaced a broken timing belt on an 02 many years ago and it had bent valves. After that i remember looking it up and reading the VVT engines were interference while the rest of the engines were not.

 

Some say that the 4Ws can be interference too if the head is decked aggressively. There was a thread on it a couple of months ago. I was surprised because I was sure this was something we didn't have to worry about.

 

In my engine (which is stock, and has never had machine work done to it) the pistons will make contact on the intake side. I discovered this on accident when I had the belt off.

 

Lots of carbon build-up?

--Ian

 

The point is, while SOME might not be interference, they're EXTREMELY close, with small variables being enough to make the difference.

 

I would clean and degrease the entire belt both sides. Clean the pully faces with rubbing alcohol. Then take another look at it. The pic you showed, is that the worst? It doesn't look that bad except for the blue crap sprinkled everywhere.

 

Tried to tear the strap apart and it's a no go so it's really strong. Will do next week track day and change it after with another blue.