Timing belt change on 2006 Aveo LS: My new detailed write-up

[andyinhilo]

I am getting ready to change the timing belt on my 2006 LS Auto. Any tips on how to hold the crank pulley when torquing the bolt?

[avguy]

I am getting ready to change the timing belt on my 2006 LS Auto. Any tips on how to hold the crank pulley when torquing the bolt?

Automatic or manual tranny?

[andyinhilo]

Automatic trans.

[avguy]

With the manual tranny you can just put it in gear and apply the brake, which is the method I used for the first belt change on my '05. But as the second belt change was approaching, I had my daughter's '06 automatic that was also coming due. So I looked around for some other method. Guys talk about removing the bolt with an impact tool, and they also must reinstall it the same way, but that's not for me. There is specific torque spec for the bolt, and I suspect it's there for a reason. If the FSM said "gun it off and gun it back on", I would have done it that way. For the guys who always do it this way, hey whatever floats your boat.

So in looking around for something else, I saw this thread from snrusnak.
http://www.aveoforum.com/forum/f82/h...ey-bolt-12448/
I was thinking about going this way, but started feeling uneasy about it. My daughter lives 900 miles away, and Murphy's law says that if something bad can happen, it will be when I'm away from my workbench and all the rest of my tools. I kept thinking about how nice and easy it was to remove the bolt on my other daughter's Honda Civic. The method Honda uses with the Pulley removal tool is IMO by far the best way to design this job. So I decided to experiment with trying to adapt that for the Aveos. Those results are described in this thread.
http://www.aveoforum.com/forum/f94/c...her-way-15189/

I did this the first time on my '05 with the security of being home, and then took the stuff on the road trip and did her '06 using the same setup. I'm not trying to push this on anyone, but will say that I'm really pleased with the way this all worked out. I fumbled around a bit trying to get it to work the first time, but in the end it functioned perfectly 4 times - 2 removals and 2 installs. So I can say for certain that it does work, even though it might sound like a hairball idea.
Now all of that said, you can probably do what snrusnak did and have it work out fine. Good luck, whichever way you go!

[DILLIGAF]

Thanks a bunch for this, It only took me 4 hours with my son.

I did break the plastic inner cover trying to get the old pump out. But whit all the bolts holding that sucker in place I don't think I will ever replace it now... lol...

And I used the old breaker bar and turning the engine over trick the get the bolt off the crank pulley.

[gone.g]

Hey Guys,

I'm planning on doing the timing belt on my 2004 Chevy Aveo in a couple weekends. I'm just waiting on all the parts to ship. I have one question about the procedure.

When using he breaker bar to get the crank pulley off, do you use an extension? Or is your bar down under the car like in this video? How to use a breaker bar to remove a crank pulley bolt on a passenger facing, clockwise engine. - YouTube

I have a manual car so I can try the brakes thing and hope it works.

[avguy]

If you're using a gear and the brakes, an extension bar supported by a jackstand will make life much easier, for removal but especially for torquing it back on. I wonder if the guy in the vid used reverse to reinstall the bolt

[Ducman491]

Does anyone know if the process is the same on an 09? I read all 14 pages and every time someone asked about a Gen 2 the only replies were about the 100k interval.

Also, is there a service manual I can get? I'm a bit old school and I like to have the book to refer to.
Thanks
Jason

[gone.g]

I got two 5" and one 10" extension bars, put them all together and supported it with a jackstand. Thanks for the suggestion. My gf and I did it two Saturdays ago and everything went smooth.

[avguy]

Glad it went well for you - must have been the GF who did all the heavy thinking
Just curious if that was the first belt change on your '04, and how many miles are on it.