Timing belt questions, S2 RB25DET (LONG READ)

[OutToWinPAHC]

When I got my car it wasn't running, also had no power steering belt. After going throw a complete wiring mess, new harness, a bad PFC which led me to AEM EMS2 I got the car up and running and immediately there was a small drip from the water pump. We were able to get a decent running AFR on it ( my tuner came to the house to set it up ran it in the driveway for about 5 minutes to put a healty enough tune to get it to the flat bed, and bleed the coolant once the leak was fixed). There was a strang sound a whine, but I thought it was the power steering pump because steering felt weak.

At the time I was out of room and had a local shop that supposedly were the RB go to's in the area. I had then do a new OEM water pump, install new Greddy timing belt, OEM tensioner and idler. Leak free, bled good to go, power steering felt like crap (only in the parking lot from the bays to a flat spot where it went on the flatbed and went to the tuners shop). He tuned it, runs great, healthy oil pressure, temps, made good numbers on the dyno. He ended up spending all day with the tune and it's great. Drove it home and have been playing with it here and there and driving it since (not daily). The power steering finally started to give out so swapped a new pump on it (brand new OEM). I was hopeful that the whine would be gone but it's not.

So today I pulled the steering belt, pulled the cam cover, ran it and still the whine. Watched a tone of youtube vidoes and checked the timing belt and it sounds and feels too tight. Its not ribbing any covers, and the CAS is spaced corrrectly. I am certain that it is too tight, but I dont see a way to loosen it.

Questions
Can the timing belt be loosened and how?

Other questions in anticipation of redoing the belt
Going to to a new oil pump, OEM N1 does that include a new front seal and oil pump gasket?
Does the Ross Metal Jacket Balancer have the third rib set for AC?
Who sells new crank bolts because Nissanparts.cc nor Raw have them listed?

[fliprayzin240sx]

Did you bleed the powersteering lines by turning the wheel lock to lock and holding it there?

As far as the timing belt, you cant loosen the belt without taking the crank pulley out and the lower timing belt cover. Even then, there isnt really an adjustment for the it. It just self tightens when you torque down the tensioner.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Yeah I read up on some stuff last night, and the different methods people use. Power steering is well bled, even with the belt off it makes the noise.

I know I can get the lower timing cover off without pulling the crank pulley. I may try this to see if it help at all at getting to the tensioner bolt and key. Definitely need to pull the clutch fan and radiator, but I should have the room I need.

[Darius]

You can overtighten the tensioner if you don't follow the FSM procedure. It is a spring-loaded tensioner so it self-tensions, but you need to set it in the correct position first or it can be too tight or loose.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Yeah it only has about 1/4 free turn where it should be about half. I managed to just now take off the lower timing cover with the crank pulled on the car ( can be done ). I am going to inspect all the plates and adjust tension and see if that solves it. If so no worries but I am half way there so I am going to swap cams, do a HKS belt, N1 oil pump, and metal jacket balancer.

[Carl H]

hks belt is a waste of money, standard nissan gear is just fine and is a fraction of the cost.

[OutToWinPAHC]

What about those other questionns carl? about the pump and seal?

[Carl H]

pumps come with seals but you'll need a gasket and there is no reason to replace the crank bolt...its not gonna snap off like a honda.
the MJB has pullies for all accessories so yes ac will work.
if you're replacing the pump then you'll have to reset tension on the tbelt...most people dont realize you have to roll the motor over a few times with the tensioner loose to let the spring do its job properly.
pull the plugs and this job is very simple to do.