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2003 cts 3.2L timing belt replacement and the works!! PICS!!!!

125K views 66 replies 26 participants last post by  axtel2 
#1 ·
ok so Im not loading the pics untill we are done(should be tomorrow-dec 02). But they are very high quality pictures. Replacing timing belt, water pump, thermostat and spark plugs. So far Ive found that removing some of these fasteners is a joke at best. I have found a few suprises, and am glad that we decided to get these things changed! Cant wait to post the pics.

-Matt
 
#29 · (Edited)
The Catera 3.0 and CTS 3.2 are completely different. They share the upper plenum as well as bore and deck height. They revamped the engine design due to the earlier design being plagued with timing belt tensioner failure and head gasket failure. Cadillac washed its hands of the Catera with the introduction of the CTS. Generally I don't think Cadillac meant for it to be called the Catera touring sedan, just going with the European trend of letter cars. Hence the ATS, CTS, DTS, STS etc.
 
#30 ·
jran0823 said:
The Catera 3.0 and CTS 3.2 are completely different. They share the upper plenum as well as bore and deck height. They revamped the engine design due to the earlier design being plagued with timing belt tensioner failure and head gasket failure. Cadillac washed its hands of the Catera with the introduction of the CTS. Generally I don't think Cadillac meant for it to be called the Catera touring sedan, just going with the European teen of letter cars. Hence the ATS, CTS, DTS, STS etc.
This is all correct ^ and the 3.2L turned out to be pretty darn great IMO. Engine sounds great too! Far superior in sound to the 3.6L VVT engine in my Chevy traverse, even more aggressive sounding than the 5.3L V8 in my suburban! I've heard it sounds better than the CTS 3.6 as well but I've never driven one in real life so I won't judge.

And you must agree it makes sense to go with the letter naming. Not only does it liken itself more with Audi, BMW and Merc, but it also lingually makes sense as well. Seville or Escalade might sound very foreign and unfamiliar, even difficult to say, to any non-English speaking nation, but as long as they use the same alphabet then CTS, ATS, XTS all sounds very familiar to anyone being just a string of letters. So does A5, 5-series, S500, etc

This stuff interests me obviously...
 
#31 ·
Well I finally finished with my car (took me 3 Saturdays of "kinda working on it"). Replaced the timing belt & pulleys, waterpump, thermostat, valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, cam position sensor, a couple of vacuum lines, and some crumbling wire loom. Only 2 small bolts left over. :D Whoops. Car runs great, no codes (which, before I did the work, I *always* had a cam position code, crank position code, and would frequently get the P0128 coolant temp code). When it cools down here, we'll see how the P0128 works out (it's 75+ right now, needs to be <40 to set the code).
 
#33 ·
Thanks Voodoo, I just completed mine as well and your info and pics were very helpful. However, I purchased my parts from Rockauto.com. I changed the timing belt, tensioner pulley, both idler pulleys, water pump, thermostat housing, valve cover gaskets, and spark plugs. I did run into a problem that I wanted to share for those that may be trying this in the future. While trying to remove the thermostat housing, I found that the Inlet Pipe that inserts into the housing was froze. I attempted to pry on the mounting flange of the pipe, which resulted in breaking it! This is a dealer only item, and since it happened on a Sunday, I had to wait to get a replacement. one thing I realized later is that the thermostat housing is a little more accessible after the tensioner/idler pulley assembly is removed. Not sure it would have made a difference for me, but it may have. Anyhow, thank you for sharing. (Black 2003 CTS w manual tranny)
 
#35 ·
My car popped a P0128 code on the drive home today, even with the brand new thermostat (outside temp just under 40 degrees). I continue to think the V-grille may be partially to blame. My theory goes that it flows more air across the radiator than the stock CTS grille, so the engine can't warm up. Part of my issue is that I fire up the car, and within a couple minutes I'm at 70 mph on the Interstate (going to or from work). Car never gets time to warm up while driving because of airflow across radiator. When I stop, engine starts to creep up in temperature.
 
#37 ·
Thanks for the reply... P0128 is low coolant temperature. My temperature gauge on the dash sits just below the 1/4 mark while driving 70-ish (38 degrees outside just now, according to the DIC). Level in the tank is fine - stone cold, it was ~1/4 inch below the "COLD" mark after work today. I've seen the "Low Engine Coolant" message on the DIC before (a while back), and topped it off... so I know that sensor works as well. I sat idling in the driveway for a couple minutes when I got home, and the gauge on the dash started creeping upwards. "Normal" temperature for my car is a hair past center (just past straight up and down).

This isn't a big deal, just annoying. I've got a scanner to reset the code, and I know it happens only in <40 degree weather (which only happens for a couple months a year in this part of Texas). I'm just glad the crank sensor and cam sensor codes haven't come back. That's something worth celebrating. :D Knock on wood (I've changed crank sensors 4 times in the past 2 years trying to get rid of it - definition of insanity, I guess).
 
#38 ·
Cabletech have you checked all you small hard plastic hoses specially the ones under the throttle body ans just behind the two fat black air intake hose that go to the throttle body, there is a vacum operated diafram that has a small tee I rememeber I left that off and kept have a thermostat problem
 
#41 ·
voodoo thanks for the write up brother. i just did the thermostat without the cam tools or changing the belt. talk about sweating bullets, took the cam gears off to pull that whole stupid inlet pipe off to get the thermostat.

i used this post a bit to help me out. http://www.justanswer.com/cadillac/64zgn-cadillac-cts-ok-goes-03-cts-3-2l-threw.html

upon completion the car started once and then wouldn't start again (out of gas. 1 gallon fixed that quick :))
starts up and runs fine althought i hear a lot of noise from the timing belt cover, making me suspect that i didn't tighten the belt enough.
would you please share your tightening steps with me? i ordered the tools and the new timing kit anyway coz i'm pretty sure i accidentally got some coolant on the freaken belt.

also how big of a deal is to change those cam gear bolts? i tightened them to 80 ft lbs. will retighten again.

thanks for all your help

p.s. working on a 2003 cts 3.2 before anyone freaks out :)
 
#42 ·
so yea, def loose timing belt. good thing i went back in there to double check. i tell you thought. voodoo is right about the cam sprocket bolts, if you undo them buy new ones. my genius **s decided to go and tighten them to spec. spec that i got from autozone, said 80 Ft/lbs. driver side sprockets tightened fine, the pass side kept turning and turning until i turned the freaken head clean off... fun time. hopefully tomorrow i'll be able to back it out with a reverse drill bit. BTW called all over for the bolts. ordered them form the dealership for $5 a pop for the short ones (pass side) and $10 for the long ones (driver).
i came to the conclusion that to properly tighten the belt you def def def most def need the stupid tools. they are pretty affordable through the link that voodo has provided. i'll get the sprocket torque specs and post them on here once i am done with the repair.
 
#43 ·
Phew what a day. just got done, figured i'd throw new spark plugs in but turns out i ruined one of the coils will replace the pass side coils tomorrow and i think thats it

Was about to get the broken bolt out with a center punch just caught the broken edges and kept turning.

the replacement bolts ran me 26 bucks from gm bolts for cams 1 and 2 part numbers are 90433737 they are the shorter ones. the longer ones for cams 3 and 4 part number is 90573287

the reason why you have to change the bolts is because they strech.
the tightening sequence is as follows
37 ft pounds first pass
then 60 degrees second pass
then 15 more third pass.

the new timing kit from rock auto had all the other specs which are weak i think :)
and a pretty good installation manual.

def def def get the tools if you are tackling this one on your own
and do not ask autozone for torque specs

----------

Phew what a day. just got done, figured i'd throw new spark plugs in but turns out i ruined one of the coils will replace the pass side coils tomorrow and i think thats it

Was about to get the broken bolt out with a center punch just caught the broken edges and kept turning.

the replacement bolts ran me 26 bucks from gm bolts for cams 1 and 2 part numbers are 90433737 they are the shorter ones. the longer ones for cams 3 and 4 part number is 90573287

the reason why you have to change the bolts is because they strech.
the tightening sequence is as follows
37 ft pounds first pass
then 60 degrees second pass
then 15 more third pass.

the new timing kit from rock auto had all the other specs which are weak i think :)
and a pretty good installation manual.

def def def get the tools if you are tackling this one on your own
and do not ask autozone for torque specs
 
#44 ·
Hey IM13 and Voodoo I'm confused on the cam sprocket bolt, why is it necessary to replace them, changing the timing belt doesn't require removing the cam sprockets does it. Also and Cabletech you might chime in on this one, but how much time would you say it takes to do this job from start to finish, I'm looking at hopefully doing this over a weekend it's my only car so I don't have a backup it the job takes more than a weekend to complete Thanks
 
#45 ·
If you're just doing the timing belt stuff, you should be fine doing it in a few hours (start at 9am Saturday, you'll be done by 5pm, with breaks for lunch and such). You start getting in to valve cover gaskets, waterpump, and thermostat, that's when you start eating up time. Valve cover gaskets require you to take a bunch more 'stuff' off of the motor, as does the thermostat. The timing tool kit really does help, I used it to lock my cams and also make sure the cams were aligned / set belt tension. I don't think I would have gotten belt tension set properly (cams in perfect alignment) without the tool kit.
 
#46 ·
yea cabletech is right, with the right tools the timing belt is not that bad, i ended up doing it four times until i got it right.

i pulled the 3 and 4 sprokets off the cams to change the thermostat.
if you are doing the timing belt i would highly recommend doing the thermostat as well just so you dont have to mess with timing belt again later.
you will have to remove upper and lower intake manifolds for the thermostat job, and there is a sequence to tightening the bolts on the lower manifold.

because i started out without the timing kit tools (like a moron) it took me two weekends. because with no cam locks i ended up having it go out timing.
all in all if you do everything nice and methodical. lock the cam sprokets in place you will be able to do the timing belt in a day. actually tonight it took me 4 hours and i was double and triple checking all the marks and tension on the belt from start to finish.

speaking of timing kit you want me to sell you mine? :)
 
#47 ·
I bought a timing kit off amazon thanks anyway though, you will need yours when the time comes to change the belt again. Can you explain why the istruction book that comes with the tool wants you to turn the crankshaft 60 degrees counter clockwise, I've done belts on other cars and have always made sure everything was at top dead center before taking the belt off and it worked fine, just wondering why this is in the procedures.
 
#48 ·
I think they tell you that so that you can get the crank lock bar on there and seated properly (the piece that bolts to the crank snout, that presses against the waterpump snout). I didn't use it. I tried to keep my cams at their zero position, and the crank notch at 6:00, and worked from there. My cams went out of time once and things got wiggy, but I was able to get everything lined back up, and I never removed any of the cam gears (the thermostat will come out without removing those gears). Car runs better now than it did before the swap (at least, I no longer have crank and cam position codes any more, though I did replace the cam sensor).
 
#49 ·
yea the 60 degree turn is for you to lock the that bar in place.
the first time around i followed instructions to the t (the ones that came with the belt). and at one step it had me turn cams 1 and two to the left of the marks.

i highly recommend keeping all the marks at tdc and only taking out the cam locks when necessary until you set the proper tension.

i can see you doing the tstat without taking the cam gears off, but i pulled them off before reading the instructions :)

I personally own a cts-v so i dont need that timing belt kit, it was my buddy's car that i was working on and he is planning on selling it before the belt needs to be changed again. if he doesn't he can go pay a shop to do it....
 
#50 ·
For you guys that have already done this job I have a question, how do you line up the bolts for the power steering pump without seeing the holes, I did a dry run this past weekend all went well I just had the hardest time getting the power steering bolts back in the pump, I have 163000 miles and am getting ready to do the belt myself this time. Thanks
 
#51 ·
Is it possible to see the condition of the timing belt when changing the oil? Reason why I ask is because last week I took my car in to the dealership for an oil change and upon getting it back they stated that my timing belt is warn. So I'm been like wtf :ill:I just had it changed the beginning of the year.
 
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