The 1983 through 1988 Mazda 626 features a 2.0L engine or a 2.0L turbo engine. Both engines have the same timing belt procedure and are interference engines, which means that should the belt stretch past its useful life, the valves will most likely hit the pistons and cause extensive damage. Mazda recommends changing the timing belt every 60,000 miles. It takes about two and a half hours to change the timing belt.
Disconnect the battery ground cable and lay it aside, ensuring that it does not touch metal. Jack the front of the 626 up with the floor jack and support it with jack stands. Remove the right wheel using the lug wrench. Remove the right splashguard using the appropriate socket.
Loosen the accessory drive belt tensioners, then lift the accessory drive belts off the pulleys. Remove the crankshaft pulley bolts, then pull the pulley off. Remove the upper and lower timing belt covers and seals using the appropriate sockets.
Turn the crankshaft clockwise until the timing mark “A” on the camshaft lines up with the notch at the 12 o’clock position on the head. The crankshaft marks will line up at the 12 o’clock position.
Loosen the tensioner bolt and push the tensioner away from the belt. Tighten the tensioner bolt just enough to hold the tensioner out of the way. Lift the timing belt off the sprockets. Check that both timing marks are still lined up.
Install the timing belt starting on the crankshaft sprocket. Route it over the top of the camshaft sprocket, keeping tension between the two sprockets. Bring the other side of the timing belt up from the crankshaft to the water pump pulley, then route it behind the tensioner.
Loosen the tensioner bolt and allow the tensioner to put tension on the belt. Turn the crankshaft clockwise two turns. Check that both timing marks are lined up. Apply a load of 22 pounds halfway between the crankshaft and camshaft sprockets. If the deflection is not between 0.47 and 0.55 inches, repeat Step 6.
Install the rest of the parts in reverse order of removal. Tighten the crankshaft pulley bolts to 10 foot-pounds of torque.
