The 1998 Dodge Stratus with the 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine uses a timing belt to maintain proper engine timing. The camshaft and crankshaft both have a sprocket and there is a pulley to maintain proper tension on the belt. Dodge recommends that the belt be replaced if it has stretched and skipped or when the proper service interval, usually 70,000 miles, is reached. This is a job that you can perform at home with the proper tools in about two to three hours.
Remove the negative battery cable by first loosening the terminal clamp with a wrench, turning the bolt counterclockwise. Once the clamp is loosened, twist and pull to remove it.
Remove the accessory drive belts. There is a tensioner bolt on the alternator to adjust the belt tension. Loosen the adjuster bolt at the top of the alternator and the pivot bolt on the bottom by turning them counterclockwise with a socket and the ratchet. You may need to hold the nut on the back of the pivot bolt with a wrench to keep it from turning. Remove this belt and mark it "alt" and set it aside.
Loosen the pivot bolt and adjuster bolt on the power steering pump by turning them counterclockwise with a socket and ratchet. Once loose, pull up on the belt to loosen it and remove it. Mark it "PS" and set it aside.
Place the block of wood on the jack pad and roll the jack under the front portion of the engine. This is the side on the passenger side of the car. Raise the jack until the block of wood just makes contact with the forward edge of the oil pan.
Remove the passenger side motor mount and bracket by rotating the bolts counterclockwise with the ratchet and proper socket. You will most likely need to use a wrench on the motor mount nut to keep it from turning. Set the motor mount and bracket aside.
Remove the three bolts that hold the timing belt cover onto the front of the engine by turning them counterclockwise with the socket and ratchet.
Remove the crankshaft dampener/pulley by turning the bolt in the center counter clockwise. Grasp the dampener/pulley and wiggle it back and forth to remove it. Set it aside. Reinsert the bolt in the end of the crankshaft and tighten it to 80 to 100 foot-pounds. Remove the timing belt cover.
Locate the timing marks on the crankshaft and camshaft sprocket and line them up with the corresponding arrows. The arrow on the crankshaft sprocket will line up with the arrow on the oil pump housing. The arrow on the camshaft sprocket will line up with the arrow at the top of the rear cover.
Loosen the tensioner bolt by turning it counterclockwise with the socket and ratchet. Don't remove it. Insert the long end of the smaller Allen wrench in the small pin hole on the tensioner and the short end of the 8 mm Allen wrench into the larger hole. Turn the Allen wrench counterclockwise and push in on the small Allen wrench until it slides into the hole behind the tensioner. Remove the belt. Rotate the crankshaft to ½ notch before TDC (the timing mark)
Install the new timing belt, remembering the routing. Rotate the crankshaft back to TDC in order to take up the slack in the belt. Turn the large Allen wrench counterclockwise and pull the small Allen wrench out of the hole. Remove the 8 mm Allen wrench and tighten the tensioner bolt by turning it clockwise to between 40 and 50 foot-pounds with the ratchet and socket. Rotate the engine two full turns and recheck the timing marks.
Replace the timing belt cover and tighten the bolts by turning them clockwise. Tighten these bolts to approximately 20 foot-pounds using the ratchet and socket.
Replace the right side motor mount and bracket. Tighten these bolts to between 40 and 50 foot-pounds.
Remove the crankshaft dampener/pulley bolt by rotating it counterclockwise. Replace the pulley/dampener, lining up the keyway properly. Reinstall the bolt, turning it clockwise. Tighten this bolt with the ratchet and socket to approximately 100 foot-pounds.
Replace the accessory drive belts, paying attention to routing and tension the belts until there is no more than one inch of deflection when you push the belt halfway between the two pulleys farthest apart. Adjust the power steering belt tension by inserting the ½ inch drive adapter in the square opening on the bracket and pushing down. Tighten all of the pivot and tensioner bolts to 40 foot-pounds by turning them clockwise with the ratchet and the socket.
Lower the jack and pull it out from under the car.
Reconnect the negative cable to the negative battery terminal and tighten the cable by turning the bolt clockwise with the wrench.
