How to Replace a Timing Belt on a Kia Rio
The Kia Rio is a subcompact car that has been in production since 2000. The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft rotations synchronized. The procedure for replacing the timing belt is the same for all models with the standard 2.0-liter engine.
- Socket wrench
- Torque wrench
- Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Remove the engine cover.
- Raise the Kia Rio with a jack and support it with jack stands. Remove the right front wheel with a lug wrench and disconnect the side cover for the right wheel well.
- Detach the accessory drive belt from its pulleys and remove the pulley for the water pump with a socket wrench.Disconnect the upper timing belt cover.
- Rotate the crankshaft pulley clockwise until the pulley aligns with the timing mark on the timing belt cover. Remove the crankshaft pulley with a socket wrench and disconnect the crankshaft flange.
- Remove the lower timing belt cover with a socket wrench. Disconnect the timing belt tensioner and detach the timing belt from the crankshaft and camshafts.
- Turn the crankshaft and camshaft sprockets clockwise to align their respective timing marks. Install the timing belt tensioner temporarily.
- Place the new timing belt over the crankshaft sprocket, idler pulley, camshaft sprocket and inside the timing belt tensioner in that order. Turn the timing belt tensioner clockwise to remove the slack in the timing belt. Torque the mounting bolts for the timing belt tensioner to 20 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.
- Turn the crankshaft two complete turns clockwise, ensuring that the timing marks on the crankshafts sprockets and camshaft sprockets align once again. Replace the lower cover for the timing belt and torque the bolts to between 6 and 7 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.
- Connect the crankshaft flange. Install the crankshaft pulley and tighten its mounting bolts to between 101 and 109 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Replace the upper cover for the timing belt and tighten its mounting bolts to between 6 and 7 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.
- Install the water pump pulley with a socket wrench and mount the accessory drive belts. Replace the cover for the right wheel well and install the right front wheel with a lug wrench.
- Connect the cover for the engine with a socket wrench and attach the cable to the negative battery terminal.