4MM OF DEATH
If you are in the unfortunate process of changing a timing belt for a 2002 Honda Civic, then here is a little friendly advice: Change The Tensioner Bolt.😱
For reasons only know the the five smartest people in the Honda Corporation, the tensioner bolt is 4mm too short and will strip the last few threads out of the block causing the timing belt to loosen and destroy the valves in the cylinder head. There is a new bolt you can order from Honda and it is 4mm longer than the old one.
Its not that I am paranoid, its just that I have had to change out valves on a honda civic engine once apon a time and I'm not going back there. Not sure if you have the upgraded bolt or not on your Honda? Here is a sure way to figure it out. Take the new tensioner you bought with the new timing belt for your Civic, and put the bolt through it. Next, take a ruler or vernier caliper and measure the bolt protrusion. It should be 15mm of thread. If it is not (and mine was not) then you have the old bolt. It turns out that 4mm is enough to doom your Honda engine to certain death. Spank you Honda, spank you very much.
Remember: 15mm of thread protrusion past the tensioner.
