Are there any tutorials anywhere on how to easily remove the timing belt cover on the passenger side of the engine. I’m replacing my distributor caps and rotors and don’t want to pull off belts.

 

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/ignit...tor_rotor.html

According to this guide, you need to pull the belts off to replace them.

 

Hate to say it but you're better off to just bite the bullet and remove the T-belt covers the correct way, it's really not too much. I've done it by just removing as little as I could and trying to squeeze in to get the dist caps and rotors out but I had to bend the front timing cover so much that when I put it back together it wasn't sealed up good and dust and dirt can get in on the T-belt. (not good) Also, ya take a chance of dropping a bolt or socket down inside the cover then you're screwed and would need to do 90% of the T-belt job, which ya don't want to do if ya don't have to.

 

+1

I have replaced cap and rotors with timing covers still on and its not fun. Specifically the third bolt at the bottom of the distributor caps. I lost a socket and did not recover it until I went back in for the timing belt. I got lucky it didn't come into contact with any of the timing components when running.

I would remove the drive belt, fan, fan clutch, idler pulley and cam sensor plugs. That should give you enough room to remove the timing covers or at least pull them enough out of the way to prevent damaging them. You can't really shortcut this job which is why its always recommended to change caps + rotors when doing the timing belt.