from my 88.5  1.3 8v and it looked like it was rubbing bad and had melted. there were sheets of metled plastic slung all over the place. any idea why this would happen, and is there a fix ? looked like inside and outside both were rubbing. it didnt rub all the way through.  ya think i need to replace it or just put it back on?

Basnbud

Was it rubbing on the cover?  If it is showing signs of wear on the outside you should be able to locate something that is pressed up against it.

Do you have a picture of the partially melted belt?

it wasnt the belt, just the plastic cover. looks like the pully got up against it on the outside. its not worn all the wat thru, so i cleaned it up and put it back on. shouldn't have to worry about it rubbin......its already made its own space..... but i'm gonna keep an eye on it.

There is a foam rubber "seal" along the edge of the cover - if oil gets to it, it swells and forces the cover outwards in between the bolts, causing it to become warped and rub - if there is melt plastic on the inside, you may have a problem with the tensioner pulley.

fordome, yes, the seal was wet with oil. i changed the belt and idler. hopefully whatever it was got replaced. i'll watch the seal. if it keeps doing it, i'll get a new one and put it on.

basnbud

The timing belt covers warp all the time and sometimes they will warp bad enough that the timing belt, or tensioner pulley, or crank pulley will rub on it and can rub a hole all the way through.
If it was oily on the front of the engine, behind the timing belt cover, it is probably the cam and/or crank seal leaking (again, fairly common).  You have to remove the cam or crank pulley, to replace these seals.

Yeah I think about every old bone yard sami/tracker have all had this same cover warn near the crank.  A replacement cover/seal is available and not super expensive fyi.