Timing belt replacement

[Mux213]

Checked the timing tonight, looks pretty good



I tried loosening the bolt with the handbrake on and in gear but I just pushed the car through its brake. I think I need to retention the handbrake

I haven't tried the starter trick yet, I first need to get a proper brakerbar for that.

Then it started to rain so didn't do much more....

My and robokill are first going to try another trick tomorow that might work aswell but is less troublesome

[Mux213]

With the help of Robokill we got the timing belt replaced and the car is purring like a kitten. Old timing belt actually looked almost new which is not a surprise as it was replaced not that many miles ago (but many years ago). Better safe then sorry in this case though

I'll post full story and such tomorow, its way to late tonight!

[Mux213]

Hey guys,

I just put down in my scary words how me and Robo replaced my timing belt (atleast the way I remember we did).

Please feel free to put comments in this thread about it. If important mistakes popup or additional suggestions are made I will add those to the writeup.

I've locked the writeup itself to keep it clean, please post your reactions in this thread!

[robokill]

Nothing to ad (havent read it tough) Looks like a nice manual with all the pictures tough you should placed the mirrored picture more up when the pulley was on

:-)

[Mux213]

They pulley is still on in that picture, only the bolt is already out. We didn't take a picture with the bolt still in

[Ivan141]

3 points of comment on the write-up, which I must say is very complete.
1. Why do you need a new spanner? I think you mean belt tensioner, like you call it durther in your post. A spanner is a tool I think.
2. You can also check for TDC on compression by looking at the indentation in the camshaft directly under the oil filler cap. Though the other methods are correct, I would still add this one to be complete.
3. Add a comment about installing the timing belt in the correct direction, it should be indicated on the belt itself, errr...I only forgot which direction that would be when looking at the engine from the front...I believe it was clockwise, but better check up on that before adding to you how-to.

[dreja]

" One of us worked with the braker bar while the other held the camshaft sprocket in place with another wrench"

So when removing the CRANKshaft pulley bolt one held the CAMshaft with a wrench. One or both?

So the timing belt absorbed the force (the force was distributed from crankshaft to camshaft throught the timing belt)?
Helding the crankshaft instead of camshaft is perhaps not possible (no space for using 2 wrenches togheder on the pulley)?

Andrej

[Mux213]

Ivan141 Wrote:1. Why do you need a new spanner? I think you mean belt tensioner, like you call it durther in your post. A spanner is a tool I think.

Oops, sorry bit of a loose translation from dutch. I mean the belt tensioner in each situation

Ivan141 Wrote:2. You can also check for TDC on compression by looking at the indentation in the camshaft directly under the oil filler cap. Though the other methods are correct, I would still add this one to be complete.

Hmm I didn't know that one. Have to see where it is so I know what I am talking about, then I will add it to the writeup

Ivan141 Wrote:3. Add a comment about installing the timing belt in the correct direction, it should be indicated on the belt itself, errr...I only forgot which direction that would be when looking at the engine from the front...I believe it was clockwise, but better check up on that before adding to you how-to.

Hmmm, I thought that was only important when you remove your timing belt and reinstall the same one (for instance after changing a camshaft). Most manuals I've read only mention putting the arrow on the belt yourself before you remove it. As far as I can remember there was no arrow on my timing belt. I will go check later on for I may have installed it the wrong way then.

[Mux213]

dreja Wrote:" One of us worked with the braker bar while the other held the camshaft sprocket in place with another wrench"

So when removing the CRANKshaft pulley bolt one held the CAMshaft with a wrench. One or both?

Yupz, one was busy unbolting the crankshaft pulley while the other holds the camshaft sprocket in place. But I am not to fond of this method as force is placed on the bolt of the camshaft bolt. I think the method of having someone sit in the car and press the brake paddel to lock the drive train would be best. The drive train normally gets the force of explosions to deal with, I doubt you can put more strain on it by hand

dreja Wrote:So the timing belt absorbed the force (the force was distributed from crankshaft to camshaft throught the timing belt)?
Helding the crankshaft instead of camshaft is perhaps not possible (no space for using 2 wrenches togheder on the pulley)?
Andrej

You can hold the crankshaft pulley in place with a big ass clamp or something, but you might damage the pulley. I remember lenner told me he did it that way when he replaced his timing belt. There isn't a second place where you could place a second wrench to hold the pulley in place.

And indeed, the timing belt pretty much takes the force in this way (although part of the force is also taken by the fact the car is in gear and on the handbrake). I wouldn't recommend doing that if the timing belt is to be reused. We offcourse were going to place a new timing belt on so if the belt had snapped, atleast we'd know for sure that belt really had to be replaced

[Ivan141]

You could maybe use an oil filter clamp on the part of the crankpulley which often isnt used (the smaller diameter part of the pulley used to drice a/c and power steering). However those bolts can really be stuck on there sometimes, so you might need some more locking force than that.