Timing belt change guide

[kevinod]

Guys,

anyone know where I could find a timing belt change guide? Thinking of doing it this weekend, parts arrived yesterday (3 belts, tensioner + water pump).

There's a guide for the power steering belt and air con belt on ftodiy.co.uk, but it doesn't mention the timing belt.

Anyone know of one I could look at? Just want to see how to lock the timing when I have the belts off.

Kev.

[Mustang]

Kev,
Don't know of an online guide....In case you're not already aware -The procedure is detailed in the "engine manual" page 1-14 available on downloads page.

It's a big job, and not one that I would take on myself- do you have someone knowledgeable/experienced to help (not saying that you're not knowledgeable yourself

Not to scare you but, I recently enquired about having the T belt done on the V6 engine. The garge in question and the individual mechanic came highly recommended and the mechanic has been there for donkeys years.
Anyway he point blank refused to do the T belt. Said he did one years ago, all seemed well until a few weaks later the engine went pop. Said he did not know why, and ended up sorting the car out at his own cost

Don't know anything about the job myself. The only piece of advice I can offer (for changing all three belts) is that the tensioner of the alt belt is located very near the inner side wall of the engine bay making access to the securing bolt quite difficult. I had to try various socket / drive combinations before I could get one 'shallow' enough to access the bolt

[CJ]

The engine manual is the only guide that I'm aware of, I'd be inclined to agree with Mustang on this one, its a b!tch of a job that requires lots of patience and is best left to a skilled mechanic. Part of an FTOOC post on the subject of DIY cambelt changing:

Just finished putting the FTO back together after changing the cambelt. This is not a job I want to repeat in a hurry! I am pleased I did it myself as I found the centre idler pulley was quite worn, so changed it while it was all apart. Definitely a 2-man job to align the timing when fitting the new belt! However, it is going to take a week or so for all the little cuts on my hands to heal – far too little space in the engine bay.

It is satisfying to know it has been done correctly but not a job to take on lightly.

That said, if you can get stuck in and sort the job yourself, I take my hat off to you

CJ

[TheDigitalPimP]

If your a competent mechanic its not that difficult a job!!

I replaced the cam belt on mine (GPX) in October last year. It took a whole day to do but that I had expected!
The reason its so time consuming is because its so fiddly and tight on working space.

A few pointers for you:

1. Jack up the drivers side front and rest the car on an axle stand, remove the drivers side front wheel and inner plastic arch liner
2. Support the engine underneath on a trolley jack and remove the engine mount from the drivers side.
3. Remove the power steering, alternator and aircon belts.
4. Strip off all the plastic covers from the cam belt.
5. Wedge some small pieces of aluminium between the pulleys on the cams to stop them moving when you remove the cam belt.
6. Remove the cam belt and tensioner and idle pulley (if replacing) from the block.
7. Remove the water pump and fit replacement. (Remember to refill the coolant!!)
8. Compress the cam belt tensioner in a vice and use some strong wire to retain it in its compressed position ready for refitting.
9. Fit the new cam belt ensuring all the pulleys are lined up (they shouldn't have moved if you have wedged them well to start with!). I used bulldog clips to hold the belt on the cam pulleys as I routed it around the other pulleys.
10. Refit the cam belt tensioner and once you are happy the belt is in place pull the retaining wire out to let the tensioner, tension the belt. REMOVE THE WEDGES FROM BETWEEN THE CAM PULLEYS!
11. Hold your breath and turn the key in the ignition!! It should start straight way. If it does great, switch it off and proceed to rebuild. If it doesn't start double check all the pulleys are aligned with the marks on the head and crank pulley is aligned with the mark on the block. If they are out remove the belt and get them lined up.
12. Reassemble plastic cam belt casing and refit the engine mounts etc.
13. Kick back with a beer and admire your handy work and think of what mods you can buy with the £500+ you have saved doing it yourself!

Apologies if I have missed anything off the above! They are only basic pointers and going from memory! It was a daunting thought for me when I first realised it needed doing but once I had got started its fairly easy to work on, so long as you have a decent selection of tools you will be ok. I would definitely do it again!

Drop me a PM or email if you need anymore advice!

Good luck!

[CJ]

Nice work DP, I'll have to put a copy of your post in the Knowledgebase forum

CJ

[kevinod]

Thanks for the replies!

I'm more a budding mechanic myself rather than being too knowledgeable, but its only by doing this stuff I'll get there. My brother + father are well up on this kinda thing (mk2 golf in our drive on axle stands that the clutch is being replaced in at the moment) though, so I'll have able backup if I'm stuck.

I thought of the workshop manual and then forgot again before I posted! Thanks for the reminder!

DP - great guide, thanks! Good point on the coolant, that was slipping my mind.

What coolant goes in there if you know offhand (prob the same for GPX & GR)?

Also, is the idle pulley likely to need changing? I thought of the water pump but not the pulley...

Kev.

[chip191]

hi new to this club. im a mechanic of 15 years and just bought my first fto gpx and just fitted a new timingbelt kit not a job for the faint harted . some one on this site gives a good guide how to do but only one small problem. when you fit a new belt dont just turn the key and hope for the best.not a good idea always turn the engine over two full turns with a 1/2 inch rachet or pull bar at the crank shaft .a slow steady pull of the bar clockwise and if the engine locks up dont force it. as it is the valves hitting the pistons. another good idea is to mark the four cam pullys and the crankshaft pully with tipp-ex before removing the old belt and rember were u mark the pullys to also mark dots on the engine to line up with the marks on the pullys

[Dilogoat86]

Hey guys, great guide DP. I'll be doing this myself in the near future. Anyone got a time frame for this? Also, from dismantling an engine I had troubllr removing the plastic cam cover from around the crank damper/pulley. Do I need to remove that pulley also?