Cambelt - due for a change!!

[Mach1]

My 'new' Puma has done around 70,000 miles & had a new Cambelt about 50,000 miles.

Unfortunately this was 10 years ago so I guess well overdue for a change?

It's a 1.7 so probably needs someone who knows what there doing - so wondered if anyone could recommend anyone.
Ideally in Oxfordshire but could probably go to Berkshire or even Hampshire/Buckinghamshire.......not that I'm desperate!

 

[red]

Can't help you with the garages, other than to say check the list of recommended garages on the forum. They need to be able to follow instructions on how to set the timing correctly as it seems to be very common for this to be done badly.

The cambelt should be changed every 5 years or 80,000 miles which ever comes first, so yes a little overdue I would say.

 

[Tigdlo]

I’ve just replaced the cam and auxiliary belts on my 1.7, which has done 104k miles, and I’m fairly sure that they were the original ones fitted. I can confirm that it was a pig of a job, and as I have yet to start the engine, you may hear a large bang if you are in the north Herts area in the next few days!

 

[tuonokid]

How did you manage to tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt?
Barry

 

[Mach1]

Thanks red, I thought it was five years - I'm going to take it off the road for the winter (and probably won't do too many miles before then as it's my 'hobby' car) so will probably risk it until it comes out of hibernation next year. That will give me an extra year before it needs another one.

If you hear another loud bang (from south oxfordshire) you'll know why!!

 

[Tigdlo]

How did you manage to tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt?
Barry

I held the pulley with a home-made tool against the lower wishbone, and tightened the (new) bolt firstly with a torque wench, and then a breaker bar with a length of steel tube over it, for the final 90 degrees. Wasn’t too difficult actually.
It was more of a challenge getting the old bolt undone. The main problem with doing the whole job, was the lack of access. Despite removing the o/s headlight, alternator, coolant header tank, and of course, the front wheel, there was barely any room to reach the bolts, especially those holding the power steering pump!

 

[tuonokid]

Hi
I was just checking to make sure you weren't going to wreck your engine. If you managed to get the required torque with a NEW bolt and tensioned the cam belt as per Ford TIS you should be ok. One last check though is to have a look at Gates technical bulletin 036 which will show you a photo of how the belt tensioner should look if it's been set properly. If it's not been set properly the belt will start jumping the pulleys and wreck your engine.
Barry

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

If you managed to get the required torque with a NEW bolt

What Barry says is critical. Bolt is one use only as it streches in the proces and later is simply to long. So, have you put in the NEW UNUSED bolt for the crankshaft pulley?

 

[Tigdlo]

Hi
I was just checking to make sure you weren't going to wreck your engine. If you managed to get the required torque with a NEW bolt and tensioned the cam belt as per Ford TIS you should be ok. One last check though is to have a look at Gates technical bulletin 036 which will show you a photo of how the belt tensioner should look if it's been set properly. If it's not been set properly the belt will start jumping the pulleys and wreck your engine.
Barry

I followed the Gates bulletin 036 to the letter! I can see how some mechanics get it wrong, especially with the engine in the car.

 

[Tigdlo]

If you managed to get the required torque with a NEW bolt

What Barry says is critical. Bolt is one use only as it streches in the proces and later is simply to long. So, have you put in the NEW UNUSED bolt for the crankshaft pulley?

Yes, it was a new bolt, part of the Gates cambelt kit that I bought.

 

[grogee]

out of interest how 'bad' was the one you replaced, ie 20k miles/10 years?

 

[Tigdlo]

Well, I started the engine for the first time since replacing the cam belt, and it didn’t go bang (hooray!), but there was a massive oil leak from the back of the engine (boo!). This was caused by the new cam cover gasket being displaced due to it being undersized, possibly having shrunk in storage? A bit disappointing as it cost at least two arms and possibly one leg!
I refitted the cam cover with the old gasket, which fortunately I had kept and which fitted perfectly, and now the engine appears to be oil tight.
I can now concentrate on finishing the welding repairs to the inner sills in order to get it through an MOT.

 

[grogee]

Don't know where you got your cam cover gasket (or who made it) but mine was a pattern part from FAP I think. It was annoyingly very slightly too narrow, and it took ages to seat it properly. If I hadn't have managed it I would have had same problem as you.

So possibly not shrunk in storage, possibly just slightly wrong size like mine. Anyway it's blimmin annoying.

I think if I was going to do mine again I might leave it in the sunshine or soak in boiling water before fitting it, just to get it a bit more pliable.

 

[Tigdlo]

The gasket that I bought was around 10mm too short, and wouldn’t stay in it’s groove. I tried sticking it with Hylomar, leaving it to cure overnight with masking tape holding it in place before fitting it to the engine, but it obviously didn’t work.
£23 down the drain!