doing headgasket - cant get timing belt back on ?


jamie-gings

jamie-gings

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Mar 13, 2010
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ok so im just after doing the headgasket in my car

when i was taking off the head i marked the timing belt and both cam gears with marker so i could line them up properly again when putting it back together and i had the engine set to tdc

now i have the head and cams etc back on but cannot get the timing belt over the cam gears?!?

i have the tensioner loosened to what seems to be as loose as itl go before coming off, but the timing belt is no where near fitting on.

is there a nack to doing this ,or anyone know what the problem is?
 
Put the belt on clockwise from the crank then cams -> Water pump -> tensioner

You may want to leave the belt a little off and then when on , push it in so it sits centered on each pulley
 
so take it off from around the water pump and tensioner say? and just feed it around counterclockwise from the crank up around ?

will give that a go tomorow, thanks lads:nice:
 
No , I would suggest taking it back off and starting again.

As I said above start with the crank pulley and go clockwise while having the belt pulled taut , leaving the slack for the tensioner.

Getting the tension wrong will mean the risk of jumping teeth !

Edit: Oh and move the tensioner to the fully slack position with the spring removed while fitting if you didnt do that already
 
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ok so i got the timing belt on this morning going from the crank up and around and kept it all tight.

so now i am trying to tighten the tensioner , i have the spring back on and iv tightened the bolt pretty tight but the belt still seems kinda loose .ie i slide it forward and back on the cam gears . is there a specific way of tightening this properly, i was reading something online about rotating the crank 3 teeth counterclockwise or somethin but dont really understand it .

anyone shine some light on what way it needs to be done ?or do i just keep tightening the tensioner till it wont go anymore ?
 
Right the tension on the belt is set by the spring , the bolt is just to lock the tensioner pulley in place.

So torque the bolt , and turn the engine over a few rotations , at least 3 and make sure theres no binding. When back at TDC , check all your marks are ok. Then loosen the tensioner bolt and retorque it . Turn it over again a few times if needed.

If you grab the belt between the crank and cam pulleys you should have about a thumbs width of play at TDC.
 
ok thanks for that:nice:

does it matter if i turn it over clockwise or counterclockwise ?

and the valve clearances dont have to be done till the tensioner is fully tensioned ha ?
 
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so rotated the crank about 6 times, and the marks are way off , at least 8 teeth.

cant see how its so off, think im gona have to tow it to a garage
 
Is that a mark you put on the belt ? It will be off due to the ratio of teeth.. pulleys vs belt. Only go by the factory marks or your own marks on the pulleys.

There should be a guide online somewhere
 
thanks for the help man:nice:

i marked the timing belt and cam gears at the same point with a marker before i took off the belt initially, and when i was putting it back on i lined the marks up on the cam gears with the marks on the belt.

i rotated the crank a few times then and when the marks on the timing belt come back around to the top, the marks on the cam gears are 12 teeth off ?

i see what you mean about the ratios....if i keep rotating the crank around should they eventually line up ?
 
Set the crank shaft pulley at TDC by matching the pointer to the mark on the oil pump

Set the cams to TDC, when the cams are at TDC you can fit a 5mm drill bit into the holes in the camshaft holders, these will slide into both camshafts when they are set at TDC. (cylinder no 1)

install timing belt in this order
crankshaft pulley
tensioner
water pump
cams

now turn the crank shaft so the camshaft moves 3 teeth on the camshaft side, then tighten the tensioner to 54nm.

now rotate the crankshaft, (always counter clockwise) until the crank has rotated twice back to TDC, then check the cam position and belt tension.

if everything is good, your all done
 
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