My son's car has snapped it's timing belt, on removing the cam box all the valves have their correct clearance so we presume that none of them are bent.
Can any please describe the sequence of replacing the belt, where its timing marks are and if any special tools are required etc.?
Many thanks in anticipation of all replies
I'd be surprised as I recall these are an interference engine.
I think you have to take the crank pulley off to see the timing marks, I certainly used to on the 214 I owned. Be aware that the pulley botl is bloody tight and access is awkward. If you don't have a pit then the easiest way is take the RH wheel and liner off, stick a long socket bar in, support the other end at the correct height on a trolley jack and hit it with a hammer.....
To lock the twin cams (I assume it's a twin OHC) you can make a locking tool out of a piece of square tube steel bar, cut away most of it to make a flat plate with a pair of wide fingers on the ends to slip between the sprocket spokes.
Also you time it at 90BTDC rather than TDC to put the belt on, and the mark isn't obvious. Id seriously advise a trip to a library and borrow the relevant Haynes manual.
Hydraulic tappets will have adjusted up maybe
Briefly and presuming that it is the twin cam engine:
Remove the battery earth terminal. Jack the car up as high as you safely can and insert axle stands. Remove the front panel under the front bumper. Remove the off side wheel. Loosen the bottom engine pulley bolt. Remove the steering pump and alternator drive belts. Remove the shrouding around the timing belt. Remove the coolant reservoir/expansion tank and clear away the water pipes connected to it. Remove the steering pump reservoir and again clear the connected pipework. Remove the offside engine mounting. Loose the timing belt tensioner and "lock down" away from the belt. Remove the bottom pulley. Slide the timing belt off the sprockets and water pump.
Replacement of the belt is a reversal of the above.
TIMING MARKS
The INLET markings on the LEFT hand camshaft sprocket (looking straight at the engine from the drivers side) must face to the centre of the engine and the SCROLL PIN under the sprocket bolt MUST be pointing to roughly the TWO o'clock position.
The EXHAUST markings on the RIGHT hand camshaft sprocket (looking straight at the engine from the drivers side) must face to the centre of the engine and the SCROLL PIN under the sprocket bolt MUST be pointing to roughly the SEVEN o'clock position.
When this is set up, LOCK the cam sprockets in this position with a locking tool that can be bought for about three pounds from the local motor factors. Ensure that ALL the indented, straight line timing marks are in a "straight line" across the centre of the camshaft after you have "locked" it.
There are TWO small "indendents" on the toothed crankshaft sprocket (behind the belt pulley) and these must be "lined up" EITHER side of the straight line marking on the oil pump.
When ALL the timing marks are lined up, slip the timing belt back on and reassemble the lot.
PLEASE NOTE.
This is a very brief outline for the job, and after doing this on my daughters car, I would suspect that you have a few valves bent.
If you want to make sure - replace the timing belt, remove the spark plugs and then turn the engine over gently by using a spanner on the crankshaft pulley bolt to see if things are touching. If this is OK, replace the sparks plugs and re-do the test and if there compression and a high resistance, then you have been lucky. If there is no compression and low or no resistance, then you have bent some valves.
Brian G
The message from "Brian G" contains these words:
Shouldn't there be a "support engine" line before this somewhere?
Or a big THUD afterwards
Hang on - this'll be the Honda engine, won't it? Which side is the gearbox on? Driver's side = Honda engine, passenger's side = Rover engine.
Brian.
Assuming it's a Honda motor (I think it is on that year), it won't have hydraulic tappets - they're ordinary adjustable ones.
I think the full procedure is covered in Haynes - borrow from library / buy a copy of that, if poss. It's slightly easier if it's a SOHC rather than a DOHC
- still 16 valves, but they're all driven from the same camshaft.
Brian.
Quite true Guy, but as I said, it was a brief rundown, and in actual fact it is a little more involved job than I could describe here, especially if the head has to come off and you "round off" one or more of the Torx bolts holding it down - it happened to me, even with the proper tool to do the job - what fun.
So to add to that list - insert jack under the sump and place a piece of flat wood between the head of the jack and the underside of the sump and rise the jack to make contact with the sump. Ensure that the "ram" of the jack is able to be both highered and lowered so that the engine can be moved in the up and down plane and be positioned to enable access to various nuts and bolts and enable the the timing marks to be seen.
When the jack is in position and supporting the weight of the engine, undo the various nuts and bolts on the offside engine mounting and using great dexterity and a lot of patience, remove this - remembering not to lose the two loose rubber washers either side of the mounting.
Bl**dy hell, I'll be doing the job next :-))
Brian G
Terry,
Can you do us a favour please and tell us what engine is in this car - is it a Rover K16 (twin cam and gearbox on passenger side) or a Honda engine (gearbox on the drivers side) or is it the Rover K8 (single cam and gearbox on passenger side)?
Providing this information will enable specific help to be given.
Many thanks
Brian G
In message , Brian G writes
Its the single cam Rover
Terry,
I presume then that this is the Honda engine with the gearbox on the driver' s side. If that is the case, that is the "easy" one to do and below is a very brief outline of the procedure.
Note, you will need to make or buy the tool to hold the crankshaft pulley whilst you undo and tighten the bolt. Apart from that, as far as I can remember, no other special tools are needed other than a torque wrench. (it's been a couple of years since I worked on this engine)
Remove the battery earth terminal. Jack the car up as high as you can safely and insert axle stands. Remove the front panel under the front bumper. Remove the near side front wheel. Loosen the bottom engine pulley bolt. Remove the steering pump and alternator drive belts. Remove the steering pump from its brackets and put it out of the way (There is no need to break any of the piping joints) Remove the shrouding around the timing belt. Place a hydraulic jack under the sump (with a piece of wood Placed between the sump and jack) to take the load of the engine. You will need to set this up so that you can raise and lower the engine In the vertical plane to gain access to the various fixings and timing Marks. Remove the near side engine mounting. Loosen the timing belt tensioner and "lock down" away from the belt. Remove the bottom pulley. Slide the timing belt off the sprockets and water pump. Clean any oil and grease present in and around the timing belt.
If the camshaft oil seal is leaking, NOW is the time to renew it. Ditto with the water pump if that is worn or leaking.
TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT
Replacement of the belt is a reversal of the above.
Note that the timing belt MUST be tight on the FRONT run and any slack is on the tensioner pulley side
TIMING MARKS
There are two "marks" on the cam sprocket: "UP" and an "indented" line
When the cam sprocket is correctly aligned, the "UP" mark should be on the top and the "indented" line should align with a pointer on the timing belt inner cover.
As a rough check, ensure that the distributor rotor arm is pointing to the "number 1" plug lead segment in the distributor cap and both sets of valves on number 1 piston are closed.
This is an "indented" line on the crankshaft sprocket (behind the pulley) And will align with an "indented" arrow cast on the oil pump casing.
PLEASE NOTE.
Even after you have checked the valve clearances and they appear to be ok, I would check that all is really ok in the valve department using the following Method
Once you have replaced the timing belt, remove the spark plugs and then turn the engine over gently by using a spanner on the crankshaft pulley bolt to see if things are touching. If this is OK, replace the sparks plugs and re-do the test and if there compression and a high resistance, then you have been lucky. If there is no compression and low or no resistance, then you have bent some valves.
DISCLAIMER
THIS IS ONLY A GUIDE AND, IF YOU FOLLOW THIS, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. I CANNOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS CAUSING DAMAGE TO YOU'RE VEHICLE OR PERSON.
I would recommend that you purchase a workshop manual before you commence the work or, if you are unsure on what to do, I would recommend that you consult a skilled mechanic for advice.
All the best on this Terry.
As a matter of interest, I could change the timing belt on a 1990 Rover
416 GSi single cam Honda engine in a day (taking things easy and with plenty of tea breaks) :-)Brian G
For most 1989-1995 Rover 2xx/4xx (three-box design) the following applies:
1.4 - Rover single or twin cam (twin is most common) - K series 1.6 - Honda single or twin cam (single is most common) - ???? 1.8 - Peugeot turbo-diesel - XUD derivative 1.9*-Peugeot normally-aspirated diesel - XUD derivative 2.0 - Rover twin cam - M series?*Cars with the 1.9D engine still say 218/418 on the boot! However, non-turbocharged engines were 1.9ltr and the turbo versions 1.8ltr.
The above may not apply to the 2xx coupe versions, but do apply to the 4xx tourers.
Darren
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