405 D Cambelt

Will shortly be embarking on my first cambelt change.

405 1.9D non-tubo, non-A/C, non PAS (yipee!)

Question.. Having read the Haynes manual, I still can`t see why you have to remove the crankshaft pulley. Is it necessary? Would rather avoid the this bit if possible, knowing what sods they can be.

On another note. My clutch has become very heavy, although plenty left on it. Anything I can do to `freshen it up` a tad ?

Thanks very much for any info. Cheers, H.

Reply to
Harry
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You need to remove the covers, and you can't get the bottom one off with the pulley in place. To get it off can be a sod, yes. You could try a local garage and ask them to loosen the bolt with their power tools, then do it up just enough to get you home (not too long a journey!!). Or, what I do if I have to do one at home, is use a 22mm socket and long bar. Jack up the O/S and remove the wheel, and under wing trim. Put the socket on the bolt and connect the bar to the socket so it hangs down. If you then turn the bar clockwise you come up against the lower suspension arm. Put the bar straight down again and get someone to flick the ignition while you CAREFULLY push against the socket with the PALM of your hand. You may need to do this a few times to loosen the bolt, and will only work if it is not too tight. I suggest you immobilise the engine from starting by disconnecting the pump solenoid! Only do the second way if you feel confident. Otherwise go for the garage suggestion

Heavy clutch? Could be the cable, the clutch itself or the bushes the release arm runs in. Or a combination of any or all. None of which is a freshen up solution I'm afraid.

Reply to
nigel

Replacing my clutch cable freshened it up for all of a week until it turned into lead again.

Reply to
Chimp

Thanks Nigel and Chimp, Nigel, been thinking about your extension bar approach. I can feel in my waters that this nut isn`t going to come quietly, so tell me if this is possible. With the bar running parallel to the ground, could you not stick a small bottle jack underneath the end of the bar and push the bar up using the weight of the car/engine to force the nut off ?. Or alternatively, with the bottle jack holding the bar parallel, just lower the car off its jack to turn the nut ? Is this possible with the available room ?

Cheers, H.

Reply to
Harry

Never tried that, but I would have thought if you can't "shock" it off then you wouldn't be able to get it off with a jack. It may be safer to try this way--jack up the offside and take the wheel off and the trim panel. Put the socket and bar on the bolt. Have someone sit in the car, put it in first gear and hard down on the footbrake. Then pull hard on the extension bar to turn it anti-clockwise. But in my mind this is less effective than "shocking" it off. Once the nut has started to undo then it will be quite easy to get off in the normal manner. It's just that initial force required to get it going.

Reply to
nigel

I used this method, but it was tight for a long way. They put some form of locktite on the thread. I used a 2 foot length of iron water pipe over the bar on my socket set, and heaved. I was in a sense lucky, as I had ventilated discs, and it is possible to put a large screwdriver into the vent holes in the disc and allow that to rest against the calliper. In my opinion, you are better off using fifth gear than first. Brian.

Reply to
Brian

Thanks for that Nigel, Two more (possibly final) questions..... Regarding the sequence of fitting the three timing bolts and flywheel rod. I have read it is awkward to engage the flywheel rod. Is it not easier to fit the pump and cam bolts first, then fit the crank rod ? I`m going to use your method of using the starter to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt. Is preventing the motor from firing just a matter of removing the stop solenoid wire? Cheers, H.

Reply to
Harry

The timing rods--yes get the cam and pump holes in line as close as possible, then fit the crank rod through the hole behind the starter and turn the engine over on the crank pulley bolt one way then the other till the crank rod locates in the flywheel hole. Then fit the other three bolts. When you have fitted the new belt and tensioned it (automatic on these engines) remove all the bolts/rod and turn the engine over to get to the timing position again. Insert the crank rod, the cam bolt and just one of the pump bolts. Then loosen the tensioner bolts and do them up again. This makes sure all the tension is taken up correctly. Then remove all the bolts/rod and carry on refitting all parts. Yes removing the stop solenoid wire will prevent it from firing.

Reply to
nigel

Thank you kindly. H.

Reply to
Harry

And I would also say please don't be tempted to remove the crank pulley bolt with the timing pin in the flywheel. If the bolt is that tight all you will do is bend the timing pin, and I have heard once someone doing that and breaking away part of the engine block around the timing hole!!!

Reply to
nigel

If it doesn`t come off with the starter, then I`ll try lowering the car onto the spanner. Actually, I was wondering if there was an easy way to disable the glowplugs, to allow max power to the starter ? Maybe unpluging the input to the glowplug relay beside the battery box would suffice ? H.

Reply to
Harry

I can vouch for the starter motor trick! Worked a treat.

Reply to
Michael Wain

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