Astra C14NZ cambelt adjustment ??

there are no special tools needed, these have a spring loaded tensioner wheel with a tension indicator built in, if you are very unlucky, then the range of adjustment will be out of range when you fit a new belt, in which case you have to remove and alter the position of the water pump. the pump seizes in position which is why you have to remove, clean and fit a new o ring.

This is a job where you frequently start with just a cam belt, progress to a tensioner, then buy a water pump. the parts are not dear (I would recommend genuine every time) and the job is not too difficult.

mrcheerful

Oh yes, very much so, in a "big piece of timber and a lump hammer" way.

Si

The message from "Mungo \"two sheds\" Toadfoot" contains these words:

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found that the only way to shift the bastard.

I wonder if there's a special tool.

The message from "Mungo \"two sheds\" Toadfoot" contains these words:

There's one like that not far from here at Blists Hill. Every now and then they run it to make proper wrought iron. You can feel the ground shake from about 50 yards away.

You don't need a special tool, after removing the three bolts, take off the hose at the back of the pump and insert a long drift, it should be long enough to come to over the gearbox a little, give it a quick whack with a copper hammer and even the most seized water pump comes out. When clean and greased the cranked spanner they sell for the job will work, I have never come across a water pump that can immediately be moved with one of those short spanners they sell for the job.

mrcheerful

I beg to differ.

Si

The message from "mrcheerful ." contains these words:

The last one I did needed a lump of wood and a lump hammer to shift it. It'd been in there for many years with no anti corrosion stuff - just plain water in the system and kept in a garage which never froze.

Whacking the pump from the outside can work, but the drift up the backside is the way to do it (if you see what I mean) The pump is well supported sideways by the recess it fits into, but in a straight line there is nothing holding it (comparatively)

Try it next one you do, it is really quite fast and the pump is re-usable if not a leaker.

mrcheerful

Actually, having read the post properly this time (!), if I ever have to do another one I'll try that.

Si

The message from "JB" contains these words:

Perhaps it was a different Astra engine I was working on (this was some years ago) but I don't recall there being access to the rear.

you can't easily see this area, but it is the same on all the sohc sideways vauxhall engines

mrcheerful

The message from "mrcheerful ." contains these words:

Gosh - you live and learn.