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Cambelt replacement

Evenin' all!

Having done a bit of work on my Escort in the past few months, a cambelt change is becomming due and I'm intending to do it myself so I don't have to spend a heap of cash on a car that isn't worth much.

It's a 1.6 Zetec engine. I've heard some people say it's a fiddle but not difficult, and others say it's too difficult for a DIYer. To be honest I won't be terribly gutted if it all goes wrong anyway.

There are a few things I need to know: What sizes of hex and/or Torx bits will I need? I can see in Haynes that bolts like this have to be dealt with, but usefully it doesn't metnion any sizes.

Does the spring on the tensioner automatically take up the slack so that all I have to do is tighten the bolt to retain the set tension?

Is it strictly necassary to use the forked holding tool for the cam pulleys? Haynes says you will break a camshaft by relying on the cam locking tool to take the force when tightening the bolts but I reckon that must be a very small risk? I can't really see how the bodge tool they describe will do much good anyway.

Hope there's someone who can help me out with these questions and would be so kind as to spend a few minutes. I'm intending to use the cheapest cambelt and tensioner kit I can find rather than Ford kit. Will that cause any problems?

Cheers,

Robert

Reply to
Robert Richards
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Personally I wouldn't cut costs to that degree - at the most you'll probably save around £50 (£50 for pattern parts compared to about £100 main dealer parts), but quite possibly it might be the sort of part that's "main dealer only", maybe not the belt itself, but the tensioner quite possibly will be. You're already saving a reasonable amount on the labour - I'd be happy with that if I were you.

Regarding how hard it is - if it's anything like the Endura-DI engine in my old TDi Fiesta then you'll need to support the engine with a jack and disconnect one of the engine mounts as space is really tight. Shouldn't neccessarily make it too hard though.

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Firstly, if you c*ck up the cam timing then you may completely wreck the engine. Do not try to undo or do up the cam bolts using the other end to hold them still. As a time saver (tool saver) it is unnecessary to slacken the cam wheels at all. Just keep the cams in line with the flat bar, fit the new belt and remove the bar and let the tensioner go, the cam timing will be near as makes no odds, turn it over twice and check the cams again with the bar (you may not be able to refit the bar perfectly), but providing the slots are very close to in-line you will never know any different. I have even known people not remove the cam cover, mark the pulleys carefully and change the belt, even changing the belt without the tensioners happens quite a lot. Just buy a set of torx driver bits, this will give all the sizes you need.

I would recommend buying the genuine ford kit, even if you do not slacken cam wheels/have the the timing bar.

It is well worth checking the water pump while you are in there too.

A reasonable garage would charge between 60 and ninety pounds for the job plus parts.

MrCheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

I know. Would be a shame as the engine's in nice nick...

OK. I take it slackening off the cam pulleys is only necessary for perfectionists or if the timing goes way out for some reason?

OK

Yeah I was going to do that, probably replace it as a matter of course actually.

Unfortunately the words "reasonable garage" and Nottingham don't seem to go together. There is an independant at the end of my street that also sells cars, but I don't know what they're like. Anyway, that's a fair wad (for my tight budget) that'll stay in my pocket. I don't have anything against good garages, but I quite like learning how to do things like this and I also don't see much point lavishing a lot of money on it.

Thanks very much for the advice - just what I was looking for!

Cheers,

Robert

Reply to
Rob

Quite possible for the reasonable DIY-er with afew half decent tools, and some patience. It is abit fiddly due to the lack of room.

No- use some tippex. Set the engine up to TDC on number one according to the Ford marks, then make your own with tippex where you can see them easily. Make doubly and tripley sure non of the marks have moved when you have installed the belt and tensioned it up. You will probably have to have acouple of go's to get this right.

NO! Either use the proper Ford or Gates Kit. This is not the area to skimp money on.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim (Remove NOSPAM.

My Laguna is due for a timing belt replacement and I am *considering* doing it myself!

Anyone have any useful tips?

TIA Pete

Reply to
""manx.exile "

Addendum to my previous post :-

I should have said it is a 1999 Laguna 1.9TDi *with* A/C

Ta Pete

Reply to
""manx.exile "

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