13 replies to this topic

[bluesunbeam]

I have been trying to complete the install of a new timing belt kit and waterpump. The problem i have is that the new belt appears to be too short to fit. I have measured the new belt and it is the same length as the old one and have checked the diameter of the new waterpumps sprocket and that is the same as the old one. The new tensioner is the same type as the old one as are the idler rollers. I eventually found a post on the waterpump position and have used that and compared it to the marks i made from the old pump and they all match. The new belt looks so far off fitting that i can't imagine being able to force it on. I have tried adjusting the pump position tonight but though the first adjustment seemed to improve things, when i moved it even further it seemed to get worse again. Is it just a case of being brutal with the belt and trying to force it on or is there something i am missing here? I have done a few cambelts before on MR2's and they were nothing like as tight as this one appears to be. 

                                                                          Dave C

[hairy]

Does it look like this?

 

http://www.vx220.org...belt/?p=1498698

[bluesunbeam]

Hi hairy, thanks for replying. Yes it does look like that; that was the thread i used to find out about the water pump positioning. I also printed off the thread about fitting the VXt cambelt. The routing of the belt is correct but it just seems far too tight to position on the inlet cam sprocket. Should i be expecting to have to use a lot of brute force to get it on rather than it just being a bit awkward and fiddly? It still looks almost impossible to get on to me and i am loathe to try any harder until someone can confirm that it is normal for this job to be a complete pig. I have looked at various videos on Youtube of folk doing these engines and nobody seems to have had to fight with it excessively to get it on. My next step is going to be to put the old water pump, tensioner and cam belt back on to see if it is as difficult as the new one. If it goes on alright i will then try putting on the new belt with the old tensioner and pump in situ to try and eliminate the belt as the problem. If it does go on OK i will then introduce the new tensioner first and if that works add the new water pump to find out if either of those are different or faulty though i can't see anything obvious. As far as i can tell the tensioner is supplied in the full off position so there is no room to be gained from that though i am happy to be corrected if that is wrong. It might be that i am suffering from too much mechanical sympathy but i really want to be sure before proceeding.

                                                                        Dave C

[bluesunbeam]

I have just been through Ronbots guide for the timing belt change for about the tenth time and have realised that i somehow missed the line about slackening the tensioner central bolt and then turning an allen key clockwise to reduce the tension; i had only taken note of the part about turning the allen key anti-clockwise to increase the tension and assumed that when the central bolt was loosened all the tension was dissipated. This must be the answer to the problem. I have not seen a tensioner like that before and i stupidly assumed it was similar to the tensioners i have installed before. Apologies for wasting your time hairy.

                                                                       Dave C

[hairy]

Glad to hear you got it sorted

[Ivor]

I have just been through Ronbots guide for the timing belt change for about the tenth time and have realised that i somehow missed the line about slackening the tensioner central bolt and then turning an allen key clockwise to reduce the tension; i had only taken note of the part about turning the allen key anti-clockwise to increase the tension and assumed that when the central bolt was loosened all the tension was dissipated. This must be the answer to the problem. I have not seen a tensioner like that before and i stupidly assumed it was similar to the tensioners i have installed before. Apologies for wasting your time hairy.
Dave C

All good info for those following in your footsteps...

[oblomov]

I have just been through Ronbots guide for the timing belt change for about the tenth time and have realised that i somehow missed the line about slackening the tensioner central bolt and then turning an allen key clockwise to reduce the tension; i had only taken note of the part about turning the allen key anti-clockwise to increase the tension and assumed that when the central bolt was loosened all the tension was dissipated. This must be the answer to the problem. I have not seen a tensioner like that before and i stupidly assumed it was similar to the tensioners i have installed before. Apologies for wasting your time hairy.

                                                                       Dave C

 

Was about to mention that as a possible reason.
 

[bluesunbeam]

Very happy and relieved to report that the new timing belt is on. Once i had adjusted the tensioner and re-indexed the water pump after messing about with it yesterday the belt was still a very tight fit but looked doable, and after a few minutes fighting with it it went on without disturbing the timing. All i have left to do is replace the fuel filter, fit the new drive belt and tensioner, change the air filter and install the new lift point pucks and marker decals. Once this is done i will book the car into Back on Track for a full suspension set-up after the refurb done last year. Since owning the car i have only driven it 3 times; the rest of the time has been spent on bringing it back to a reasonable standard and by the time i finished all the work last year i had no time to have it set-up and enjoy it before i took it off the road for the winter. I can't wait to finally have the chance to blast around in a lightweight mid-engine car again. Thanks to all who have responded to the thread and shown an interest.

                                                                               Dave C                                    

 

[bluesunbeam]

A bit of a two steps forward one step back situation now. The new spark plugs (OE fitment from Eliseparts), fuel filter (Bosch) and air filter are in. The air filter was filthy and very dry and brittle; having changed it i can understand why someone might be reluctant to do the job unless they absolutely have to and am pretty sure that it was the original OE one from 2003. Anyway after all this maintenance i was excited to start the car up and even though it seemed to run perfectly before all the work i was confident that i would have done some good. Unfortunately the car now has what i assume is a small misfire (makes a quiet popping noise from the exhaust every few seconds at idle and at higher revs). I rechecked the timing and that is fine so the plan is to first clean the coils pack with meths as they felt a bit greasy (ordering a new cam cover gasket now) and if that doesn't help i will swap the spark plugs back to the old NGK-R PFR6T-G type and try that. Having been through many threads now the other thing i have serious doubts about are the use of cheap coil packs and MAF sensors. Both of these were replaced by the previous owner but are probably not top quality so whatever happens with the other attempts to sort the problem i will be ordering these items tonight from Eliseparts or some other reliable source that won't be likely to send me some cheap knock-off copy. I have checked for possible air leaks in all the systems that i have worked on but everything looks good so i can at least put that to the back of the queue as a possible cause for the moment. As always any input or advice is very welcome.

                                                                                Dave C

 

[bluesunbeam]

Following on the previous post. I removed the coil pack and cleaned it up and then ran the car with the new OE spec spark plugs . There was a slight improvement in the misfire but it was certainly still there. I then swapped back to the old NGK platinum plugs and the misfire disappeared at idle but was still evident, though much improved, at 3-4000 rpm. After examining the two different plugs side by side it seems that the area that the spark is generated is about 3-4 mm further into the cylinder head on the OE plugs than on the NGK's. I have now ordered the NGK coil pack and MAF sensor along with the NGK BKR7EIX iridium plugs and the plug gap adjuster. I hope that this will sort out the misfire; if not at least i have eliminated several major components and have hopefully got much more reliable parts on the car. The old plugs are gapped at 75 thou as were the new OE spec ones. If anyone is running the NGK iridiums i have ordered it would be good to know what gap other folk find is best for a standard turbo car; i did stumble across a couple of threads that i think mentioned this subject but now can't find them again.

                                                                                                 Dave C

[Ivor]

Not sure what plugs I have in mine, but it's not standard anyway

[oblomov]

NGK BKR7EIX  on a stage 4.  Can't remember the gap but had to buy a proper adjuster not one of those cheap round ones that just bends the electrode.  Did find the correct gap through searching on here and stage 4 is gap critical.

[bluesunbeam]

Bugger. I think i just ordered a 'cheap round one' from eliseparts oblomov. It did state that it was specifically for platinum and iridium plugs which is why i bought it. What type of gapping tool do you have oblomov and where can i get one? 

                                                                                       Dave C

[bluesunbeam]

Just found the proper plug gapping tools on e-bay and ordered one.