Timing Belt This Weekend!

[kidafa]

Hi all,

As the thread title suggests this weekend (saterday), I'm changing the timing belt on my 1997 S1 RS-Four stagea. I have had a litle bit of experience with car mechanics but mainly mountainbike mechanics and motorcrossers....

In preperation for the belt replacement I have purchased the following:

• Dayco Timing Belt kit (Including: Timing belt, 3 seals and Idler and tension Pulleys)
  
• A Inductive timing light from SuperCheap
  
• A harmonic balancer puller from SuperCheap(SC)
  
• Coolant as I will probably be removing the radiator from SC
  
• Transmax Z incase I need to remove oil cooler from SC
  
• A 27mm Socket to remove the harmonic balancer
  

I will be using the following guides to help me along the way :

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Ca...m-B-t73824.html

http://www.skylinegts.co.uk/Cambelt.htm

Just a couple of quick questions:

• Without a rattle gun in an Auto will I be able to remove the harmonic balancer bolt?
  
• Checked timing today and it seems to read between 25/30 degrees advance (shouldnt It be 15!!)?
  

Also if you could leave me any tips or tricks that would be awesome.

Cheers,

Chris

Edited April 10, 2008 by kidafa

[mitchy_]

i did the timing belt on my girlfriends stag on the weekend, had it done and dusted in about 2 hours.

few tips, when you take the radiator out, as the remove the transmission fluid hoses from the bottom, you can quickly plug them up with 2 bolts (something about 8-10mm thick should be fine) so you dont lose any fluid.. although, if your fluid hasn't been done in a while, it might be a good idea to drain that first.

taking off the harmonic balancer without a rattle gun is possible... there are 2 ways i've used.

first method is using a breaker bar, and a gimpy.. you can give it a few sharp hits and hopefully crack the bolt,

or the second way is by using a length of rope (about a metre is all you need), you put the double loop over the balancer, and then tie the bare ends up to something such as the water pump, you need to make sure you have the rope around the balancer the right way though, you want it so as you try turn the bolt anti-clockwise, the rope will pull back on itself to the point where the bolt comes loose.

here's a pic of how the rope should be looped, as i had no idea how to explain in!

when fitting the belt, it's best if you have someone helping you.

remove the old belt, and the idler/tensioner pulley, then put in the new idler and tensioner, then line up the 2 top marks on the new belt with the cam gear marks, at this point only have the belt about 2-3mm on, and get the other person to hold the belt on the gears, and the tensioner AWAY from the belt.

go under the car and slide the belt onto the crank gear (makes it easier to see the markings from under the car, then come back up, and then slide the belt fully on, and release the tensioner onto the belt.. and voila, you basically just have to put everything back on after that.

[Stinky Rooster]

^what leggy boy said

GL with it dude.

[DaveB]

[*]Checked timing today and it seems to read between 25/30 degrees advance (shouldnt It be 15!!)?

Amongst that first thread you mentioned (SK's excellent guide to exhaust cam pulley change) SK says:

2. There is a lot of parralax error on the timing marks, the marker on the cambelt cover is a long way up and back from the marking on the crankshaft pulley. Take a look at the workshop manual drawing in my early post and you can see the potential for parralax error.

3. Because of #2 above, you have to have the timing light and your eyes aligned and over to the right (looking at the engine). If you look straight down from the centre of the radiator, you get a 5 degree error (ie; 15 degrees looks like 20 degrees). So I had to remove the airfliter snorkel to get my eyes over far enough to eliminate the parralax error.

Maybe that might help explain a difference?

[QWK32]

dont the auto stagea's run 20 degrees btdc?

[kidafa]

dont the auto stagea's run 20 degrees btdc?

Not sure... under my bonnet the sticker says 15 deg. @700rpm

[Duncan]

re the timing it will be your timing light for sure. some cheaper ones show 2x actual timing, including the one I tried the other day from super cheap.

But in any case you don't really need to redo the base timing unless you move the CAS on its bracket.

otherwise everything is pretty straightforward.

are you changing the water pump at the same time?

[kidafa]

On saterday I did the timing belt and put the new from pads in my Stag....

This was the first work Ive ever really done on a car. Ive never done an Oil change/oil filter but ive done a timing belt and brake pads

It was rather easy as I had done more than enough research and had asked a number of questions.

Some tips for others:

• My loop for the timing light at the back of the enigne was reading double timing, so I just took of the cover to the plugs and put the light onto number 1's coil pack and managed to get a descent signal
  
• I also put some bike tube on the harmonic balancer to aid the rope in getting tension to help unto that massive 27mm bolt
  
• I also had a torque wrench from work (bike shop) that proved to be very handy and a rather large pole for more leverage
  

Im very glad I didnt pay someone to do this as i enjoyed the proccess and learnt alot along the way. Must thank; Stinky Rooster, SK, Rob (Who-on SAU), grigor and mitchy.

I didnt replace the waterpump as it was spining nice and making no excess noise. BUT I DID replace the idler and tensioner pulley.

[66yostagea]

Good one Chris.