Cambelt change 1.1 8 Valve - Tips please?

7th September 2009, 04:12

Hi guys, first post in this forum, regarding my cambelt.
Bought the car last week - its a P reg 1.1 8 valve and its done 58K miles.
I'm not sure whether its ever had a cambelt change and am worried that if its the original, its 12 years old and is on borrowed time!

How fo I go about changing it myself - I can get hold of the cambelt kit and a water pump, but not sure about the exact method and whether I need a waterpump gasket or if I can use liquid gasket for it.

I assume I will need to remove the engine mount and the crank pulley to get the cam covers off, and how do I go about finding TDC and locking crank and camshafts?
I dont want to pay £20 for a Haynes as I will hardly ever need it as I can do most minor repairs myself.
If anyone can give me a rough 8valve cambelt changing guide, would be much appreciated

Cheers

7th September 2009, 04:26

Locking points are at the camwheel theyll be a small hole or fork in the wheel somewhere that lines up with the block, and the crank end is at the flywheel, just above and to the right of the oil filter mate. Small drill bits do the job nicely. Engine mount needs loosening yeah but can be left on the block, just jack up the lump. And the alternator pulley will need to come off too yeah.

Piss easy cambelt to change, you already seem pretty clued up so youll be fine

7th September 2009, 05:04

Cheers for that info, I'll be off to the Motor Factors to order the stuff in the week. Does look relatively easy to do it on this car - cant beat the old 8 valve engine for simplicity eh?
Does my model have the idler pulley as well as the tensioner pulley, and how does the tensioner pulley adjust - is it on a cam principle, as its turned on the mounting bolt it tightens the belt , or do I need an allen key to tension it?

Does the crank locking pin hole have a removable plug, and is there marks on the crank pulley to enable me to find the TDC position to lock the crankshaft?

Probably worrying un-necessarily, but my other car is a chain driven DOHC and thats a right pain in the arse to change the chain - major stripdown job!

7th September 2009, 20:27

Well I've done the cambelt and tensioner today, wasnt too bad a job at all, these 8 valve engines are the art of simplicity.
Did break the inner arch liner plastic fixers though, so not happy about that. and there was a fair bit of corrosion on the chassis box section behind the inner arch liner, so that will need coating with underseal again in due course.
Cost me less than £30 for the cambelt and tensioner, so well worth doing yourself, the only special tool is a square ended male 8mm bit to turn the tensioner pulley with while tightening the main locknut. Thanks to Ben Saxo for the advice.