Cam belt change on a 1.1 help please!

1. Bosher Newbie Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 5

   #1 23rd January 2012, 16:53

   Hi all,
   I've been gleaning info from this forum to do a cam belt change on my P plate 1.1 west coast. I've done cam belts in the past on novas, Ax's and a golf so I'm pretty confident I can get it done no hassle.
   
   I checked the belt today and it looks like death! All shiny and cracked on the outside so it's ready to give up any minute, so I've booked tomorrow off work and will try and get this done while it's daylight.
   
   I don't want to shell out on a Haynes manual for this one job- so as far as I can make out I need to lock off the cam shaft and crank shaft, remove the fan belt, remove the cam belt housing and then replace the belt and tensioner, using an 8mm square peg to tension the pulley.
   
   That's it in a nutshell... I just wanted to check that there isn't anything else i should watch out for to help things go smoothly so if there is could you let me know.
   
   Thanks all for the good advice on here, as you can see it's my first post but i've been lurking for a while....
   
   Bosher
2. Alexywhite Infrequent Poster Joined: Jul 2009 Oxford Posts: 222 Citroen Saxo VTR MK2 DC2 Integra Type R EP3 Civi

   #2 23rd January 2012, 16:55

   You should also think about replacing the water pump at the same time. However, this would also require that you drain, refill and bleed the cooling system.
   
   I only say this as you can only replace the pump when the belt is off, so it is generally considered a good thing to do for 'piece of mind'.
3. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #3 23rd January 2012, 17:03

   99.9% the same as an ax to change belt
4. Bosher Newbie Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 5

   #4 23rd January 2012, 19:36

   Cheers guys, I would do the water pump but I've got a 2-3 hour window to get this done tomorrow and don't want to tempt any complications.... so my water pump will break in a month or two odds on
5. darrenh84 Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2009 Bilston Posts: 366 Saxo vts 2002 Bravo 1.8 hlx 2001

   #5 23rd January 2012, 19:38

   water pump is easy wont take hardly any longer its just couple bolts...
6. Bosher Newbie Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 5

   #6 24th January 2012, 16:41

   All done.... I followed the advice on here and went for the water pump also.
   
   The main sticking point was getting the cam belt cover off, that was an absolute b*tch due to the 10mm bolt hiding under the engine mount, that wass until I jacked the engine up from the sump (using a piece of wood to support it) and took off the engine mount, then it all went together easy as pie.
   
   Second sticking poit was me being a ham fisted fool and sheering off a bolt where i meant to lock off the flywheel, fortunatley it hadn't locked the flywheel and i just marked off the centre with some tippex on the crankwheel.
   
   Pretty chuffed with the dollar it saved me, next up a new clutch and downpipe and the small matter of rust- not sure if there is any steel below wheel arch height. AAh.
   
   Cheers folks
7. Bosher Newbie Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 5

   #7 24th January 2012, 16:42

   Oh yeah it took 3.5 hours, 30 minutes of which was trying to get at the car jack as the sling for the spare wheel was rusted to hell.