Cambelt Change help!

1. Oli-VTR Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Nottingham/South London Posts: 976 Icelandic Grey VTR Mk2

   #1 2nd January 2013, 16:34

   Hi, I am trying to change the cam/timing belt on the 16v block ive bought, had a look at the guides all makes sense, HOWEVER, having some issues with locking things. Here are the cams, they don't line up with the locking bit I don't think, how do I correct this?!
   
   
   
   And am I correct in saying the little hole is the flywheel locking pin?
   
   
   
   Thanks for any help
2. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #2 2nd January 2013, 16:45

   Have you got the gearbox off mate?
   
   On mine, which I've just done, there is a hole in the flywheel right the way through that you can put a 5mm allan key through to lock it, so you could do it from that side? I've got some pics of it in my progress thread I think?
   
   If that's the old belt, and the bottom is at TDC I'd say the timings a bit out? When I fitted my new belt I rotated the cams manually until they were in the right place, locked them with 8mm drill bits, then locked the bottom end, and then fitted and tensioned the timing belt? Then it all lined up a treat.
3. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #3 2nd January 2013, 16:46

   There you go mate, that's mine locked at TDC for the bottom:
   
   
4. Oli-VTR Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Nottingham/South London Posts: 976 Icelandic Grey VTR Mk2

   #4 2nd January 2013, 16:51

   yeah gearbox is off
   how do you mean locked at TDC?
   ive literally picked up the engine and its like this, i can see the flywheel locking bit but it wont line up, is it possible to rotate the fly to line up the locking bits?
5. Oli-VTR Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Nottingham/South London Posts: 976 Icelandic Grey VTR Mk2

   #5 2nd January 2013, 16:53

   i can rotate the flywheel, and its turnign the cams and the belt, is it safe to spin it until i can get a pin through the locking nut or will it kill the engine
6. Bedford126 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2010 Morley, Leeds Posts: 8469 Civic ep3 type r powered by TDI NORTH

   #6 2nd January 2013, 17:02

   Mate are you sure that you are ok to do this?
   
   Don't want to sound s cunt but it doesn't seem like you have a clue.
   
   Yes you are fine to rotate the engine by hand as long as the cam belt is on and hasn't slipped.
7. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #7 2nd January 2013, 17:07

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Oli-VTR i can rotate the flywheel, and its turnign the cams and the belt, is it safe to spin it until i can get a pin through the locking nut or will it kill the engine

   If you've just picked up the engine like that, I'd pull the spark plugs out, and then you'll be able to slowly rotate the engine by hand, by putting a 22mm socket on the crank pulley, there will be no compression as the plugs are out, and you should also be able to feel / hear if there's any valve contact.
8. Oli-VTR Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Nottingham/South London Posts: 976 Icelandic Grey VTR Mk2

   #8 2nd January 2013, 17:10

   ive got the engine as a block, ive taken the plugs out and ive rotated it until the cams are lined up and they are now locked in place, however the fly seems quite a way out from the locking point?
   
   and no i dont know much but i was wanting to learn by doing this all but yes i dont want to fuck the engine up
9. Oli-VTR Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Nottingham/South London Posts: 976 Icelandic Grey VTR Mk2

   #9 2nd January 2013, 17:18

   so far all that ive done is rotate the engine using the 22mm nut on the crank until i can lock the cams, however the fly doesn't line up to get anything through to lock that, what shoudl i do
10. Oli-VTR Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Nottingham/South London Posts: 976 Icelandic Grey VTR Mk2

    #10 2nd January 2013, 17:40

    had the covers off turning the engine, the cams are all fine not hitting the valves so thats all good, i just cant get the fly to line up at the same time as the cams?! whats the fix here
11. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

    #11 2nd January 2013, 17:55

    First off, I assume this is the old belt? Or is it the new belt? If the cams and fly don't line up to lock, the engine doesn't sound like its been timed correctly.
    
    IF you're sure that there's no contact or damage, you could just take the old belt off, lock the cam pulleys in place, the rotate the crank carefully to lock that in place, then pop your new belt on and tension.
    
    However, if there's already been damage done and you've never heard the engine run, you could make it worse by fitting a new belt and firing it up.
    
    Also it could be fine lol.
12. Oli-VTR Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Nottingham/South London Posts: 976 Icelandic Grey VTR Mk2

    #12 2nd January 2013, 18:07

    old belt, didnt want to take anything just in case i put the timing off.
    by the cams being correct, i can see that when the cam is at its longest, the valve is fully flat into the head, and when the cam turns 180 to have it shortest length, the valve is fully up.
    how do you check that the timing is correct? and im assuming i wont be able to do it, if so how much generally would a garage charge with the engine already out the car?