Cam timing.

[snowey172]

Hello all

My cam belt is due in November on my ph2 172 so looking to get it done over the summer. I've already got all the genuine Renault parts and a local Renault garage is lending me all the proper locking tools and a friend said he would do it for me he's a good mechanic and worked at a local Renault dealer for about a year. He's done belts for me in the past just never a Renault one.

After reading on here about how touchy these engines are with timing and got a feeling it's slightly out from the previous belt change by its old owner.

If you use the correct locking tools is it still possible to get the timing wrong? Just very paranoid about belt changes on any car as I know what can happen but even more paranoid on my 172 after reading some posts on here.

Thanks.

Chris

 

[Cupman29]

If you follow the correct procedure with the correct torques and tools then you cant get it wrong. If you dont follow the correct procedure, torques and tools then you can.

Make sure you are at tdc when you need to be and not in a balancing hole in the crank. This would make the timing out also.

 

[MG cup]

Its not really any different to any belt change except all pulleys are keyless, its all hyped up too much on here. Take your time clean all mating faces of pulleys and all will be good. When complete if the engine is rotated several times and the locking tools slide In then job done no need to worry.

 

[inpassing]

what would be the labour to check timing?

 

[Cupman29]

1/2 hour plus 2 cam end caps.

 

[inpassing]

are the end caps a must do job?

 

[MicKPM]

Yes

 

[inpassing]

Yes

why? what could happed if the old 1s were re-used?

 

[Cupman29]

why? what could happed if the old 1s were re-used?

If you get one off without damaging it, you are a genius!

 

[jon_r]

Just get some end caps off of ebay. They are about £5 for the pair and they are fine.

I'd love to see someone try and get them out without damaging them!

 

[ourboy]

How do you know when your in the TDC or balancing hole? would I be right in thinking the cams will be our of line?
sorry to jump in but have the belts to change shortly too.

 

[jon_r]

If you are changing belts i'd put the locking pin in as usual and then double check the camshaft tool fits in place with the old belt still in place. You'd hope your existing belt won't have slipped!

I generally find the pin sits in the correct slot better than the balancing holes. You'll see what i mean when you try it.

 

[MG cup]

This ^^^^ it has noticeable feeling when it slots in plus the crank still moves when in balancing holes although very slightly where it doesn't in the timing slot.

I remove a plug as I typically have the inlet off anyway and use a cable tie against the piston to give you an idea, I then mark it with tippex as reference for TDC on no1, it helps if you are doing any other work like sealing cam cover etc.

 

[mark123]

There is a TDC mark on the flywheel that you can see and the notch for the key (that isn't there) on the crank should be between two particular lines in the casting.

The Renault pdf has it all in. PM me your e-mail if you want a copy.
​

 

[Dan519]

Its not really any different to any belt change except all pulleys are keyless, its all hyped up too much on here. Take your time clean all mating faces of pulleys and all will be good. When complete if the engine is rotated several times and the locking tools slide In then job done no need to worry.

you say that, but I'm sure you put up a picture of yours when you did it, and you'd got the tensioner set wrong. so it's extremely possible to get it wrong

 

[snowey172]

There is a TDC mark on the flywheel that you can see and the notch for the key (that isn't there) on the crank should be between two particular lines in the casting.

The Renault pdf has it all in. PM me your e-mail if you want a copy.
​

Got the email thanks mark. One thing tho it says for a 730 engine mines a 736 are they all the same for the timing side of it?

 

[MG cup]

you say that, but I'm sure you put up a picture of yours when you did it, and you'd got the tensioner set wrong. so it's extremely possible to get it wrong

I cant remember putting no pictures of tensioners the way I set them, maybe a pic of when I got my cars with the tensioners and timing was out on the cams. If I did put up a pic when I have done a belt then they should all be at 12 o'clock.

 

[mark123]

Got the email thanks mark. One thing tho it says for a 730 engine mines a 736 are they all the same for the timing side of it?

From a cambelt perspective they're the same

 

[MicKPM]

I think he was talking about what we call the "idiot marker" being wrong on one of your project thread pics... its a common mistake and you won't be the last to make it if that's the case. You can turn the tensioner setting point to 12 but the notches dont always line up and this is the most important part when setting belt tension (and also why all three sprockets ideally need to 'float' at this stage of the process as it equalises the belt tension perfectly).

 

[MG cup]

I think he was talking about what we call the "idiot marker" being wrong on one of your project thread pics... its a common mistake and you won't be the last to make it if that's the case. You can turn the tensioner setting point to 12 but the notches dont always line up and this is the most important part when setting belt tension (and also why all three sprockets ideally need to 'float' at this stage of the process as it equalises the belt tension perfectly).

Im pretty sure your confusing me with someone else, I put pictures of my latest cars tensioner and cams prior to taking it apart and they were wrong yes. I know it won't always be at 12 o'clock especially if the heads skimmed etc (larger idlers should be used I know) The 'idiot marker' is a static timing marker anyway, I have found with most belts and tensioners that when its rotated a few times them marks tend to shift so not an exact way to say it has been done wrong unless it is prior to bring spun over?!?!?

 

[The Beardo]

Sorry to jump on this thread, is there a how to on this site on how to do the cambelt as I need to do mine

 

[Cush3231]

Hi Mark,
New to club since my son bought an '04 182 clio. Done 50K but belt not yet done so keen to get it changed. Don't intend touching myself as don't have the tools but any info on the engine would be very useful.
Could I please ask for a copy of the Renault pdf file - E-mail is curran.paul@sky.com
Much appreciated.