E7J Cambelt

[Simon_16v]

Hi all,

My boss has a 1992 phase 1 Clio with the 1.4 8v E7J engine. We are looking at replacing the timing belt as he's looking at giving the car to his son as his first car and to learn in etc.

So far we have stripped off most items to get to the timing belt, but there are no obvious places to insert tools to fix the cam shaft into place.

Is there a tool which we need to buy in order to lock it in place or is it as simple as having the engine at TDC on cylinder 1 and you can remove the timing belt and replace?

Any help would be massively appreciated as neither of us have done anything this mechanically minded before and thought we'd give it a go.

Thanks

 

[RichValver]

Hi all,

My boss has a 1992 phase 1 Clio with the 1.4 8v E7J engine. We are looking at replacing the timing belt as he's looking at giving the car to his son as his first car and to learn in etc.

So far we have stripped off most items to get to the timing belt, but there are no obvious places to insert tools to fix the cam shaft into place.

Is there a tool which we need to buy in order to lock it in place or is it as simple as having the engine at TDC on cylinder 1 and you can remove the timing belt and replace?

Any help would be massively appreciated as neither of us have done anything this mechanically minded before and thought we'd give it a go.

Thanks

A Haynes manual would be your best bet tbh

 

[Simon_16v]

@RichValver we have one, it’s about as clear as mud

 

[Krarl]

There's a torx on the front of the block you need to remove and then insert a locking pin in to lock the crank and then on the cam pulley there's a little notch that should line up with a little notch on the rocker cover/head in the 12 o'clock position

 

[Simon_16v]

There's a torx on the front of the block you need to remove and then insert a locking pin in to lock the crank and then on the cam pulley there's a little notch that should line up with a little notch on the rocker cover/head in the 12 o'clock position

Thanks - didn't know about the Torx. We had it lined up in TDC using the mark on the cam pulley and cam/engine mount, Once those are done are we safe to take the tensioner off and replace the belt?

 

[Krarl]

Thanks - didn't know about the Torx. We had it lined up in TDC using the mark on the cam pulley and cam/engine mount, Once those are done are we safe to take the tensioner off and replace the belt?

Lock the crank before doing anything, for all you know the cam and crank could already be out a tooth mate. Then make sure the TDC mark on the cam lines up and then just whip the belt and tensioner off

D4F and E7J are nice and simple anyway with the SOHC

 

[Simon_16v]

@Yorkshire Pudding Thanks, this is making much more sense now. The Haynes manual doesn't even mention locking the crank.

Do you know the location of the Torx fitting? Also my boss bought a cheap timing belt locking tool set, there are a number of locking pins, any idea how to narrow down the correct one?

Oh and can you recommend a way of getting the crank bolt loosed without an air gun? When I'm trying to undo it the timing belt tensioner keeps fecking moving?

 

[Krarl]

No worries mate

I'm not too sure but there were a few different cam sprockets for the E7J and the D4F but some have a hole in them that will line up with the head that you can get a 6mm drillbit into quite nicely to lock the cam. Just check if yours has that too

This is the torx bolt

Should be on the front of the block near the flywheel and to the left of the oil pressure sensor iirc. Just be careful removing it because they round easily and then you're in a whole world of trouble! 😂

If you stick the car in 5th gear you should be able to crack the bolt loose too, not too sure about the locking pins but if one fits then go with that one 😂

 

[Simon_16v]

@Yorkshire Pudding Thanks, I'll have a look for that Torx next time we have a go with the car.

We tried the car in 1st gear and someone with their foot on the brake pedal and the timing belt tensioner was still moving and causing bother?

 

[Krarl]

Jesus, just drive to a garage and let them have at it with the windy gun haha, then get them to nip it tight and drive it home 😂

 

[Simon_16v]

The car hasn't had an MOT for a few years now so can't drive it, plus he's in a village with no local garage etc - proper PITA!

 

[Krarl]

That's a right chuffer! Only thing I can suggest is to go full ham hand in 5th gear with a breaker bar mate

 

[Simon_16v]

@Yorkshire Pudding From memory there were no holes to allow a drill bit to pass through?

 

[Krarl]

Some do and some don't mate, same when I did the belt on my brothers D4F 16v. Renault just like to change things after a year for no reason lol