Re: Mk1 Hybrid Project
Day 55
Set about fitting the cambelt tonight, as I wanted to try and get the engine in on Friday. Started by removing the alternator setup, then the bracket holding the power steering pump and pipes on. After those were off, I removed the covers for the cambelt, which looked relatively unused.
The first problem I hit was the type of bolts holding one of the pulleys and the waterpump on were female torx bits, which I did not have, so couldnt really do much. I had sourced a pair of Volvo brackets for the alternator setup, allowing me to run the car with no power steering pump. Unfortunately I could not use the Volvo alternator, as the pulley is only 5 rib, I needed it to be 6.
As I couldnt do the waterpump or cambelt without the female torx bits, I trial fitted the alternator setup, using the original Valver alternator. Everything went on as it should, the only thing missing was a belt. The original belt was 1040mm, I needed one that was between 800-830mm.
Day 56
I didn’t manage to get the cambelt fitted yesterday, due to not having the female torx bits needed for the waterpump and one of the pulleys. After managing to find a set of bits this morning, I got on with doing the cambelt and waterpump. I also eventually managed to get hold of an auxiliary belt, so everything could be built up at once.
After removing all the cambelt covers, and turning the engine over by hand until the top two timing marks lined up, the crank was locked to stop it from moving once the cambelt was removed. After locking the crank, I removed the tensioner, then took the belt off.
After removing the cambelt, I needed to remove the idler pulley. There was another cover hiding the two bolts for this, which proved to be a nightmare after one of the bolts rounded off. I had to drill the head off the bolt, then use mole grips on the remaining thread to remove it from the block. Once it was removed, the idler pulley bolts could be seen, which brought along the next problem.
After trying to undo the nuts with an allen key, it seemed they were trying to round off as I tried to turn them. I ended up having to go out and buy a 6mm allen key socket, which worked in getting the two bolts off, which were stupidly tight. Once the new idler was fitted, and the cover replaced with a new bolt, the next job was to fit the new cambelt and tensioner.
The cambelt went on easily, and all the timing marks lined up. Then fitted the tensioner, and adjusted the tension and tightened up the bolt to lock it in position. Then I turned the engine over by hand a few times, and checked the tension again. It needed adjusting slightly, so after that, I turned it over again to check everything was ok.
After I was happy everything was tight, I re-fitted the cambelt covers and the bottom crank pulley. The last thing to do was fit and tension the auxiliary belt, which drives the alternator and waterpump from the crank pulley. Once the belt was fitted and tensioned, the engine was near enough ready to go back into the car. I swapped a few things over from the other engine, like the gear linkage and the auxiliary waterpump.