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Timing belt and dephaser pulley.



  Clio cup 172
Really. In all seriousness, how hard are they to do. I've been on the sticky about timing belts and its basically a bunch of lads saying to send it to a renault specialist. But considering i'm a fully qualified mechanic myself i don't see the point. I can get a hold of the locking tools for the job. And i understand the concept of loosening off the pulleys to ensure the belt is tensioned correctly all the way round. Surely with the locking tools, changing a dephaser and belt isn't hard. The room may be tight but its the same with nearly any car.
 
If it's not that hard then why do so many garages fail with this car?

As Fred has said, "Changing the cambelt on an Aston Martin is easier than the Clio", probably not the best example but there's a reason so many garages f**k up, I just don't know it because I'm no mechanic :p
 
  Lionel Richie
aston's don't have cambelts ;)

its not that hard really, people just do the process wrong - hence **** ups, and they ignore the fact you need the pulley locking tool, the horseshoe and the crank pin (cira £150 for all the tools)
 
  Clio cup 172
how can autodata be so wrong? Tells you to lock the cams at the back, tells you to pin the crank. Then The only bit it doesn't say is locking the cam pulleys off. Which to be fair. Its common sense if you want the belt tensioned correctly.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
Its fiddly in the car, but if you are a mechanic you should be used to that.

Providing its locked off properly with the correct tools, its not rocket science.

Personally though, I dislike doing it in the car even though I love building the engines themselves.
 
  Clio cup 172
aston's don't have cambelts ;)

its not that hard really, people just do the process wrong - hence **** ups, and they ignore the fact you need the pulley locking tool, the horseshoe and the crank pin (cira £150 for all the tools)

I can get a loan of all the tools off a renault specialist down the road from where i work. And he messes with these all the time. So i'm assuming he has the pulley locking too.. And If you have the locking tools then theres no reason why it wouldn't be easy. Its like any other car with a belt. But i do know the dephaser is noisy so it will be changed by the end of the month.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
ferraris mate, much easier than clios, cheaper too!!

Which ferraris is that?
My mates 355 was an engine out job, although that did include solid lifter clearances etc as well as part of the service, not just the belt and idler change.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAM-SPROC...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item25727fddc0

Surely thats all you need? Everything seems to be there including sprocket tool?

Ive only ever used the genuine kit, which has some extras like a handle to wind the engine back round either etc, but you could use a socket on the bottom pulley for that anyway.

As you say, so long as you lock the pulleys it shouldnt be a big drama, and I cant see why that kit wont let you do that.
 
  Clio cup 172
we'll see when it gets down to the crunch. The belt and pulley are my main concern at the minute. But i have other suspension bits and pieces that need sorting too.
 
  Clio cup 172
Right. Just remembered i'd posted this thread... did the belt and dephaser without the cam pulley locking tool. Done around 10k miles since doing this and car runs mint. timing is spot on. Put the car on a rolling road after a mere 100 miles since i did the belt and came out with a 166.8bhp print out. Standard engine apart from a catback exhaust. Myths about it being hard. Pfft. If it hasn't got air con its as easy as any cambelt.
 
  Clio Sport 172 Ph2
Correct. Working along the motorway. Although car receives an oil change every 3k and oil and filter every 6k.



Horseshoe tool in the back of the cams. Used an impact gun on the pulleys.

The only reason you got away with doing like that is because of the impact gun. The horseshoe tool on the other end would bend quite easily if somebody was using a power bar to tightening the pulleys without em being locked, this is what puts the timing out. How you get a impact gun on them, engine out, or did you jack it right up, as space it tight on the exhaust cam for a gun?
 
Correct. Working along the motorway. Although car receives an oil change every 3k and oil and filter every 6k.



Horseshoe tool in the back of the cams. Used an impact gun on the pulleys.
thats rough as mate ,I've seen loads of guys snapping the end off the cams u were lucky I would never do them like that
 
  Clio cup 172
impact gun on a low setting i may add.. The horseshoe tool didn't bend and was checked with a spanner/bar afterwards..
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
I hope you'll be the big man again when it falls apart. That's just idiotic

FLOL @ that over reaction.


While I wouldnt personally do it the way he did because I think the cams will probably have moved slightly on the timing as the gun rattles cams, and because there is the risk of damaging the far end of them where they sit around the horeshoe its a bit daft to say it will now automatically fall apart as a result, providing they are done up tight which evidently they are there is no reason for it to all fall apart just because the correct tool wasnt used.
 
  LY 220 Trophy+IB PH1
Time will tell, plenty of experience on here of timing failure after a period of the belts getting done, not necessarily immediate failures.

I'm hoping it lasts for you though.
 
  clio sport ph 1
Remember degrease the cams and cranck! This thing is not keyed on cranck. I did my first F4R :eek:. Torque everything up! use new bolts!(If old to long) . Take your time . Abuse it afterwards to test your work.
 
  Clio cup 172
considering it idles perfectly and rolled 166.8 bhp the day after the belt was done i'm pretty sure the timing is in. I also do have a torque wrench thanks.. But however, i couldn't exactly torque it without the 'cam sprocket tool'. Now, which of you who've commented are actually mechanics?
 
  Clio cup 172
also. On the subject of torque. Which one of you torque your spark plugs when you change them? Or torque the brake caliper/carrier bolts when changing pads and discs? Or driveshaft nuts, inlet bolts etc. Every bolt on the car has a torque setting. Doesn't mean to say you always follow the correct procedures. As the saying goes 'Theres more than one way to skin a cat'.
 
also. On the subject of torque. Which one of you torque your spark plugs when you change them? Or torque the brake caliper/carrier bolts when changing pads and discs? Or driveshaft nuts, inlet bolts etc. Every bolt on the car has a torque setting. Doesn't mean to say you always follow the correct procedures. As the saying goes 'Theres more than one way to skin a cat'.

Good advice, I'm going to do all my bolts finger-tight, 'be alright.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
considering it idles perfectly and rolled 166.8 bhp the day after the belt was done i'm pretty sure the timing is in.

Cool, fingers crossed its all fine then mate :)

I also do have a torque wrench thanks.. But however, i couldn't exactly torque it without the 'cam sprocket tool'.

At least you didnt try and do it up with a torque wrench and using the horseshoe only, that really would have been likely to have ended in tears

Now, which of you who've commented are actually mechanics?
Usual career path for a mechanic:
Be not very bright
Fail most or all of exams at school
Go and do some poxy college course with very low entry requirements
Get a few years experience


So christ no, Im far too bright for gettin stuck doing that rubbish for a living, FLOL, but lets face it you dont need to be a mechanic to do their job with a bit of practice, its pretty simple stuff after all, likewise Im not a chef either but I can still make a mean fried breakfast, lol
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
also. On the subject of torque. Which one of you torque your spark plugs when you change them? Or torque the brake caliper/carrier bolts when changing pads and discs? Or driveshaft nuts, inlet bolts etc. Every bolt on the car has a torque setting. Doesn't mean to say you always follow the correct procedures. As the saying goes 'Theres more than one way to skin a cat'.

Flol, you will get slaughtered for that on here, but while I personally wouldnt do a cambelt on any car I care about the way you did it, I do actually agree with you in principle that although book figures are a nice safe way to know everything is correct, it doesnt instantly guarentee failure the moment you deviate from exactly their instructions and just do it how it feels right instead if you have a bit of experience doing so, like you say Ive certainly changed plenty of spark plugs etc without a torque wrench, even if impact gun on a cambelt pulley is a bit further than I would go in saving time personally.
 
  Megane r26
considering it idles perfectly and rolled 166.8 bhp the day after the belt was done i'm pretty sure the timing is in. I also do have a torque wrench thanks.. But however, i couldn't exactly torque it without the 'cam sprocket tool'. Now, which of you who've commented are actually mechanics?

Yep been in the trade 8 years, did me apprenticeship with Volvo themselves level 3 nvq. Worked for various dealers in the midlands an on many makes an models an I also have all the correct genuine timing tools for this job. I'm not doubting your skill an tbh I am not really bothered what you do to your car an how you do it, its your car. But I am entitled to my opinion as you are to yours.

also. On the subject of torque. Which one of you torque your spark plugs when you change them? Or torque the brake caliper/carrier bolts when changing pads and discs? Or driveshaft nuts, inlet bolts etc. Every bolt on the car has a torque setting. Doesn't mean to say you always follow the correct procedures. As the saying goes 'Theres more than one way to skin a cat'.

Totally agree you'd be on a job all day fetching an setting torque wrenches. But on an engine thats camshafts an crank are not keyed an rely on fixings being torqued/angled using a torque wrench or at least checking them after the job... Well your a braver man then I am, I'm not saying its going to fall apart or anything daft like that an I'm not accusing you of the timing not being in, I'm just expressing my opinion.
 
  Clio cup 172
Cool, fingers crossed its all fine then mate :)



At least you didnt try and do it up with a torque wrench and using the horseshoe only, that really would have been likely to have ended in tears


Usual career path for a mechanic:
Be not very bright
Fail most or all of exams at school
Go and do some poxy college course with very low entry requirements
Get a few years experience


So christ no, Im far too bright for gettin stuck doing that rubbish for a living, FLOL, but lets face it you dont need to be a mechanic to do their job with a bit of practice, its pretty simple stuff after all, likewise Im not a chef either but I can still make a mean fried breakfast, lol

Okay. So you're saying every single mechanic failed all their exams in school? Incorrect. But, its a lot different working in a garage than you may think. Especially working in a dealership working to VAG/Kia's standards..
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
The career path for a mechanic haha:p.

Sorry, but it just makes me laugh when people think mechanics automatically understand lots about cars and how they work, most of them dont and are just part fitters and removers in reality.

I used to be a mechanic (not cars). But I did not fail all exams at school!

Must be cause you didnt fail your exams that you managed to move on then mate, FLOL
 


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