fossil
New member
It can be done for all those scaredy cats out there.
Fitstly print off the cam/balance belt plan Clarkes Garage, set everything to TDC and carefully mark and record datum marks on pulleys, I made some notches in the plastic cover to help with this.
If you have the auto adjuster on the cambelt (post '87) you can't go wrong setting the cambelt but make sure everything is free on the adjuster after you've taken it off.
Use a ruler across top left nut and centre bolt on the auto adjuster to achieve 2cm free play in the new balance belt on rebuild.(mine had 2.5cm prior to stripping)
I know it is right because as everyone knows if the belt is too tight it whines, mine whined very slightly on initial start but went away quite quickly. You can actually feel the difference in engine smoothness and noise reduction since I changed the belts.
I must add I've had over 20 years mechanics experience and just refuse to believe that you need a £400 tool just to set a belt tension.
Fitstly print off the cam/balance belt plan Clarkes Garage, set everything to TDC and carefully mark and record datum marks on pulleys, I made some notches in the plastic cover to help with this.
If you have the auto adjuster on the cambelt (post '87) you can't go wrong setting the cambelt but make sure everything is free on the adjuster after you've taken it off.
Use a ruler across top left nut and centre bolt on the auto adjuster to achieve 2cm free play in the new balance belt on rebuild.(mine had 2.5cm prior to stripping)
I know it is right because as everyone knows if the belt is too tight it whines, mine whined very slightly on initial start but went away quite quickly. You can actually feel the difference in engine smoothness and noise reduction since I changed the belts.
I must add I've had over 20 years mechanics experience and just refuse to believe that you need a £400 tool just to set a belt tension.