best way to do a clutch and cambelt change?

[jwarren2k2]

im hoping to do this over xmas hols as i should be able to do it at work while its closed! I will have everything apart from engine crane!

just need to know whether its possible to just drop the engine a bit onto a jack and do the cambelt and clutch that way?!

if there's any guides on here that ppl have links for, feel free to post them! i did a search, but got bored of reading hundreds of posts! lol


cheers guys! appreciate it!

James

[stan]

do them as seperate jobs...

get a haynes, that will help you the most.

[BenR]

Its easier to do both if you whip it out.

If you keep it in the car....then cambelt is easy, but you'll have to do alot of shuffling to move the gearbox far enough away to slip in the new clutch.....and if its not aligned properly you'll wiggle for ages trying to get the input shaft in lol.

[stan]

:D

Personally, I'd leave it in, do cambelt, then drop subframe a wee bit and do the clutch. Theres acres of room if you actyally take the gearbox out.

[jwarren2k2]

ok cool!

cheers for the advice guys. do you think it can be done in a day, or would i be better off doing it over 2 days?!

james

[stan]

depends how quick you are really....I could do it in a day, so could a few others....but if your not familiar with these cars, or your a bit shy with a spanner, I would give yourself 2 days.

[2 live]

aye.box out an back in is a days work..cambelt couple hours



id be tempted to pull engine/box out tho tbh.get it all done at once...wil prob have more skin left on ur knuckles with engine out too.lol

either way will be a 2 day job.

[stan]

pah....engine in, days work...slackers :lol:

[2 live]

lol...u can add about 6 hours of that work to rollin ;)

[MatBrown]

I'd take the engine out too, would also do more than just the clutch and cambelt.



Mat.

[VIPERONE]

if i were to change my cambelt, i would renew all pats associated to being a pain to do with the engine in.....ie waterpump, most gaskets bar the head and naturally the clutch,.... coops being the legend he isprefers the engine inmethod to change acambelt..personally the space you have got to work with isnt the best, unless your highly competent, then i would remove the engine to access the various areas of the engine.



I can renew a gearbox from start to finish sub 5 hours. so add an hour for the clutch and the cam belt

[kj16v]

im hoping to do this over xmas hols as i should be able to do it at work while its closed!...

Lucky bugger! I've just bought a gazebo to do mine and now the weather's ****ing freezing!

[Lunner]

So how do you get to the bottom 2 screws holding the top cambelt cover on with the engine in, there is about 20mm to play with

[jwarren2k2]

cheers for all ur help guys...

im not doing it at work anymore, gona do it on my driveway this weekend!

[Lunner]

After speaking to people on here aout accress to teh cam belt screws etc i'd defo leave engine in.

A few skinned knuckles is more than worht the hassle of havving the engine out, trust me i've had mine out so many times now.

As was said clutch can be done in a day, first time i did it it took me 2 days, but i was learning, dunno about cambelt but i woudln't have thpought more than half a days tops, feeling your way as you go so to speak

[jwarren2k2]

nice one lunner, cheers for that! I was gona ask to borrow a hoist off someone today as i know someone with one, but if u think its easier without, i'll trust u! :wink:

Me and my mate are pretty handy with a spanner so im sure we'll be ok... W'eve also got a trusty haynes to help out!

I bought all the bits today, cambelt and tensioner kit from gsf, clutch cable from gsf, and alignment tool form gsf, had to get thrust bearing from renault. Already had a clutch with no bearing that i got ages ago! (its a valeo one!)

Thanks! :D

[Lunner]

Only ricky bit is gonna be swapping the tensioners, esp the one on the stud (actual tensioner one iirc), clutch is a piece of piss, i've always used an extension bar fattened up with insulation tape, or done it by eye.

Compared to the cambelt for access clutch is absoloute piece of piss

[jwarren2k2]

with the clutch, the gearbox just has to be moved to the side, right?! I dont have to take the whole box out do i?

And is it actually possible to do the tensioners with engine in?

Thanks

[Lunner]

For clutch drop subframe one side, loosen bolts off other side, and pull box out and outt eh way, for the extra little bit of time it makes the job 100x easier

[jwarren2k2]

might sound silly, but here it goes...

is it a good idea to do the clutch first by dropping subframe but undo the whole thing, have it on a jack (or 2), take box off, swap clutch... then while the box is off, push the engine over to passenger side as far as possible to do the cambelt and tensioners, then put the gearbox back on?!

Surely this would give a fair bit more room for the belt change?!
Just an idea?!

James

[stan]

If you remove/unplug everything which is likely to keep it in place...e.g rad/pipes/wires/downpipe etc, then yes it should work, providing u can move it across easy enough and keep it there. by which time u may find its easier to lift it lol

[jwarren2k2]

i thought it sounded too good to be true! :oops:

I did wonder about pipes and wiring, but wasn't sure how 'cut to length' they actually were! lol

Im now doing this at work too so that'll be nice and warm and dry and i can do it all night long as i'll have light all the time! Wahoo!


:)

[Lunner]

Yes that would work, but oyu'd need an engine hoist as you ahve to remove teh other engine mount, but you shoudl be able to push it over enoguh with everything connected and wedge/tie it over to give you more room

[stan]

You could do it without a hoist, but like i said, the downpipe etc etc etc would need to come off to allow the engine to move. not hard, but then neither is doing the cambelt in situ rwally.

[Lunner]

downppe woudl have to come off to drop the sbframe, and oyu are doing a ghuessing game if the angine stays ot eh jack, ifit falls off you are in sht, i'd rather have a hoist there for insurance

[stan]

If your gonna do that, you might aswell pull the engine out imo.

I dont see what the biggy is about the cambelt...its fiddly, not impossible. Your just creating more work.

[Lunner]

downppe woudl have to come off to drop the sbframe, and oyu are doing a ghuessing game if the angine stays ot eh jack, ifit falls off you are in sht, i'd rather have a hoist there for insurance

Oh dear pissed up typing :oops: