Cambelt change

[chip]

It's not cutting corners if they've already been done

Of course it's different from car to car but I know my engine and the tensioners were good. Only replaced the belt because the top engine mount snapped and damaged the cambelt.

Fairly specific set of circumstances TBH so unlikely to be relevant to many people wanting a cambelt change.

[Wobba]

The moment I saw what you wrote I asked the people in my office what the term 'backstreet garage' represents to them, their replies were 'dodgy' 'shady' 'dishonest'.

I agree with them.

'Sorry' is much easier to type than all the waffle you wrote to justify your poor choice of words!

[chip]

The moment I saw what you wrote I asked the people in my office what the term 'backstreet garage' represents to them, their replies were 'dodgy' 'shady' 'dishonest'.

I agree with them.

'Sorry' is much easier to type than all the waffle you wrote to justify your poor choice of words!

Well to clear up any confusion I dont have any reason to believe Danny is dishonest. But I would have thought that was already obvious by the fact that the first mention I made of him in this thread was to suggest him as a place people could go for a much cheaper than renault cambelt change.

[dimma]

something like 8 hours labour by the book time???? i think???? i had my done by a renault specialist and was charged £400 cash

I've done about 6 timing belts all on my own cars but never took that sort of time.it usually takes me 1 and a half to 2 hours to do it. I'd love that sort of money for changing a belt.

bloody hell it took me and my dad about a day just to try n do it with endine in, spat dummys out and ripped out engine and did the lot much easier. took about 2-3 hours to put back in. We know now how to do it lol

always to it with engine in.

Really? Why?

Yes, because i can.I have never even thought it would be easier to remove the engine to replace the belt or the pulleys.it's really not a difficult job.

[chip]

If you are changing the belt on a car you have just bought, its actually quite a good idea to pull the engine out I reckon, can do head gasket and pumps etc at the same time then, so it depends if you know the history and only want to do the belt or if you want to really freshen the engine up.
The moment you have to do more or less anything else as well with the belt, it gets to the stage that the couple of hours to take the engine out starts looking like a good investment time wise as then every job is trivial once you have the engine out the car and have total access to it.

[Rich]

Its a good days work if you have all the tools and everything isnt seized solid.

6 hours max, thats taking engine out/refitting.

got it down to an hour and a bit to remove an engine when I had the clio

[mk2wills]

does anyone have a guide on doing it in situ then?sorry im new to the forum and relaise not good that i post in here straight away but hey ho!its a williams 2 i have(f7r)Ive done the water pump myself but i really cant see how it would be easy to do the belt in situ with so little room to work in!Any specialist tools needed?Im doing the belt and tensioner/idler pulley

[dimma]

a rough guide would be disconnect the battery jack car up jack engine up abit take off top engine mount remove drivers headlight loosen alternator belt remove the belt covers you will need to jack the engine up and down several times to remove the belt covers.when u get the top cover off to reveal the cam wheels there is a timing mark on the front of each cam wheel line those up with timing marks on the engine top rocker cover then you will need to lock the crankshaft remove the bung that is under the engine serial number plate you can get at it if you lay at the front of the car and reach up between the engine and the subframe when you remove the bung you need to insert a locking pin i use a quarter drive socket extension bar grinded down just enough to get it in the hole and into the crank its handy if you get someone to push it in while you turn the engine when its in the marks on the cam wheel should line up with the rocker cover marks and the engine should not turn now loosen the tensioner and remove the belt.its 11.45 and im off to bed.

[fabulicious]

I've done mine and I will never do it again.
If someone quoted me £300 to do it I'd take that offer any day of the week, especially someone with good feedback, experience and proper garage tools.

[mk2wills]

was it that bad?Looks a right job to do to me.Whats it like changing the idler and tensioner pulleys?