Due to some highly unfortunate circumstances, it seems the zed is now mine for the keeping. It wont be going anywhere for quite some time due to the fact(s) that I am a poor student, and that I dont have a drivers lisence.

 

Anyway to the point, it is due for a new timing belt, its done over 60k and if I am right in assuming it is still on the origonal belt, it will be 14 years old now. It will deffinatly be changed before I drive it anywhere.

Inspired by a thread on another forum, it came to me that I might as well have a bash at it myself, after all it cant be THAT difficult can it, and I have a LOT of time in which to do it.

 

I am a bit of a novice in this respect, having no experience of doing anything like this before, but people say Im quite mechanically minded, and I can learn quickly.

With that in mind, do you lot think this is something I should take on or not?

 

Stripping the front of the engine down is not a problem, just nuts and bolts, the bit which is daunting is the actual removal and refitting of the belt, and how one would keep the cams and crank from turning when the belt is off :eek:

 

Any advice welcome anyway..

Thanks

Due to some highly unfortunate circumstances, it seems the zed is now mine for the keeping. It wont be going anywhere for quite some time due to the fact(s) that I am a poor student, and that I dont have a drivers lisence.

 

Anyway to the point, it is due for a new timing belt, its done over 60k and if I am right in assuming it is still on the origonal belt, it will be 14 years old now. It will deffinatly be changed before I drive it anywhere.

Inspired by a thread on another forum, it came to me that I might as well have a bash at it myself, after all it cant be THAT difficult can it, and I have a LOT of time in which to do it.

 

I am a bit of a novice in this respect, having no experience of doing anything like this before, but people say Im quite mechanically minded, and I can learn quickly.

With that in mind, do you lot think this is something I should take on or not?

 

Stripping the front of the engine down is not a problem, just nuts and bolts, the bit which is daunting is the actual removal and refitting of the belt, and how one would keep the cams and crank from turning when the belt is off :eek:

 

Any advice welcome anyway..

Thanks

 

go for it,follow a manual,take your time,keep all the nuts and bolts in respect to where they go-ie..screw them back in to there correct orrifice,make sure you have the correct tools,nowt worse than going to halfords every 5mins,as for the cam spinning off,if you turn the crank pulley bolt whilst the belt is still conected you can match them up to tdc that way once belt is off all the marks are at there correct point

the bit which is daunting is the actual removal and refitting of the belt, and how one would keep the cams and crank from turning when the belt is off :eek:

 

Any advice welcome anyway..

Thanks

 

 

Me and me dad did my belt (just the belt mind, nothing else). The above is a b!tch as the cams just fall wherever thay want to, you have to hold all 4 in position. Sorted it in the end though and 1st time we'd done it. Took us 6 1/2 hrs from start to finish.

i found when i first started playing with cars that taking step by step pictures always helped me.

go for it mate.

 

it was assembled by a human, not a alian, therefore you can do it too.

 

Never say Never. Just make sure you give yourself enough tiem and you have the correct tools at teh beginning.

Sounds positive, theres a few guides out there showing how its done, which one is recommended? A list of the required tools would be handy too :)

I also intend to fit an ATF cooler while im at it, any info on this?

Me and me dad did my belt (just the belt mind, nothing else). The above is a b!tch as the cams just fall wherever thay want to, you have to hold all 4 in position. Sorted it in the end though and 1st time we'd done it. Took us 6 1/2 hrs from start to finish.

 

 

if you set all the cam wheels at the correct position,then slackened off the tensioner that wouldnt happen unless you twist them to far,then they spin off the cam lobe

Sounds positive, theres a few guides out there showing how its done, which one is recommended? A list of the required tools would be handy too :)

I also intend to fit an ATF cooler while im at it, any info on this?

 

Go for mate!-the only way to learn is to get stuck in!

Anyhow,if you get stuck,there's always plenty of peeps on here to help out!

ATF cooler is just a matter of extending/replacing the cooler pipes that are there already and hooking em' up to the cooler. ;)

Have a go mate! I rebuilt my old engine with zero experience and it started first time. It isn't that hard. It's just a b!tch of an engine to cut your teeth on because there's so much squashed into a small place. Make sure you've got a good tool set (use the money saved from not taking it to a garage as an excuse to stock up) good socket sets, spanners and all that jazz. There's lots of enthusiastic people here to help if you have problems. Dave

Yeah go for it Clarkey

 

Just remember Torque settings are essential overtightening into alley will brake your heart not just your engine.

 

BTW if youve got a 14 year old car on the original T.belt youve been v.Lucky.

60,000 miles or 5 years (i believe) Rubber perishes and even if its been standing still its buggered. See if you can find out a little more about previous maintenance look for any stickers etc.

 

Good Luck

Hi Mate,

 

Give us a ring if you want any advice mate, always willing to lend a Helping hand :)

Sorry for hijacking!! when you do change the timing belt , do you need to buy a seperate tensioner as well...sorry about the mega novice question...

 

Mark

Sorry for hijacking!! when you do change the timing belt , do you need to buy a seperate tensioner as well...sorry about the mega novice question...

 

Mark

rule of thumb every 60k miles tensioner is required seperatly ;)

mega novice question now....sorry ..what does a tensioner do, so to speak....does the name say it all...

 

Mark

mega novice question now....sorry ..what does a tensioner do, so to speak....does the name say it all...

 

Mark

 

As it says, what may be "mega novice" question to you is why this forum exists, to learn!

Everybody has asked a "novice" question, thats why so many know the answers!!

 

Bob

mega novice question now....sorry ..what does a tensioner do, so to speak....does the name say it all...

 

Mark

 

 

keeps the belt tensioned ;) important to be changed along with belt,as if it fails the belt will no doubt fail also hence why it is done at the same time