'Russian way' timing belt change

[TurboDieselWeasel]

Hi!

Got told a nice trick to change a timing belt. Apparently it's the 'russian way'

Step 1: cut off (lenghtwise) half of the old timing belt.

Step2: slip on the new belt halfway

Step 3: cut off old belt

Step 4: push on new belt

Step 5: add tensioner & stuff & drive off

Coll way to not have to worry about timing issues etc.
Not done it myself (only have chain driven engines), but thought it's to cool to not share

Cheers,
Jan

[ben711200]

Hardcore was talking about this with me a while ago. He referred to it as the 'no fear' method of cambelt change because to cut it you need to have the engine running and revving high enough for a Stanley blade to cut through cleanly..

It's an odd one though. You'd only do a cambelt change on a car/engine you care about and didn't want to risk damaging, so why use such a risky method other than as an experiment to see if you can?

[Soopahfly]

[volvo740]

Crazy stuff that vid!

[composimmonite]

I've changed cam belts that way albeit not had the engine running to cut it in half (plugs removed and turned over on crank pulley. Works fine.

Paul H

[scruff]

Isn't it just easier to line up the marks?
Even if it's the wrong marks, as long as nothing moves it'll be fine...

[johnna]

An old, old technique used when the tensioner is A1 and the sprockets have no lip upon them. A favoured trick of those who tinkered with 2 litre pinto engines (non interference, so no dramas!

Often the new belt is heated in hot, pure water to expand it ever so slightly.

[jrevillug]

You are, of course, assuming that the timing is correct to start with. If the cambelt has been done professionally, there's no guarantee of this: I've assisted in changeing the belt on two car now - and on both the camshaft was a tooth retarded. Since correcting the timing, they pull better and burn less fuel.

Yes, getting the belt on and tight with the timing marks lined up can be really fiddly - and can take a few attempts - but it's wothwhile.

[TurboDieselWeasel]

Feb 16, 2012 17:10:57 GMT composimmonite said:

I've changed cam belts that way albeit not had the engine running to cut it in half (plugs removed and turned over on crank pulley. Works fine.

Paul H

And I didn't even think about doing it with the engine running...

Of course this is assuming the timing is correct.

[cobblers]

I've done about a dozen 8v TU engine cambelts, and never bothered to lock anything, just loosen the tensioner, old belt off, new one on making sure it's tight on the "non tensioner" side, tension it up and off you go. About half an hours work.

There's little chance of the crank moving, and if the cam pulley does move when you take the belt off you'll see it. They never have, but if they did it's only the same amount of work to time it up from scratch as it would be locking things in the first place.

valvers are a different kettle o' fish, though!

[dave21478]

People seem to have a needless fear of timing belts and can over-complicate what is often a simple job.

If it has timing marks, then line them up. If not, or you cant see them, don't worry - make your own. Some blobs of tippex work well. Do 2 per pulley.... one blob at 12 oclock and one at about 3 oclock with corresponding blobs on the backplate.
Change the belt and make sure they are still lined up - you will easily see if it is a tooth out somewhere. Things are unlikely to move much unless you are wrenching things around like a chump. If the cam has moved, slacken the belt, turn the relevant pulley and re-tenson. Turning things over by hand is not going to cause any damage anywhere.

If you want to lock twin cam pulleys and don't have the proper tool, use mole-grips. Don't wang them on really tight, you might distort the pulley, just tight enough to grip lightly and prevent movement.




Things only start getting complicated with multi-cam V engines where the idler wheels have offset mounting holes and can be used to alter the timing between the banks. The pic above is an Opel/Vauxhall V6, which has two offset idler pulleys that can be used to alter the timing of each bank individually.

[scruff]

Good idea!

[phillipm]

's only a 10 second job to lock up a TU engine anyway!

[bortaf]

Feb 17, 2012 7:50:49 GMT dave21478 said:

People seem to have a needless fear of timing belts and can over-complicate what is often a simple job.

If it has timing marks, then line them up. If not, or you cant see them, don't worry - make your own. Some blobs of tippex work well. Do 2 per pulley.... one blob at 12 oclock and one at about 3 oclock with corresponding blobs on the backplate.
Change the belt and make sure they are still lined up - you will easily see if it is a tooth out somewhere. Things are unlikely to move much unless you are wrenching things around like a chump. If the cam has moved, slacken the belt, turn the relevant pulley and re-tenson. Turning things over by hand is not going to cause any damage anywhere.

If you want to lock twin cam pulleys and don't have the proper tool, use mole-grips. Don't wang them on really tight, you might distort the pulley, just tight enough to grip lightly and prevent movement.




Things only start getting complicated with multi-cam V engines where the idler wheels have offset mounting holes and can be used to alter the timing between the banks. The pic above is an Opel/Vauxhall V6, which has two offset idler pulleys that can be used to alter the timing of each bank individually.

Yep i use more tippex than thread lock in the garage, i go though a bottle a month !
Of course that only works if the timming is correct to start with but then if it wasn't the car would be in for a head refurb most likely not just a cam belt ;D

[dave21478]

^^Tippex is a fantastic thing to have in the garage. Ideal for timing marks as I said, its also good to highlight timing marks so they are more visible under a strobe light. I use the correction pen things which have a roller ball tip, so if I am dismantling something with loads of electrickery, I can write a number or letter on each plug n socket so I know how it all goes back together.

[awattam]

As an extra check I make tippex marks on the belt and pulley which line up. Then transfer the marks on the belt to the new belt. Put the new belt on so the marks on the belt line up with the marks on the pulleys and hey presto, can't get it wrong. Hope that make sense!

[DWDarkWheels]

Brilliant tip. Dunno how I never heard of that before. I've changed belts on a variety of cars over the years and never used locking tools. A dab of paint to mark positions has worked so far, but they've all been single cam jobs.

I'm approaching a belt change on a Vauxhall V6 so the mole-grip idea, combined with the OP's split belt idea is appealing.

[ChasR]

Indeedy, a great tip to remember.

However on some cars I understand that the cam timing requires resetting (e.g a number of Alfa Twin Cams and Pug XU Twin Cams) with some of the consequences not being great (It does seem that a number of Pug GTi-6s have been wrecked this way after a cam belt change).

Or is the difference in the belt that little to worry over?

[dave21478]

Feb 19, 2012 18:57:24 GMT DWDarkWheels said:

Brilliant tip. Dunno how I never heard of that before. I've changed belts on a variety of cars over the years and never used locking tools. A dab of paint to mark positions has worked so far, but they've all been single cam jobs.

I'm approaching a belt change on a Vauxhall V6 so the mole-grip idea, combined with the OP's split belt idea is appealing.

Have a read through this....it details how to set the offset idler rollers to adjust the timing precisely for each bank of the "V".
Getting these wrong is not catastrophic, but the engine will be down on power and the idle can be lumpy.

[dave21478]

Should say that these were written for the C25XE in cavaliers and calibras, but I would assume still applies to later V6 engines.