Changing cambelt ford CVH
Discussion
Hi there.
As the title sugests I will be change the cambelt on a Ford Sierra 1.8 CVH this weeekend, hopefully.
Any pitfalls or particulary dificult parts on this engine?
Couple of little things that have been bugging me;
Will leaving the car in fith with the handbrake applied be sufficient to hold the crank, or will I need to fanny about with removing the starter, and locking it that way.
Also for checking the correct tension of the belt, the only tool that I can find to check this costs £45 from Burton Power, and I'm very reluctant to pay this. Is there a way to get the correct tension without using specialist equipment?
Thanks in Advance.
As the title sugests I will be change the cambelt on a Ford Sierra 1.8 CVH this weeekend, hopefully.
Any pitfalls or particulary dificult parts on this engine?
Couple of little things that have been bugging me;
Will leaving the car in fith with the handbrake applied be sufficient to hold the crank, or will I need to fanny about with removing the starter, and locking it that way.
Also for checking the correct tension of the belt, the only tool that I can find to check this costs £45 from Burton Power, and I'm very reluctant to pay this. Is there a way to get the correct tension without using specialist equipment?
Thanks in Advance.
It's about the easiest engine ever made to change the cambelt on. If you can't do this one I'd suggest not giving up your day job. As I recall this one has an automatic tensioner but it's prone to overtightening the belt. Once everything is bolted back up you want to be able to twist the belt 90 degrees with light finger pressure in the middle of its longest run. Basically the same as any other engine. It shouldn't be loose and floppy nor as tight as a guitar string. I know that's hardly a scientific explanation but any experienced mechanic knows by feel how tight a cambelt should be.
If it's too tight you'll probably get a thrumming noise which if left unsorted will shag the water pump and tensioner bearings. If in doubt go a bit loose rather than tight. A belt would have to be massively abnormally loose to jump a tooth whereas overtight can rapidly do damage.
If in doubt do the job and then get any randomly selected garage mechanic to check the tightness. Even the worst qualified banana eating chimp who takes his lunchbreaks up a tree and gets paid in peanuts will know how tight a cambelt should be.
If it's too tight you'll probably get a thrumming noise which if left unsorted will shag the water pump and tensioner bearings. If in doubt go a bit loose rather than tight. A belt would have to be massively abnormally loose to jump a tooth whereas overtight can rapidly do damage.
If in doubt do the job and then get any randomly selected garage mechanic to check the tightness. Even the worst qualified banana eating chimp who takes his lunchbreaks up a tree and gets paid in peanuts will know how tight a cambelt should be.
Pumaracing said:
It's about the easiest engine ever made to change the cambelt on. If you can't do this one I'd suggest not giving up your day job. As I recall this one has an automatic tensioner but it's prone to overtightening the belt. Once everything is bolted back up you want to be able to twist the belt 90 degrees with light finger pressure in the middle of its longest run. Basically the same as any other engine. It shouldn't be loose and floppy nor as tight as a guitar string. I know that's hardly a scientific explanation but any experienced mechanic knows by feel how tight a cambelt should be.
If it's too tight you'll probably get a thrumming noise which if left unsorted will shag the water pump and tensioner bearings. If in doubt go a bit loose rather than tight. A belt would have to be massively abnormally loose to jump a tooth whereas overtight can rapidly do damage.
If in doubt do the job and then get any randomly selected garage mechanic to check the tightness. Even the worst qualified banana eating chimp who takes his lunchbreaks up a tree and gets paid in peanuts will know how tight a cambelt should be.
If you worked on modern cars rather than obsolete Fords and Peugeots, you would know that people like this do not, and cannot exist in the moderm motor trade due to the technology.If it's too tight you'll probably get a thrumming noise which if left unsorted will shag the water pump and tensioner bearings. If in doubt go a bit loose rather than tight. A belt would have to be massively abnormally loose to jump a tooth whereas overtight can rapidly do damage.
If in doubt do the job and then get any randomly selected garage mechanic to check the tightness. Even the worst qualified banana eating chimp who takes his lunchbreaks up a tree and gets paid in peanuts will know how tight a cambelt should be.
the customer is still very nieve and s
t garages exploit this 
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