Do you change your own timing belt?

[jnoshea]

Since I've taken the head off I was originally thinking of changing the timing belt myself, but after talking to Wanderer and Hobbit I'm probably going to let a workshop do it instead.  My main reasons for this are a fear of shafting the engine by getting it wrong, and the fact that all the specialist tools needed amount to more than the job will cost in a garage (which seems to be about £150).  Do you do yours?

[TimM]

I've gone for a 'leave it to the professionals' but that is only because the timing belt is under that big cover at the front that contains that noisy thing (i.e. it would be well out of my expertise).

It can be done, the thing to consider is whether you feel you are up to it, if you think you may not be - DON'T TRY IT.

You would always be wondering afterwards if you did it right, everytime it's slow to start, or runs a little rough, you would suspect your own work first.

Just a though  

[hobbit]

The main reason I say go  to the professionals, is the fact I've never done of these, even the guy its going to said its relatively easy in comparison with some motors

I will more than likely be there to help anyway, and will learn on the job with him.

Just booked in for friday, the other reason its indoors as well, too flamin cold outside :?

[s.stirley]

I've always done mine .. too mean to pay garages :) heavy background in engineering helps of course, and a garage full of tools ! I wouldn't do one if I wasn't confident, not something to get wrong ..

Of course my Disco doesn't have one as it's a V8, but have done plenty on my other vehicles.

Cheers

[BrumLee]

Done mine. Not a hard job on a 200tdi but quite long-winded. Hade to take my time with a few front cover bolts as it was easier to work them backwards and forwards rather than them snapping and making harder work.

Belt = £17-50
Gaskets and dust seal = £12-10
Labour = Some of my free time    :D

Picked up a timing kit made by Gerber a couple of years ago at Billing, well worth £35 it cost and covers a number of engines.

[gords]

Mine went to the garage to be done! Lack of time, fear of getting it wrong plus I'd heard that there was an upgrade that should have been (should be?!) carried out.

Plus, it was a few weeks before our 2 weeks Alps trip so I did not want to c*ck it up

[Dr Neil]

i voted do it yourself as i am a mechanic and i have done a couple of other peoples too.....

[gords]

i voted do it yourself as i am a mechanic and i have done a couple of other peoples too.....

Now Neil ... if you'd voted "send it to a professional" I'd have been worried  :lol:

[Digsit]

i voted do it yourself as i am a mechanic and i have done a couple of other peoples too.....

Mine being one of them

[Disco Inferno]

i do mine myself, i figured in the long run it was cheaper to buy a set of tools, as i've done my dads and few mates so its paid for its self already

its simple job really, but i guess that depends on how confident you are with the spanners

[Paul]

My 200tdi has a Zeus timing gear convertion kit fitted. 8)

http://members.mud-club.com/profiles/Paul/gallery/BAB/0/a02e82f506b8f99207d861ceb1c660e5.JPG/

No timing belts for me.  :D

[Dave]

I did mine with a little help. Take your time check & re check as you go not a hard job really.

[IamGoliath]

:D My 200 tdi cambelt broke a half mile from home----[!Expletive Deleted!].  Due to the cost I opted to attempt the replacement and repair myself, it's not as hard as you may think, I had never done one before on any type of vehicle.  Thankfully the only damage was bent pushrods, so, 8 new pushrods, 1 new belt, gaskets and a new woodruft key (as mine was worn) along with alot of grunts and groans I managed to strip it all down, get the worst pushrods out with a claw hammer, remembering to lever against a piece of wood to protect the valvetrain, clean up the area, set the pump timing with a drill bit the camshaft with the marks on the casing and the crank TDC with the mark above the woodruft key shaft.  Slipped the belt on, fitted the tensioner on and set the approx tension with a torque wrench, plenty of gasket seal on both sides as well as the gasket and put it all back together.  Be carefull not to mix the casing bolts up as there are differing sizes.  To my relief it started first turn of the key and has kept running for approx 3000 miles now.  No special tools were purchased or used other than the spanner to remove the viscous fan.  Hope this inspires some of you to tackle the job yourself, I am no mechanic but mechanical knowledge is a must.

[Reaper]

Yup I do all the work on all my vehicles and I have just done the T/belt housing, T/belt, tensioner and pulley on My Disco, just take your time and follow the manual. Fortunatly or unfortunatly I am not very trusting when it come to getting other poeple to do work for me be it mechanics, plumbing, electrics, decorating or building, infact anything that I can learn to do for myself for that matter!   :lol:
yes ok I am sad and tight  :lol:

[Bulli]

If i had a timing belt i would do it myself....i avoid them neither car has one..chains are better for long life and no maintainence.
I had a bad experience where the LOCAL garage messed up - 300 miles later the new belt went pop and took out the followers and a couple of rods! They then tried to blame the belt manufacturer - i never got the job done to my satisfaction. But if you can help and learn its not a bad way to do it...would be daunting if you were working from haynes book of lies.

[J B]

i do it myself :oops:

[seph234]

i voted for yes but i havnt done mine yet ive done a timing belt on a transit so when the time comes i will do mine :D

[Xtremeteam]

i did mine,rebuilt the engine in my 90,did the HG,& done 4 other timing belts & only 1 has came back with a prob due to a faulty seal

[chris9119]

My main reasons for this are a fear of shafting the engine by getting it wrong, and the fact that all the specialist tools needed amount to more than the job will cost in a garage (which seems to be about £150).  Do you do yours?

 :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?: , what special tools :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:

I've done mine twice so far and haven't brought any special tools.

Chris

ps: if your just changing the belt, for the sake of it and pulleys are ok, you don't have to worry about upsetting the timing. cut the belt in half (down the middle), slide on the new one and then cut off the old half and finish off pushing on the new one.... job's a gooden :idea:

[chris9119]

My 200tdi has a Zeus timing gear convertion kit fitted. 8)

http://members.mud-club.com/profiles/Paul/gallery/BAB/0/a02e82f506b8f99207d861ceb1c660e5.JPG/

No timing belts for me.  :D

whats this then :?:  :?:

Chris

[Paul]

My 200tdi has a Zeus timing gear convertion kit fitted. 8)

http://members.mud-club.com/profiles/Paul/gallery/BAB/0/a02e82f506b8f99207d861ceb1c660e5.JPG/

No timing belts for me.  :D

whats this then :?:  :?:

Chris

It replaces the timing belt with gears.  :D  www.zeus.uk.com

[wizard]

I snapped one at Billing a few years ago.
Changed it between lunch and supper followed by lots of Stella.

wizard

[Hightower]

What's a timing belt?  Have looked it up in the TD5 manual and I don't have one  

[jnoshea]

My main reasons for this are a fear of shafting the engine by getting it wrong, and the fact that all the specialist tools needed amount to more than the job will cost in a garage (which seems to be about £150).  Do you do yours?

 :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?: , what special tools :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:

I've done mine twice so far and haven't brought any special tools.

Chris

ps: if your just changing the belt, for the sake of it and pulleys are ok, you don't have to worry about upsetting the timing. cut the belt in half (down the middle), slide on the new one and then cut off the old half and finish off pushing on the new one.... job's a gooden :idea:

What a freaking superb tip! Thanks.
Concerning the 'no special tools then' How do stop the crankshaft from turning when you're trying to undo the nut holding the pulley/damper on, I understand that it is done up to a very high torque.  And don't you need a special puller to get the pulley/damper off?  My father is coming up on the weekend to help me get the head back on, but if I can do the job without any special tools I might have a go at the timing belt too.

[chris9119]

My main reasons for this are a fear of shafting the engine by getting it wrong, and the fact that all the specialist tools needed amount to more than the job will cost in a garage (which seems to be about £150).  Do you do yours?

 :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?: , what special tools :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:

I've done mine twice so far and haven't brought any special tools.

Chris

ps: if your just changing the belt, for the sake of it and pulleys are ok, you don't have to worry about upsetting the timing. cut the belt in half (down the middle), slide on the new one and then cut off the old half and finish off pushing on the new one.... job's a gooden :idea:

What a freaking superb tip! Thanks.
Concerning the 'no special tools then' How do stop the crankshaft from turning when you're trying to undo the nut holding the pulley/damper on, I understand that it is done up to a very high torque.  And don't you need a special puller to get the pulley/damper off?  My father is coming up on the weekend to help me get the head back on, but if I can do the job without any special tools I might have a go at the timing belt too.

I stuck a drill bit through a hole that was there :idea:  :idea:

Chris

[jnoshea]

My main reasons for this are a fear of shafting the engine by getting it wrong, and the fact that all the specialist tools needed amount to more than the job will cost in a garage (which seems to be about £150).  Do you do yours?

 :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?: , what special tools :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:  :?:

I've done mine twice so far and haven't brought any special tools.

Chris

ps: if your just changing the belt, for the sake of it and pulleys are ok, you don't have to worry about upsetting the timing. cut the belt in half (down the middle), slide on the new one and then cut off the old half and finish off pushing on the new one.... job's a gooden :idea:

What a freaking superb tip! Thanks.
Concerning the 'no special tools then' How do stop the crankshaft from turning when you're trying to undo the nut holding the pulley/damper on, I understand that it is done up to a very high torque.  And don't you need a special puller to get the pulley/damper off?  My father is coming up on the weekend to help me get the head back on, but if I can do the job without any special tools I might have a go at the timing belt too.

I stuck a drill bit through a hole that was there :idea:  :idea:

Chris

What to stick in between the teeth of the flywheel?
And what about getting the pulley wheel off, did you rig up a makeshift puller?

[ChrisW]

There is a very good guide on difflock on replacing the timing belt with a few hints and tips on   have a look under the technical archive.

[Mace]

It replaces the timing belt with gears.  :D  www.zeus.uk.com

My mate Ollie's got Zeus on his too. Bit noiser than normal but nothing to worry about at all. Except he's done 2 crankshaft pully seals in a short space of time. Bit strange when it starts weeping oil. Oh and the bonus is you don't have to fit a wading plug coz it's a sealed unit.

Back to Timing Belts, I've not changed the one on my 300tdi but I have changed one on a NAD 90. Piece of cake really and that was after it dropped 4 valves and bent the pushrods.

It's good to know someone who's got the correct tools tho.  

[beast5680]

I would do and have done my own but then i am a mechanic by trade so its not a black art  but i have paid for them to be done when i havent had time and i would pay if i wasnt mechanically minded

[Xtremeteam]

What's a timing belt?  Have looked it up in the TD5 manual and I don't have one  

well you do have a chain that unscrews the oil pump bolt  :lol: