Cambelt changing with air con junk in the way

Site Subscriber Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 502

Thinking about changing the cam belt, in fact Iâ€™ve ordered one so I have to do it myself. Problem is because of the air con, thereâ€™s an electric power steering pump over the hole where you block the flywheel.

How hard is it to undo the auxiliary pulley bolt.

Can the flywheel be blocked from under the engine Thereâ€™s a hole where you can see the clutch.

I dont want to move the power steering pump unless I have to, but maybe I can unbolt it and shift it to the side,need to try it.

Level 5 User Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 110

one way is to put it into gear and have someone press the brake while you undo it. If that doesn't work keep it in gear and turn the engine over briefly with a breaker bar on the bolt, wedged against the ground. The second option worked for me as i didn't have enough angle for manouvere the first way.

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

pringe wrote:

keep it in gear and turn the engine over briefly with a breaker bar on the bolt, wedged against the ground.

Level 7 User Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 230

I can't seem to think that's real good for all the bits in the engine. but hey i am always to afraid to wreck anything i can't be a**ed fixing Wink

Level 5 User Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 110

i know that's what I thought when i first read about it but i saw it used on a US muscle car stripdown and it was my last resort! Only turned it over for maybe a second at most.

BTW you don't need the car in gear as I wrote Rolling Eyes

Level 3 User Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 79

That sounds a bad idea to me. Crazy even.

Level 5 User Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 110

i'll see if i can find the article...

Level 5 User Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 110

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/timingchain/

there was another ref. somewhere too, can't remember where that was now.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

I do it as well, breaker bar on the ground flick the starter on, when I am chronically lazy I will do it until thge bolts all the way out.

Its th eonly way, your stupid if you jam a screwdriver in the ring gear as they shatter off quite nicely and fitting new ring gear if its possible on certian flywheels is not fun.

either in gear foot ont he brake and crack it off or the starter method.

Level 3 User Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 79

Well, you learn something new every day.

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

i have jammed a sscrewdriver in the ringgear many a time and not done any damage, but i have prolly been lucky so far...but tbh at the time i didnt know where the plug at the frt was..

i dont like the idea of usin the starter tho...sounds dangerous...dont wanna be standing near that if it somehow throws the breaker bar!

Level 5 User Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 110

thats why you hold it down and get a mate to turn the starter!

Site Subscriber Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 502

(wedge the bar against the top of the left-hand frame rail. Make sure the handle will not come in contact with the radiator!)

Ohhh K Shocked

Going to have a go on Friday

Thanks

Level 7 User Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 230

pringe, WTF! That sounds even worse Shocked

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

well if you don't like it then don't use the technique, theres no need to moan about it or say its dangerous.

90% of garages do it this way, the pin through the hole in the front can break off the small part of the crank web if its really tight.

If tyhe breaker falls off all that happens is the engine cranks and the breaker drops to the ground.

Level 7 User Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 230

Hehe oke

I was more thinking of it being shot away or summat Embarassed

Site Subscriber Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 502

Well, when I first read it it sounded a bit radical.

If Chris H says try it Iâ€™ll give it a go. Good man.

If I realy wanted to get stupid, I could ask how to get the starter to run the other way to do it back up again. Wink

Ha Ha .

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

simple invert the starter polarity! Thing is you would need to isolate everythign else from the shell!

Site Subscriber Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 502

Bon OK did it.

The auxiliary pulley ---

The trick with breaker bar and the starter motor did not work
It blocked the starter.

I have a large Wolf C clamp thing, which flips, so I got it set-up between the seat and the brake pedal, as no Muppet was available. Also it keeps regular pressure and doesnâ€™t moan. Stuck it in 4 th gear.
Then through a hole between the gearbox under the car I can see the flywheel ring-gear. I ground the end of a screwdriver so that it fitted flat to the ring â€“gear blocking the flywheel through the hole. With all this and a 45 cm breaker bar held in both hands and feet pushing against the roll bar under the car and finally it cracked. SOB.

The rest was just fiddly. The Torx screw that goes through the rear plastic cover into the fixed idler wheel took a bit of working out. You canâ€™t see the thing and it looks like you cannot pull the plastic back enough to get the thing out as it comes with it. Found it in the end.

Also I found the belt was tight to get on even the adjuster backed off completely. Had the same problem with the new ancillary belt also? Lack of experience.

The belt looked OK but it must over 6 years old and have 40 000 Km on it at least.
Not sure if the idlers are original or not, (the car is coming up to 100 000 Km), the fixed one was dry.

Thanks for your advice.

Level 5 User Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 110

A ti pfor getting the belt on...only put it half way over the crank sprocket, and the same for the others too. Gives you that bit extra to work with.

Level 5 User Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 110

...er obviously one its on everything you push it fully home Wink