Timing belt tricks

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

I was at BR Motorsport today.  They had bought a wrecked 4-pot 5-valve
engine (didn't ask what sort) to take to bits and study.  Kind of
reverse engineering exercise.

It seems that the engine was wrecked by its owner when trying to change
the belt.

So - a tip.  If you resort to "home brewed" ways of holding the crank
stationary when loosening the bolt - LEAVE THE BELT ON THE CAM GEAR.

This guy had (apparently) rigged up some system that had slipped.
Because he'd already released the belt from the cams, the crank turned
but the cams didn't.  $$$$.

If he'd left the belt on the cams, the slippage would have rotated the
whole engine and he'd only have skinned knuckles and not a skinned
wallet.

--
 Phil Payne
 Phone: 0385 302803   Fax: 01536 723021
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