5ks trials

[Mike Mulholland <meyeke@netinc.ca>]

well, a while ago a mentioned my 5ks that was hard to start...the 5ks avant
became a donor for it and still it wouldn't start. my son had previously
worked on the car so i thought he had looked at the obvious...WRONG. i
removed the timing belt cover to inspect the belt...whats this? wheres the
timing belt idler?....hmmm belt looks new, whats this... belt has _no teeth_
just vestigial residue %#@#*.
        so now i've pulled the engine from the 5ks and from the 5ks avant.
the avant engine has an obviously new timing belt...can clearly read the
"continental" designation and part numbers. just to be sure, i turn the
engine via the crank pulley to check every inch of the belt (remember my
5kcdtq belt had looked great but was actually missing 5 teeth) teeth are all
like new but hidden from view was a split running half way across the belt!
more #@%$&**! so it's late saturday afternoon....i make a few phone calls
and the nearest belt is 50km (30mi) away. so of i go, get the belt and
return. so now i have a loose engine that needs a timing belt change....i
think that phil went through this last year. well in my shop (barn) i have a
10X10 beam 12 ft overhead that i use with a "come-along" to remove engines
and lift things etc. i raised the engine and lowered it onto a wheeled steel
bench, but still supported by the hoist. i installed my custom crankshaft
holding tool and placed a heavy steel pipe ove its protruding arm, i then
placed an 8 ft bar inside the pipe and rotated the crank so that the distant
end of the bar reached out horizontally about 10 ft. my 110 lb wife was
commissioned to hold that end. using a breaker bar and extension i was able
to loosen the crank locking bolt without too much problem...it was probably
loose. changing the belt was a snap. i loosely fastened every together and
checked the timing...all was well. to tighten the bolt i used the same 10 ft
extension on the crank tool but this time i rested the end on a bench, and
then tightened the crank bolt with my breaker bar and extension by pushing
on the same side of the engine as the 10 ft extension supported on the
bench. in this way the engine didn't flail around at all and the job was
easy...of course i then had to paint all the covers a _very _ bright red.
today the engine goes in the sedan and all should be well.  
mike
86 5kcdtq, tap chip sjm spring
84 5ks
84 5ksw
many cyclops bicycles