New Timing Belt Installation

[Dan355]

Hey!!!
Just wondering whats involved with replacing the timing belt in the rb30's? And also the distibutor gear?
We are fixing up my mums vlc before we sell.
Cheers

[harry3]

the distributor head and rotor are straightforward, just do the wires 1 at a time and dont lose the screw that holds the rotor on the shaft

the parts may be expensive also a nissan head wont fit, although a nissan rotor will

the belt is complicated, get a workshop manual or photo copy the relavent pages from a manual at a library
I wouldnt bother changing the belt unless you think its about to break
you can usually pull the cover back a bit at the top to see the outside of the belt which gives some idea of its condition

[Holdfast]

Replaced the Timing belt a few times on mine, mostly when the waterpump needed replacing.

Anyway, Ya have to pull the radiator out plus the fan and the pulley for the water pump and the shroud around the fan.

ya have to remove the top timing belt cover and then have to rotate the motor until you get to top dead centre etc.

It's a bit of mucking around and I remember the first time I tried it I was there for ages reading the manual and working out everything. You even have to pull off the crankshaft pulley, then the bottom timing cover.

There's lots more procedures but you need sockets, hex keys and patience if you've never done it before.

Also, as the other guy above said, I wouldn't tackle it unless you had a repair manual.

Even a simple thing like taking off the timing cover bolts can cause problems; some of the plastic washers on mine cracked and I had to buy new ones.

Anyhow, it will take you a while to do and don't forget that if you do the belt then you may need new radiator fluid too.

Cheers

[bangers]

I wouldnt bother changing the belt unless you think its about to break
you can usually pull the cover back a bit at the top to see the outside of the belt which gives some idea of its condition

thats not a good idea. it gives you no indication if the belt is stretched and sagging. when i pulled mine off it had no cracks in it at all but was as limp as an old man. the belt doesn't need to snap to do damage. it could spit some teeth and do major damage.

its recommended you do the timing belt anywhere from 60k to 100k. i bought my car from an old guy who'd never had it replaced and when i did it the car had 125k kms on it and the belt was stretched and sagging severely.

[Dan355]

Cheers for the info.

The car has done 180 odd k's. The distributor makes a real bad noise at about 1500 - 2000 rpm. Nearly 100% its the diz gear or bearing. Taken it to the workshop they done the timing/service ect and it still doesnt run right. Hard to start aswell sometimes. We have a new head for the diz, leads, plugs, afm ect. So we basically want to check out the distributor more closely and do the belt at the same time. Had a quick look the other day it looks pretty tired.

Cheers

[Holdfast]

I had stacks of problems with mine not running well.

The bearing in the distributor was the problem!

I replaced the Crank Angle Sensor and also the Power Transistor etc etc and she still didn't run right.

In the end, what I found, was that the $6 bearing was rusted and it sent rust dust up into the the Crank Angle Sensor (CAS).

It covered the slotted stainless steel plate and the CAS so the ECCS Module was getting buggered signals. When I replaced the CAS with a newy and cleaned the plate and the guts of the Distributor every thing was ok for about 3 weeks and then the car just wouldn't run. Obviously the dust was back. It was too, I took off the dust shield in the distributor and it was covered in brown dust.

After much heart ache it was the bearing in the distributor which I was told should be replaced when you replace the CAS.

Anyway, that might be the problem.

Mine got that way because I like a nice clean engine but clean engine means moisture, and water got up in through a buggered gasket in the Dizzy Cap and made it's way down into the distributor.

So if you have never replaced the gasket where the distributor cap sits on the lip of the Distributor housing then I'd replace that when you replace the bearing.

If you have a wood vice and a bit of time then you can replace the bearing your self. What I did was bought a crapo cheap distributor off Ebay for $10 and then I practiced the strip down on the crappy one first and then I took the one out my VL.

I've never had a running problem since and mine really goes well:-)

Err, well, it did until a bearing went in the rear of the gear box. Anyway, she's nearly all back together and I'll be on the road soon.

Best of luck and I hope the suggestions help

[Dan355]

Thanks Holdfast, very helpfull. Yea i am pretty sure that was the cause to begin with but went through the process of replacing all the expencive parts first I will replace that gasket aswell......Got a quote yesterday. The cheapest i got was $400 for belt only and have a quick gander at the diz. I think it might be worth it. After all it is my old ladies car so she needs it back on the road pretty quickly without any probs.
Cheers

[damianison]

I have just done my timing belt, and replaced the tensioner at the same time, which does not come witht the spring- this was incorrectly assembled, and I have put it where I think it goes, but Im afraid I have it wrong and the belt is now too tight- which can stuff your big end.
Can anyone tell me where the tab off the tensionr spring rests againts on the block?

[Dan355]

I have no idea. I got my mechanic to do it for me. Got it back monday. Hows that my old ladies stock vlc pulled 101.2 rwkw. Just needs a turbo lol

[Holdfast]

damianison

Gee, if I could only remember

I found that to be a bit of a problem when I first replaced mine too.

I do remember having hassels just like you are expereiencing, sorry but I can't give an accurate description but one things for sure if you spend a good half hour or so working out how the spring works and what's its supose to do it should work out for you.

Don't force anything and just take it easy and you'll get there.
I'll sleep on it and it might come back to me. Be back soon

[damianison]

damianison

Gee, if I could only remember

I found that to be a bit of a problem when I first replaced mine too.

I do remember having hassels just like you are expereiencing, sorry but I can't give an accurate description but one things for sure if you spend a good half hour or so working out how the spring works and what's its supose to do it should work out for you.

Don't force anything and just take it easy and you'll get there.
I'll sleep on it and it might come back to me. Be back soon

Thanks, yeah Ive got it back together and its tight, just maybe too tight, didnt have to force anything other than winding the tension on to the spring. Th leg of which is sitting on a stud that sticks out of the block, that has no other apparant use. ie- nothing bolts on to it. just want to make sure its right as I dont want to have to fix a stuffed big end if it happens to be wrong. Was reasonably tight.

[Holdfast]

Well, I Can't remember

But I know that ya need is a good allen key to move the pully tensioner backwards and forwards.

Err, that's not much help aye? Atleast there's some moral support for you damianison

Glad to hear you got it back together ok

Cheers

[damianison]

Bump- HELP!!!!!

I still havnt found where the leg spring for my tensioner (cambelt) is supposed to rest on the block.
Although it is all running, I think I have it in the wrong spot, thus having too much preload on the spring = too tight on cambelt = stuffed big end.

Can anyone help me with this, have searched high and low.

Thanks
Damain

[Dan355]

Would a Gregories help?

[walesy]

hey dan355 shoulda asked him to advance the cam timing while he was there... makes em go heaps harder

[Dan355]

Ah really.....Cant make it too quick for the old lady. I rarely drive it. The vl's are a pretty nice car to drive apart from the standard suspension.

[walesy]

yeh the bodyroll is really bad, going through kiama bends is deadly if taken slightly too quick

[damianison]

Would a Gregories help?

no, unfortunatly it shows/ tells nothing oif the tensioner, other than telling you to check its condition when doing your cam belt

[Dan355]

mmm....... That sucks

[Holdfast]

If you can get your hands on a Copy of Max Ellery's workshop manual there's some images of the Tensioner and the spring.

The images are on page 162.

The reference says:

Ensure tensioner is free to rotate.

Ensure return spring is fitted to tensioner as shown in figure 6A-49

Fit tensioner onto mounting stud, ensuring that the spring end rests on the adjacent spring end stud, refer to figure 6A-50

Install the tension washers and lock nut onto the tensioner mounting stud, do not tighten. Ensure washers are fitted correctly,refer figure 6A-51

Reinstal and adjust camshaft drive belt as per 2.11 in this section.


Ok, the book as you know is:

Commodore Max Ellery's factory Workshop manual 1986 - 1988 VL
ISBN: 064601654X

[damianison]

If you can get your hands on a Copy of Max Ellery's workshop manual there's some images of the Tensioner and the spring.

The images are on page 162.

The reference says:

Ensure tensioner is free to rotate.

Ensure return spring is fitted to tensioner as shown in figure 6A-49

Fit tensioner onto mounting stud, ensuring that the spring end rests on the adjacent spring end stud, refer to figure 6A-50

Install the tension washers and lock nut onto the tensioner mounting stud, do not tighten. Ensure washers are fitted correctly,refer figure 6A-51

Reinstal and adjust camshaft drive belt as per 2.11 in this section.


Ok, the book as you know is:

Commodore Max Ellery's factory Workshop manual 1986 - 1988 VL
ISBN: 064601654X

Awesoome thank you just what I was after