Hi I'm new to this, my old girls (Orion) become very worn in the timing belt area, recent MOT guy was afraid to do emissions as the belt covers where shaking, so decided to do the work myself.............. Would say it was a big mistake, loads hard work, it seems though the timing belt as never been changed , all the parts seem to be original. As the tensioner did not have the spring and locating bolt for it fitted, this is the way it comes out of the factory according to the haynes manual............

So is it possibl that this belt as done in excess of 140k, over 71k since I have owned the car............

Anyhow the idler pulleys have split and very rough to rotate, the tensioner well thats another story, looks like the bearing have actually caused the plastic to melt in places, and is severly rough.

Have purchased a full kit of parts from a local motor factor and fitted them, but seem to be having problems with the new tensioner, it don't fit right, the spring does not appear to be putting the timing belt under tension. This is having a knock on effect to gettting the timing correct. Any of you guy's experienced similair problems with the tensioner.

Will be removing it agian in the morning to grind some of the slot at the back of the unit in an atempt to get it move freely (for setting up).

Any advice most welcomed.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

i personally would not grind anything to do with a timing belt mate if the part is wrong then get the right one or take it to someone who knows what they are doing or you will end up needing to rebuild the engine if you get the timing wrong

 

I take it it is not a CVH engine orion then!!
I assume therefore it is a mk3 ?, with the zetec, these do indeed come with a spring which is about as much use as a limpy on a date with Cheryl Crowe!!
Just chuck the spring, tension manually, it's quiet dangerous to fit the spring as so loose it could come detached and does jack all anyway.
Had this on early zetecs before, just ensure peg goes into recess it will be fine, tension as normal and lock off.
tabetha

 

Hi foilks thanks for the replies, botter, grinding would only make the tensioner move freely, it does appear to be out (the slot) compared to the one removed. My bro seems to think like you Tabetha, set it manaually, we did it this way, on second attempt after finding out the tensioner was not correctly seated, around the pivot pin, oh yes you are correct too, its an 1.8l xl 16v engine. The car in general as not really cost me all that much in repairs till the last couple of years, excluding 2.5 sets of tyres 1.5 exhuasts, erm thinking maybe as cost more than I realise, replaced front struts as an advisory from a MOT 3 years back or 4 even. 2 MOT failures, requiring that I rebuild chassis an sills.

Thanks guys/gals

Regards

Mike

 

Well again thank you for the advice, I did grind it out (the tensioner) works a treat a now, took awhile to get the crank bolt out again, hard to beleive it got so tight from turning it by hand. My bro had a lie in, so had to sort it myself. The inlet cam was slightly out but we were'nt able to undo the sprocket bolt (tool sheared off) the flat alignment tool used to lock the cams just about goes in the slots with a bit of force.
Was real wary of starting the old girl up because of this, but shes purring like a lion cub lol, and I forgot how quiet it can be in the drivers seat kept having to check the rev counter. So hopefully she will be good for a few more years, should really be doing a sevice on her now, but that can wait till after work tomorrow.

Again thank you.

Regards

Mike

 

Hi

I forgot I posted here last year, well good news is.was did the belt change, cars been running great ever since, except for the recent problem, my own fault should have checked the voltages prior to actaully wiring the unit up lol.

MIke