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[GrahamK]

I've finally got around to doing my cambelt, waterpump and thermostat and it's been a right little *ast***.
Strip down went easy enough and the waterpump and thermostat went in OK. Obviously, the thermostat and coolant pipe were a knuckle skinning PITA. The B bolt is well monika'd.
I had prepared by watching the OFF DVD and made a list of the main steps. My new belt was not marked with fitting lines and this was part of my problem. I was not sure how to position the belt and in the end left the tensioner to absorb the small ammount of slack present. Once rotated, the timing marks were around 10mm out (evenly). Then, I realized that only one of the two idlers were eccentric and could be used for adjustment (the top one). This however did not provide anywhere near enough to correct the cam 3/4 errors and didn't effect cams 1/2 at all.

After about 6 goes, I got the belt on in the right place, god knows what I did, but I would like to know how it should be done?
Finally, with just enough energy left to get the car re-assembled I realised the fanbelt was far too tight to go on. At this point (8.30) I threw my tools in the garage and opened the wine.

If anyone can help me with ideas on how this belt should have been fitted I would much appreciate it. All the oof info, the Haynes manual and the cambelt kit info all refer to two idler adjusters!
If I can't work out a sensible method I doubt I will try to do this again?

Thanks for looking!

[Andy B]

I'd guess that you 'threaded' the belt up clockwise rather than anti/counter clockwise from the crank pulley.
All late cars ie 2.6 & 3.2 just have one eccentric idler pulley

[Kevin Wood]

Turning the crank pulley 1/2 a tooth anticlockwise from the TDC position before threading up over the non-adjustable idler to cams 4 and 3 is the key. Otherwise, you will almost always be a tooth out on this run, IME.

Crank back to TDC and check there's no slack in this run then round the eccentric idler, cams 2 and 1 and onto the sprung tensioner.

Set the eccentric idler to remove any slack in the run between the 2 banks then put the correct tension on the tensioner, remove locking kit and turn it over 2 turns and re-check timing and tension, adjusting the eccentric if cams 1 and 2 are out. Repeat as required.

If you've got marks on the belt it's easy to see if you've dropped a tooth between any of the pullies while threading the belt. Without the markings you need to be extra careful that the belt runs are tight.

It also helps if the locking kit fits well. Some have a little slop in the cam pulley locks which doesn't help matters. Don't attempt it without a locking kit.

The procedure in the Haynes manual has never made any sense to me. It makes me wonder if they actually did the job or just looked at the pictures and wrote what they thought the procedure would be, so disregard this and follow the DVD.

Kevin

[GrahamK]

Thanks for the replies-

Andy, I did start by putting it on clockwise and it was miles out. On the second go I tried anticlock (this is contrary to all written instructions I've seen) but the belt looked looser than Nora Battys' tights on both sides.
Kevin, I think you may have it. The belt just would not go on tight (on the RHS) as the teeth did not line up.

One thing I think we are all agreed on is the Haynes explanation is only worthy of emergency Andrex.

Thanks.

Graham.