Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 I have just finenshed the interior of my car and just have a few maintainance things to do to the engine, one thing being the timing belt. I have no previous info on the car (as it was repo'ed) so I want to do the belt just to be safe. I have had a look around the site but can't find much info about the actual steps involved in the job. How hard is it, I have a reasonable mechanical knowledge and am willing to give most things a go but if I stuff it up, the engine will be pretty stuffed to. Has anyone got any experience with this kinda stuff, any help would be much appreciated. Cheer, James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 I have just finenshed the interior of my car and just have a few maintainance things to do to the engine, one thing being the timing belt. I have no previous info on the car (as it was repo'ed) so I want to do the belt just to be safe. I have had a look around the site but can't find much info about the actual steps involved in the job. How hard is it, I have a reasonable mechanical knowledge and am willing to give most things a go but if I stuff it up, the engine will be pretty stuffed to. Has anyone got any experience with this kinda stuff, any help would be much appreciated. Cheer, James James A realitively straight forward job -Remove radiator, auxillary belts, fan assy, crank pulley, distributor if motronic, timing cover, would recommend replacing the belt tensioner at the same time. Align timing marks on crank & cam shafts, slacken tensioner, remove & replace belt & tensioner, make sure timing marks still aligned, tension belt with tensioner & lock, rotate crankshaft 2 full turns & confirm both marks still alighned, recheck belt tension & reassemble. Although straight forward, If not confident I would seek help -youré right if you get it wrong its a sad story. Good luck! Grant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silver Fox 43 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 When you retension it, how tight is right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 When you retension it, how tight is right? should have also confirmed- rotate engine by hand in clockwise direction (normal engine rotation). Cant quite remember whether there is a spring on the tensioner, if there is that predefines the tension otherwise not absolutely sure of specs but I would allow about a 5mm deflection in the belt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted July 11, 2006 change the water pump at the same time. Cheap insurance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 OK, so whatkinda price would I be looking at for a new water pump, new belt and tensioner? I do realise that these things need to be done, but its just more money going out. Does the case around the belt need a gasket and will the pump need a gasket? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 waterpump around 150 from BMW..gasket $5. belt itself is 50ish...its slightly cheaper from aftermarket stuff, i went to EuroItalian and the two cost around 130 at trade. but much easier to do the two at same time....just make sure the gasket is on correctly so you don't have to do it twice. having a new belt is nice...peace of mind its really not that hard, put it on and crank the engine by hand, and if it lines up the timing marks after multiple cranks you should be fine..i have so far! as for the timing marks...there one on the cam pulley that lines up with a mark on the head, and one on the crank that lines up with a notch on the lower aluminium cover thing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 12, 2006 Well I managed to pick up an after market water pump for about $85 and and BMW tensioner and cam belt for $135 so it's not as cheap as I hoped it would be but sitll within my price range, its a sh*t load cheaper than the $450-$500 quoted by a BMW place I rang. Cheers for all of the info guys. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topless 5 Report post Posted July 12, 2006 Well I managed to pick up an after market water pump for about $85 Just a thought here, does your new pump have a plastic or metal impeller? Reason is that the ones with the plastic impeller are known to be problematic... doing the belt with a new tensioner is the right way!! Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 12, 2006 Just a thought here, does your new pump have a plastic or metal impeller? Reason is that the ones with the plastic impeller are known to be problematic... doing the belt with a new tensioner is the right way!! Will Its on order at the moment so I'm not sure, it should be in tomorrow so I will see, if it has a plastic impeller what is your recommendation, should I get my money back and get a steel one or will it be alright? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topless 5 Report post Posted July 12, 2006 I personally wouldn't use one with the plastic impeller. Don't forget the antifreeze.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 34 Report post Posted July 12, 2006 (edited) And gasket grease for the water pump gasket. I'm half way through my change (a missing o-ring on my cam-shaft seal kit which I'm also doing has stopped me finishing the job). Water pump was 100-ish with metal impeller and came with a gasket. Belt was around the $50 mark for QH brand one (happens to be same as the one that came off). Tensioner was $30 I think. All parts from Euro-Italian and include some "frequent-flyer" discount. All made in germany, all seem good quality - buy almost everything from there and never had any problems. Edited July 12, 2006 by bravomikewhiskey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 13, 2006 And gasket grease for the water pump gasket. I'm half way through my change (a missing o-ring on my cam-shaft seal kit which I'm also doing has stopped me finishing the job). Water pump was 100-ish with metal impeller and came with a gasket. Belt was around the $50 mark for QH brand one (happens to be same as the one that came off). Tensioner was $30 I think. All parts from Euro-Italian and include some "frequent-flyer" discount. All made in germany, all seem good quality - buy almost everything from there and never had any problems. Wow, yours was a hell of a lot cheaper than mine, but I suppose thats one of the perks of being up in auckland! I have just done a radiator flush on it and will fill it up with antifreeze/boil once its all back together. Took it out for its first run last night, gets to about 60 pretty quick but is a bit sluggish after that, feels like it might be running on 5 pots instead of 6 so I will have to get it looked at I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topless 5 Report post Posted July 13, 2006 Euro-italian do mail order service, so phone and order the bits. I have had excellent service from them, if you leave a message, they WLL return your call! I havn't used them in my short time living up in the far north but bravomikewhisky lives not far fom me here in Waipapa and I am sure he had his bits mailed to him... I used them when I was in the Waikato. Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 13, 2006 Wow, yours was a hell of a lot cheaper than mine, but I suppose thats one of the perks of being up in auckland! I have just done a radiator flush on it and will fill it up with antifreeze/boil once its all back together. Took it out for its first run last night, gets to about 60 pretty quick but is a bit sluggish after that, feels like it might be running on 5 pots instead of 6 so I will have to get it looked at I think. Well I figured out why it was so sluggish anyway, I changed the two middle headliight bulbs the other day and mustn't have put the rubber cover on properly so when I gave the car a bit of a nudge it sucked the cover into the air intake thus cutting off about 75% of the air plus I was pretty dissapointed at the headlight strength but that would have been because only one was going. Turns out it was only $120 for belt plus tensioner and its a genuine bilstien tensioner so I am pretty happy and the impeller on the pump is steel so thats good to. Couple of questions, should I use a gasket sealer on the pump gasket, what size is the bolt on the fan and how can I tell if the thermostat is f**ked? I pulled it out and it seems to be in pretty good shape, I then jamed it in some boiling water to see if it opened but saw no change, what temp do these ones open up at or is it temp and presure? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topless 5 Report post Posted July 13, 2006 The fan nut is 32mm. Use some sort of goo on the gasket whether it is grease, gasket sealer or silicone, but only LIGHTLY cover both surfaces. The thermostat should have the temp stamped on it which is when it should open. They don't just open quickly, takes probably 30 secs even with boiling water. I normally do the thermostat and the camshaft oil seal when doing a cambelt. The thermostat is cheap, normally repco have it, but get a new Oring even if you put the old one back. The cam oil seal is a place which the m20 motors always seem to spring a leak after a while, so this is the right time to do it, it is also cheap, but make sure you seat it properly when installing and wipe the inside sealing surface with a smear of grease before pushing it over the cam. When installing the cambelt, tension it by turning the engine in the direction it normally turns (clockwise facing it) by the crank bolt and keep a GENTLE clockwise pressure on the crank nut while nipping up the tensioner. Then turn the motor over several times and check the timing marks each time to make sure you have it right... these motors are EASY to get one tooth out so it pays to check and double-check.. Gus has obviously done the one-tooth thing before , as I have too, so he also warns you to do multiple cranks.. get yourself the e30m20 bible here., absolutely a must-have for any e30 owner!! Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2006 Okay, I have got the cam and crank shafts in the right possition, but I can't find the mark for the oil pump/dissy cog, how do I allign it properly? Can I take the top off the dissy and line it up in there? I know a guy who had his 1 tooth off and it ran like a sack of s***, so I would like to avoid this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamiepo 0 Report post Posted July 16, 2006 Does anyone know? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topless 5 Report post Posted July 16, 2006 What model is yours? Where is the dizzy? If it is on the front of the motor at the top off the camshaft, the pulley down the bottom only drives the oil pump so timing it is irrelevant. If your is on the passenger side down low on the block, the timing mark is on the top of the dizzy - you have to remove the cap to see it - you line up the rotor arm through the centre of it. You must make sure no1 cylinder is on the firing and not the exhaust stroke, ie both rockers should be loose. remove the oil filler cap and make sure the cam lobes are pointing downwards. If they are not, DO NOT rotate just the cam, you MUST put the cambelt on and rotate the motor 180 or you will bend valves !!!!!! If you are not sure, pm me and I will give you my ph no and I will talk you through it. Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
