fitting a cambelt

[big_al]

hi im new to the site and i need to fit a cambelt to my vw golf  1.6  1988
i took the cam belt cover off but cant find the timin marks  :shocked:do these cars have marks or is it a wild guess any help would be good


thanks big al 

[Lewy]

Hey Big Al.

There are a couple of tiny 'nicks' in both the crankshaft and camshaft pulleys. You'll have to get in close with a torch to see where they are, and once you've found them highlight them with some white paint, or the prefered Tipp-ex.

Then you'll have to find the representative crank and cam marks on the head and block (or are they on the back of the cambelt cover?) and highlight these also. Once you have done this the removal and replacement is pretty straightforward.

Lewy

[big_al]

thank you

[...joe]

like lewy said once you find one the others should all be lined up with each other when you get it top dead centre. then as long as you don't move anything they when you take the old one off the new one should go on no worries. its worth renewing the cam belt tensioner at the same time though.

[stan_deezy]

Old-style mechanics tip for changing cambelts: get a nice sharp stanley knife, slice the old belt all around its length in the middle of the belt. Discard the outer half of the belt, slide new belt into place, cut the remaining strip of the old belt and hey presto, one timing belt changed without the need for timing marks. Just a thought. 

[Lewy]

Old-style mechanics tip for changing cambelts: get a nice sharp stanley knife, slice the old belt all around its length in the middle of the belt. Discard the outer half of the belt, slide new belt into place, cut the remaining strip of the old belt and hey presto, one timing belt changed without the need for timing marks. Just a thought. 

Was that on a Model 'T' Ford by chance, cos in nearly 20 years of being involved in the motor industry and being a mechanic, I've never ever seen or heard of that. Old style cowboys more like.

[...joe]

yeeeeeeeeeeeee-haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

[*Dubby*]

its worth renewing the cam belt tensioner at the same time though.

^what he said. tensioners aren't that expensive, and if your old one siezes up, it can f**k your engine as much as the belt snapping  :embarassed:

[stan_deezy]

Was that on a Model 'T' Ford by chance, cos in nearly 20 years of being involved in the motor industry and being a mechanic, I've never ever seen or heard of that. Old style cowboys more like.

Nah, it was a tip for fixn Injuns 

It was an old Forces trick. Anyway you've only been at this for less than 20 years: wait until you've doubled that score 

[rubjonny]

Sounds like an ingenious solution, as long as the old belt isn't stretched.  Plus you still have to loosen the tension to get the new belt on