cambelt change

[e11ie]

Right then, I was thinking of doing this myself as I seriously can't even afford the small amount a garage would charge, but I'm no mechanic by far. But after doing some reading up I've noticed a lot of people would rather put it in the garage incase sumit goes wrong or snaps which is obviously a big deal with a cam belt. But surely if you follow all timing marks n make sure you mark all the pulleys up and basically follow ever step in the haynes etc then how can it go wrong?

Am I just being nieve and should it really be the part that I bite the bullet n pay for?

Oh n if anyone has/knows of a picture guide somewhere it would be a real help! 

[herbster]

 
depends on your spanner ability, any job is do'able, but as you say for the sake of about 150 quid for the garage to do it, do you want to put yourself there, you only need a few tools to do it - 10,13,15 & 19 mm spanners and sockets, powerbar, 5 & 6 mm allen key/socket, right angled circlip pliers(to do the tensioner), torch(to look at flywheel marks) some bright paint and little brush, definately wort thinking about doing it yourself so you then know for future ref, do the tensioner too, get a new alt/water belt too, then you know you covered your tracks in all that department. Some belts are marked directional too so beware, check and mark it all before you strip the belt off and then just refit new belt as long as nothing moves it'll be okay, haynes is quite good guide once you worked out which marks you have to follow, good luck 

[rowlers]

yeh I'd agree, I'd never done a cambelt before, I took the plunge (I did do it in a proper garage, and with a mechanic at my beck and call!) and it is easy peasy. Tub of tippex and mark every pulley that moves! take it all off, and make sure all your tippex marks line up and the belt will go on in the same place it came off, no timing up or anything.

One thing my mechanic did tell though, was too make sure when you put new belt on pull the belt on so that the belt goes over the front of the pulley tight - it feels like you are pulley onto the next tooth than it is meant too. He told me that if you don't do this you will be one tooth out. this was on a 16v tho so may be different on 8v, or carbs?

hope that helps a bit

[e11ie]

Cheers for your help guys, think I'll give it a go then! 

I'll make sure I have a muscally male along side me though, sounds like some of them bolts are a right pig!