Author Topic: 3 Simple Timing Belt Change Questions (Read 8955 times)

Jettage1 · « **on:** December 31, 2008, 04:09:04 pm »

(regarding my '92 Eco Diesel) Bentley is not entirely helpful here...

1. Do you have to remove the water pump pulley to get the lower cover off?

2. My car has A/C. I've removed the 4 bolts from the double pulley at the crank but can't seem to budge it off. It's either a really tight fit or the crank bolt has to come off too. (or something else...) Hints?

3. Does anyone have an extra power steering pump tensioning bolt assembly? (The threaded eye and bolt) My eyebolt decided to shear off.

4. Bonus unrequested commentary - changing the timing belt & tensioner isn't so much fun, so far.

5. Double bonus - I do get to install my new Giles-blessed IP though! :mrgreen:

Thanks in advance!

Smokey Eddy · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2008, 04:20:06 pm »

1. Yes (as far as 1.6TD's go) it's just three Allan bolts if i recall isn't it to take it off?

2. dunno AC

3. Sorry i don't have an extra one

4. Not to worry after your first time it's much easier. (such as loosening bolts with the belt still on and clamped down.

5. Giles IP!? NO FAIR!!!

Cheers

I hope i help a little

Jettage1 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2008, 04:25:08 pm »

Thanks Smokey. Regarding the water pump pulley, I was afraid of that. I realized it after I had the belt off, so now I guess I need to reinstall the belt so I'll have some way of holding the pulley from turning whilst unbolting it. I'll look at it again tomorrow.

I find it's better to stop working on a project BEFORE I start throwing wrenches around the shop. :shock: Things usually look better in the morning.

The Giles thing was an unintended side benefit of needing to re-seal the old pump. After reviewing my options (and the US - Canada exchange rate) I decided to put my money into a completely rebuilt pump with LDA so I get some extra hp too!

Dakotakid · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2008, 08:17:38 pm »

#2 above: should be just a tight fit with some dirt and a little rust thrown in as well. You can gently heat the pulley with a propane torch (moving it around the pulley centrally) and it will expand a bit.

Too much heat will get you a new front crank seal...but, you would really have to get crazy with propane to do that.

Water pump pulley? There is a $32 tool made to hold those water pump shafts out there (I've never been able to afford one). I carefully use vise grips on the thin pulley sides to keep them from turning. You have to be careful. If you manage to "dent" one, you can smooth it out with a file.

When you put all those bolts back in during assembly, do go with some anti-sieze. It will help if you have to take this apart within the next two years or so.

Yes, all this work is, at times, annoying. I always try to remember what it was like to sweat car payments when I am laying under there with *** falling in my face as I round the allen headed bolts off and cut my hand on the fender edges :roll: .

Smokey Eddy · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2008, 08:18:36 pm »

freakin US dollar

:evil: :evil: !!!
?I somehow managed without putting the belt back on but i don't remember how....
I think i bared the pulley with a ruler and loosened them enough so i didn't need to bar it from turning.

Jettage1 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 01, 2009, 02:00:15 pm »

Hi Dakota,

Thanks for the tips. I'll get a torch & give that a go. I hope this doesn't turn into one of those projects where you end up saying that the $$ paid to a mechanic would have been money well spent :roll:

Glad for this forum, though. :wink:

Smokey Eddy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 01, 2009, 03:37:08 pm »

baring it with a piece of stock works very well and easily with no risk of damageing stuff. I just did it today.

torch + alluminum pump housing = weird looking puddle of shiney tin foil stuff on the garage floor.

Jettage1 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 01, 2009, 06:25:23 pm »

The torch would be for the crank pulley, not the waterpump pulley, I think.

:wink:

fatmobile · « **Reply #8 on:** January 01, 2009, 07:29:53 pm »

I tap on the bottom of the pully (outward), turn the engine and tap the other side.
Rinse, repeat.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2009, 06:47:17 pm »

For pulleys I just lightly tap one side, then the other. I tap them on, not off. Once they start wobbling you should be able to wiggle it off with your hands.

Don't take the 19mm 12pt bolt out of the crank. You don't need it. It is a stretch bolt.

I bought the germanautoparts waterpump holder tool. It's fantastic. Before I had it I would just blip the bolts with my impact gun

theman53 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2009, 07:18:16 pm »

I usually grab the waterpump pulley with my right hand and the hex key with the wrong hand and give her what for. I have lots of scars on my hands. My wife bought a set of mechanics gloves for Christmas in 07 which were almost as expensive as a tool but I get to use them on the rest of the car.

Quantum TD · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2009, 08:46:03 pm »

Quote from: "Jettage1"

The torch would be for the crank pulley.

Not exactly. The ECOdiesel uses a harmonic balancer type pulley. If you look closelier, you'll see that the outer P/S pulley and the inner AC pulley on the crank are ONE unit. If you used a torch, you'd burn the rubber out.

Do the tapping trick. I use a rubber hammer on the face if I can't reach the backside. The one-piece pulley is pretty stout, and can handle a pretty heavy hit from the rubber mallet.

Good luck.

Powered by Spearco · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2009, 09:53:21 pm »

Don't forget, that pully is expensive to replace.

Smokey Eddy · « **Reply #13 on:** January 03, 2009, 02:42:55 am »

Sorry for posting my probably worthless comments.
It must be different for eco's and with the AC in the way because on my 1.6TD MF i had NO trouble just baring the pulley with a piece of flat stock with one hand and undoing the bolts with an allen wrench with a pipe on the end of it for the first time "stuck" bolts. must be a different story or something. we are talking about water pump pulley right?

by baring i just mean shove the stock between two of the bolts and apply opposite forces (in the right directions of course), it's hard to explain i guess. If all else fails i can post a pic of me doing it. I may want to put anti-seize on those bolts anyways.

Jettage1 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 03, 2009, 09:23:23 am »

Smokey - thanks for the "barring" idea for the water pump pulley. I'll be trying that this afternoon. (edit: that idea worked well & pulley is off! Ended up rounding a couple of the allen bolts, but that's where vice grips are handy.)

Quantum - you were right. I hadn't noticed, but my crank pulley is also harmonic (rubber insert ring). I used a rubber mallet on the face, rotated the crank and pried gently from the rear with a steel bar. It was off in about 15 minutes.

Thanks to all for the help. Hope to get to the actual belt & tensioner removal today.

Hey, assuming I get the tensioner off okay (heard horror stories) what do you guys use to "re-tension" the belt? I know there's a VW 2-prong tool, but do you have suggestions for a simple substitute?