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MG MGF Technical - Cambelt change Procedure

Hi my cambelt on my 98 is overdue. From the workshop Manual looks like Crankshaft pulley needs to be removed. Is locking Flywheel the only way ? Car in gear ?
Many years ago i achived this on a mk 3 escort by using a spanner on the Crankshaft nut, then spinning the engine whilst coil dissconnected but i doubt this would be wise on a modern cars
Dave Smyth 1

Not wise no!

You should be able to get it off in 1st with a heavy foot on the brake.

You do know you have to remove the engine mount to get the cambelt over.
Will Munns

Thanks Will,
Have a few jacks & cambelt locking tool. Bring back the chain !!
Dave Smyth 1

Cool, it's somthing I'm going to have to do soon,so it will be good to hear how you get on* but it can't be worse than a HGF. I've done one before, but I had the engine lying on the garage floor, locking the crank was the least of my problems!

*Take some pics for Dieters/Rob's site and a little in the way of instructions if possible
Will Munns

John Thomas did it himslef on his previous car - I am sure ther must be something in the aechives.
Ted Newman

Well the plan is tommorow, will let you know how it goes. Have to remove hard top first !! Cant wait...
Dave Smyth 1

How did it go Dave?
Rob Bell

Hi Dave,
a few hints...
1. The job canīt be done with Mickey Mouse-tools ;O)

2.The 8mm Allen-key for releasing the tensioner should be of best possible (hardend) material.Best tool here is a small ratchet (sp?) with short 8mm Allen insert.

3.The locking tool made of plastic canīt take heavy loads.So if You are changing the cambolts at the same time (very wise!!) be sure to use some kind of device to get a good grip into the open holes of the camwheels.

4. The crankshaft pulley is a pig! Appropiate 22mm HEAVY socket and a air-tool is essential for quick work. If it is a proffessional tool it can be calibrated for torque and used for re-fitting the bolt as well.... Elise people use an extension to ground and use the starter to unwind the bolt.....

5. Take care with the 2 bolts that are released in the engine RH mount. They are bolted into aluminium and can easily be scrapping the first windings when re-fit.Lower the engine just enough to get the old belt off and the new on on, careful when re-fitting the new belt!
These were a few things not in the Workshop manual that I noticed when I did the work on my VVC a few weeks ago.
Good luck / Carl.(New confuser,hence "no member" !)
Carl

You have a good memory Ted, in fact I did it twice.

Having got it all back together the first time the belt I picked up off the garage floor turned out to be the new one I thought I'd just fitted - doh!

One tip to help getting the crank pulley bolt off - I removed the starter motor and locked the flywheel with a flat backed spanner jammed in the starter ring teeth.

As Carl says an 8mm Allen key is an absolute must.

I didn't touch cam bolts and managed not to move the cams or use a locking tool.

Good luck jt
John Thomas

Hi Guys an akward job indeed, had to take the day off today to complete. The trouble i found was getting the new belt on!. I bought a locking tool for a few Ģs. THe 8m allen allen key bolt "idler" wasn't too bad. The adjuster 8m bolt a triky & akward nut indeed, just getting to it !!. I found the locking tool a must however, it had to be removed to give the belt some "slack". Which then of course jumped.I found after many attemps I had to lock the left hand cam with a spanner,Using allen keys between belt & cover edges to stop the belt jumping. Starting on left hand cam & stop with crank. I bought a new idler bolt from MG for 75p Never thought to change the cambolts Carl. Is there potential problem here ?
Crank pulley removed by placing car in third gear & applying footbrake using, a torque whench for leverage. Worthwhile and at least i can say "Ive done it" My car had done 37K the belt looked ok however the alternator belt looked overdue...
Dave Smyth 1

Great news. Well done and thank you for the hints.
I'll hijack and I hope it will help on my own cambelt job soon :)

>4. The crankshaft pulley
From reading about John's works couple of years ago, I sourced this tool. (lend from a dutch friend already month ago) :)
http://www.mgfcar.de/k_engine/K16_cambelt3.jpg
Some more images about the _theory_ are at
http://www.mgfcar.de/k_engine/cambelt_mpi.htm

>a torque whench for leverage.
Dave,
from below I think ? (of course)
How high did you jack up the rear to get enough clearance ?
Just axle stands height ?

Dieter K.

Good work Dave ! My old cambelts (VVC) looked like new BUT the alternator belt seems to be of dubious quality. Hundreds of small cracks in the ribbed inner material,hard to notice as the outside of the belt looks fine.
Roger P. has a very useful remark in his write-up on how to change the headgasket. By sligthly move the crank just a few degrees anti-clockwise when refitting the new belt it comes spot on. With the indication marks totally lined up at the crank it can be very difficult to get the belt on!
As the Atlas camshaft bolts are kown to shear I changed them for Mikes "Lifesavers". Can be done without disturbing the installed belt according to supplied instruction. / Carl.

PS. How do I get my old details and membership on a new computer ??
Carl

PS. How do I get my old details and membership on a new computer ??

I suspect the easiest is just to email webmaster asking for your details to be mailed to you.
JohnP

On the Members Welcome Screen. select DETAILS and the next screen has a FORGOTTEN link.
JohnP

Dieter, I made one of those tools from angle iron. But they don't work with the bellhousing attached to those bolts!
Will Munns

Dieter, Used a hydraulic jack under back offside axle. Engine side cover 20mm Torx top right,plus two plastic pins below. Used a screwdriver to cut head then push center through. the outer pin will then be able to be pulled out. Used a seperate jack under sump. The idler allen key can be accessed from above & below top. i found ideal to lossen & tighten from above.Withdrawing allen bolt to replace will not cause it to fall away My belt had a spring tensioner. accessed from above just below center cam spockets. To move this to take of the tension was tricky, access from below thorough a narrow gap between body / axle 8mm nut access is restricted. engine mount gets in the way, the tool needs to be a miniture spanner. Have found your website very good source of info over the years so its good to give something back. i took some photos of the job which may be of use although not great
Dave Smyth 1

>Dieter, I made one of those tools from angle iron. But they don't work with the bellhousing attached to those bolts!

@Will,
Errr, &%!$§%!$! you're right (as usual). <Another dream bubble blown. Souring efforts for nothing> :(

@Dave
Thank you. Any hint appreciated.
Post images please to
mgf at mgcc dot de

@Carl,
just tried to look up for _my_ cookie in XP SP2 cookie folder with no success. (search for mgcars or similar doesn't find it)
Anyway, must be a cookie, but well masked.
- make hidden files visible on your old PC.
- Search for: your PC log-on name plus the @ (i.e. Carl B....@ )
- copy all found cookies to a disk and move to the new PC, same folder.
Dieter K.

This might help:
Flywheel Locking Tool 1.8P Freelander Ref: ZZLRT-12-145 Description: Flywheel locking tool for Freelander 1.8 petrol engine.

http://shop.dingocroft.co.uk/acatalog/LRT-12-145.jpg
http://shop.dingocroft.co.uk/acatalog/Engine_tools.html
Steve Ratledge

Steve,
that's the one I have.

18G1742 MGR Tool No.
Dieter K.

Apology, got the idea to hijack this thread regarding the problem of a VVC owner with correct cam sequence. He sent two pics.

htp://www.mgfcar.de/k_engine/100_1962.JPG htp://www.mgfcar.de/k_engine/100_1963.JPG VVC

He's the one who rebuilt that engine due to gone liners. (See archives from February)

His problem is:
How to adjust the cams in correct manner.
He's in daubt (and me too) that the marks on above images are right.

anyone out there with a brief description ?
Dieter K.

correct links are
http://www.mgfcar.de/k_engine/100_1962.JPG
http://www.mgfcar.de/k_engine/100_1963.JPG VVC
Dieter K.

what is the doubt?
To check/set cam timing you want to use a dial caliper, discription here:
http://members.aol.com/DVAndrews/kengine.htm#camtiming
Will Munns

Will, thank you.

It where just daubts of the picture sender.
Everything is OK.

However, I miss a report of the successful engine rebuilt of the owner :)
Dieter K.

Dieter , regarding the cam timing marks what are your doubts?
rear belt is timed corectly when viewed with the front belt timing marks, ie the marks are facing each other(remember when first fitting the rear belt the marks have to be facing outwards as the cams are off load and then turned to face each other) The front timing is set correctly ,the crank pully is set to 'safe', if you look carefully the mark on the crank pulley is set to the 'safe' mark on the timing case (12o'clock) and the inlet and exhaust cam marks face each other there fore the timing is set OK. Only the cam bolts are 'incorrect';-) and the oil filter is spurious.Red VVC units also 'different';-)
Mike.
mike

.. told him where to get _correct_ cam bolts, though ;)

You know, some ex_pert_s always know everything better.

Back seriously.
No news about how he got on.
Dieter K.

This thread was discussed between 04/03/2005 and 15/03/2005

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