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Timing Belt troubles - idler sprocket advice please!
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:35 pm
by benster
Hi all.
I'm fixing the broken timing belt on the l series (EA82). I thought I'd change the tensioners as I figured one of them may have seized. It doesn't look to be the case.
But... the idler sprocket below the crank on the right hand side is a little firm to spin. Should it spin freely like the tensioners or is it suppose to have some tension on it?
I didn't buy an idler sprocket... just the tensioners
.
Edit: also... is the timing mark for the crankshaft the 3 marks on the flywheel? Just double checking... Haynes manual is a little confusing... it called that the valve timing marks. Then it asks you to make sure that the crankshaft is lined up with the crankshaft and camshaft timing marks???
Thanks in advance.
Ben.
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:53 pm
by steve_rising_sun
Is that the oil pump you are talking about? If so it will have considerable drag.
Steve
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:04 pm
by benster
The bottom one is the one I'm talking about
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:28 pm
by benster
Well... it's not the idler sprocket... must be the oil pump then
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:38 pm
by benster
All sorted! YAY!
Thanks
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:52 pm
by El_Freddo
benster wrote:the idler sprocket below the crank on the right hand side is a little firm to spin. Should it spin freely like the tensioners or is it suppose to have some tension on it?
I didn't buy an idler sprocket... just the tensioners
As you've probabily worked out - the idler wheels ARE the tensioners...
Another tip, if the bottom of your engine looks like its leaking oil, check the oil pump area as I've found that a seal thats rooted will spray oil leaving the seal area clean and covering everything back from the pump in oil...
Glad to hear that the change over went well.
Cheers
Bennie
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:04 pm
by benster
El_Freddo wrote:As you've probabily worked out - the idler wheels ARE the tensioners...
Another tip, if the bottom of your engine looks like its leaking oil, check the oil pump area as I've found that a seal thats rooted will spray oil leaving the seal area clean and covering everything back from the pump in oil...
Glad to hear that the change over went well.
Cheers
Bennie
Not too much oil under the car at all... has a bit of old gooky oil from what looks to be an old oil leak, thats it though. No new oil in the timing cover or on the belt. Again... just a bit of build up at the bottom of the cover.
I thought something drastic must of happened for the belt to have broken so early in it's life (35-40,000km's) but on closer inspection... I think the mechanic that serviced it last time only changed the short belt.
The belt that broke had NO markings on it at all.... no model or serial numbers... straight up black belt, no writing of any kind. Makes me think that he probably just changed over the one belt and left the long belt alone. So that belt done 178,000km's. It was a fair bit stiffer than the shorter belt too.
Everything else seems to have checked out fine. Replaced the pully tensioners anyway, seeing as I had already bought them.
Car also seems to run and drive much nicer now... which I didn't expect. So, it was probably out a tooth on the newer belt??
Anyway.. all gooooood now. Hopefully doesn't need doing again until 250,000.
Ben.