Changing Cambelt

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

As above really. I haven;t really got he wonga to pay a garage to do the cambelt on my car, so may (if he can be persuaded by shiny foil and chocolate) ask a mate to help us out one day.

 

Can I ask as I haven't changed it since owner ship, what is generally changed with it?

 

Obviously cambelt... but what else? Sorry for the ignorance!

 

Andy

[welshpug 1,657]

the tensioners and water pump, so you'd be best off buying a kit which has the belt and tensioner together usually for quite a bit less than if bought as separate items.

 

other bits you may need to change at the same time would be the crank and camshaft oil seals.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

the tensioners and water pump, so you'd be best off buying a kit which has the belt and tensioner together usually for quite a bit less than if bought as separate items.

 

other bits you may need to change at the same time would be the crank and camshaft oil seals.

 

How many tensioners would need replacing out of due course then would you say? Also, I've looked on GSF and couldn't find said kit, so thought I'd have to buy seperates. Any links to good deals?

 

Also, are the crank/camshaft seals a bugger to do whilst the belt is off??

[Masekwm 2]

GSF don't list the kit on their website but do on the internal system.

 

It's one tensioner

[welshpug 1,657]

yeah, just ring them up or call in, their website listings seem a bit useless compared to what they do stock.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Oh right, may do that then. Are people in agreement that their kits are good value and decent quality then? Include the tensioner, cambelt and water pump. Do the seals have to be bought seperatly?

[Masekwm 2]

The kit is belt & tensioner, you need to buy a water pump seperate. Can't remember which brand mine was but it was one of the ones recommended on here

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

gates powergrip are o.e afaik so go for one of them

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

I'll write all this down

 

Anyone got a particularly helpful branch of GSF they wanna recommend? I'm gonna have to pay for postage it seems, so will buy everything in one go from one branch.

[Flix 0]

Try Godfrey Autoparts on Warren Rd Andy.

Sell Gates kits, can get them next day with no postage to pay. Got all my GTI6 bits from them.

I personally wouldn't change the seals if they are O.K.

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

You don't want to be changing parts that don't need changing but a must is the water pump gasket.

The pump unbolts once the cam belt is off, if it looks fine and the bearing is in good condition put it back on (it should spin freely without making any noise and shouldn't feel notchy).

The same goes for the Cam belt tensioner bearing, these usually ware out quicker than the pumps though, so if it's got 100,000 on it and hasn't been changed once it probably needs changing soon anyway.

Leave the crank seal alone if its not leaking, A garage wouldn't change it even if it was weeping a little, but it depends if you like oil stains on the drive.

 

When fitting the new belt back on use the white marks on the belt to line up with the 2 pulleys as a double check that you havn't got it out by a tooth.

The Job is very easy once you've done it a few times, the hardest part is getting the covers off, and guessing how the leaver mechanism on the cam belt tensioner works with your hands down the back of the engine.

 

Edit: It's recommended that the water pump gasket is changed as its seal can be disturbed when removing the belt.

It's advised by the Haynes manual to change it, but the first time I changed my belt I thought it wasn't necessary and it leaked, meaning the belt had to come off again!

Edited September 4, 2009 by ALEX

[johny105_y2k 1]

for the sake of the extra time and cost. i'd fit a new water pump. and what it would save you in the long run again in time + money

and definetly a tentioner, a failed tentioner is just as bad as a snapped belt remember.

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

Try Godfrey Autoparts on Warren Rd Andy.

Sell Gates kits, can get them next day with no postage to pay. Got all my GTI6 bits from them.

I personally wouldn't change the seals if they are O.K.

 

Will do mate. I'll go in one dya when I have the money ready and ask how much it would be as a kit then. So I need the belt, tensioner and pump for good measure (better safe than sorry and a selling point for the car!) and the gasket for it. Sorted, I'll jot it down.

 

Gents much appreciated, Chris... you know I'm gonna throw £20 notes at you if you have the time