Cambelt Replacement

[Bottrill 0]

Hi all, I recently found a very tidy 1.6 GTI 1990 - G plate. I am planning a full service this weekend, followed by a setting up session. 1st job however is a cambelt replacement. Are there any areas to be aware of?Having looked at a diagram it looks like there is two tensioner pulleys?? I have heard rumours that you cannot change the cambelt without replacing the waterpump, is this true?

 

Any help to a new 205 owner would be much appreciated. :-)

 

Lee.

[Anthony 1,003]

There is a single spring-loaded tensioner on the 8v engines, so it's a doddle.

 

You don't have to replace either the tensioner or the waterpump, but it's argueably false economy not to, especially if they're of an unknown age. Do the job properly and only do the job once and all that.

 

Otherwise, it's pretty straight forward really - Haynes gives a fairly good overview of the job if you've got a manual to hand, although you don't need to remove the engine mount as it suggests which makes it even easier. It's pretty much a case of lining up the timing holes, removing the crank pulley (which can be difficult if it's not been off in a long time), removing the cambelt covers, releasing tension on the belt, and removing the belt. Swap the tensioner and waterpump if you're going to, and then reassemble

[Bottrill 0]

Cheers for that Anthony. Didn't get round to doing the cambelt today, so will have a go Tuesday after work. Did give the car a good service though (Air filter,plugs, HT leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm, fuel filter, bled the brakes) including finding a split intake pipe, a mucky aif filter, and a thouroughly black throttle body and idle screw. Needless to say half a can of carb cleaner and and old rag has made it idle much smoother already.