Busted timing belt - remove head?

[GSRace]

I've busted my timing belt.. happened while driving.. no eveil sounds, is it fk'd?

Similar issue happened on old motor 3 years ago. Bolt thru balancer loosened, and let cams slip - disaster: 9/16 valves smashed, 2 pistons became holy.

This time it just snapped like a rubber band. Do I have to take the head off to inspect? Gonna try to do compression test. Is it hard to take the head off and change gasket anyway?

Is it a prick to change the belt? just gotta line up timing marks (incl fkn balance shaft as some mech didn't years ago) fit around tensioner.. easyish to do with L/F wheel off? am I on the right track?

 

[GSRace]

Sorry - just found http://4gtuner.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3949

 

[GSRace]

while I'm asking, I have busted aussie head at home with the aussie manifold. I'm reading conflicting reports about which inlet manifold is better for n/a. I have a jap motor fitted now with the CYCLONE manifold..

Is it worth me getting cams from MEEK or wherever that will run with the standard ECU?

I'm considering selling the car after this.. it's just too hard to get good work on it here due to car age, and workshops in ACT..

 

[JayRome]

just keep stock stuff on there, unless you have piggy back ecu, the stock ECU wont change much for the bolt ons.........

 

[JAP63]

Have a go at the belt yourself buddy.

Its not to bad a job..you just need the right tools and make up the ones you dont have

refer to these posts for some tips

http://4gtuner.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4971&highlight=

http://4gtuner.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4971&highlight=




...theres a few things that trick u up..PM me for specific info if you need help..and try the VFAQ as well..its not too bad

Anything i cant answer..rob323 or EV0-00X will know.

The head shouldnt be too bad


As for taking the head off...replace the head bolts

some torque settings..all from the manual.

Torque them at 90-100NM in 2 to 3 even steps.
The inlet manifold is only 15-20 NM..dont strip them!!
Spark plugs are 20-30NM
Exhaust Mani is 25-30NM

 

[aurace]

unfortunately chances are you've munched some valves. My belt let go while i was just cruising along at low revs and took out most of the valves and valve guides.

done the timing belt twice now, its not too bad apart from the skinned knuckles, and the workshop manual is pretty easy to follow.

have got a few new valves here you can have if you only end up needing a few.

 

[rob323]

If your timing belt let go whilst the engine was turning, I wouldn't bother wasting the time to compression test it, You will have bent valves, the only question is how many.

If you go to all the trouble to fix it all up, it would be wise to replace the hydraulic tensioner as well as all the belts, pulleys, seals etc.

 

[GVR40]

and whilst ur there do the water pump and bottom end bearings and rings, whilst everything is appart

 

[JAP63]

and whilst ur there do the water pump and bottom end bearings and rings, whilst everything is appart

Dont you just love how minor things lead to major things...Fkin cars.. :evil:

But i agree..do the waterpump....and make sure you use the paper Mitsi gaskt with loctite no. 3 aviation cement..no substitute.

 

[JayRome]

anything with breasts and an engine will cost you money!

but i agree, change as much as you can while the engine is out.....

 

[VR-4Squid]

anything with breasts and an engine will cost you money!

but i agree, change as much as you can while the engine is out.....

no need to take the engine out unless it's cracked a piston - pull the head first, saves much time and hassle.

Defiantely do water pump, tensioner, pulleys etc when you put it back together though.

 

[GVR40]

anything with breasts and an engine will cost you money!

but i agree, change as much as you can while the engine is out.....

no need to take the engine out unless it's cracked a piston - pull the head first, saves much time and hassle.

Defiantely do water pump, tensioner, pulleys etc when you put it back together though.

no need to pull the motor out but it is a hell of a lot easier to do the work when you don't have to work around the tight restrictions of the engine bay

 

[JAP63]

Especially when a water pump stud breaks...with the motor in the car.

Trust me...you dont want to break a water pump stud.
You dont want it..
That job took me weeks.
follow the torque guidelines...i ended up just buying all new rated bolts for everything that sat inside the timing case..waterpump,tensioner body,tensior cam,the whole lot.

 

[Jonson]

You all seem to be under the impression that VR4 timing belts are hard to replace. There is just about as much room on the VR4 as there is on a TE-TW magna. Once you have done 2 or 3 they are very easy to do.
I suggest if a lot of belts are to be changed people make them selves the proper tools or just buy them from EBAY. And ALWAYS ensure that the timing belt tensioner pulley cam is set properly.

 

[rob323]

Once you have done a couple, yes they are not "that" bad to do, but it is 10 times easier to do the belt, waterpump etc with the engine out of the car and its 100 times easier to fix something up if something goes wrong (like broken waterpump bolts etc) when the motor is out.

 

[GVR40]

Once you have done a couple, yes they are not "that" bad to do, but it is 10 times easier to do the belt, waterpump etc with the engine out of the car and its 100 times easier to fix something up if something goes wrong (like broken waterpump bolts etc) when the motor is out.

and it is alot easier to set the timing marks all right when you can bend down and actually see them, IMHO take the motor out, after all it's not that much more effort to take it out, specially if it's a gsr, no transfer case and turbo to worry about

 

[VR-4Squid]

yes it is alot easier to do the timing with the engine out of the car, however, I don't think the extra ease of doing the timing is worth the extra hassle involved in removing the engine!

Of course, if you've already got the gearbox out to replace the clutch (or the gearbox itself, haha) then removing the engine isn't much hassle at all, otherwise you making ALOT of extra work to make something easier, which wasn't THAT hard in the first place! :lol:

 

[GVR40]

but if you have to pull the head off (which it is highly likely you will need to do) then it isn't that much extra work to pull the whole motor out, front driveshafts, shifter cables, radiator and hoses, unbolt exhaust and take of slave cylinder or just the cable. each to their own tho, having done the t-belt in and out of the car i find it alot easier to do it when it is out, not to mention the lack of room when coming to put the waterpump pulley and alternator belt back on

 

[JAP63]

the waterpump pulley

that one pulley alone could turn into an asshole of a job..i managed to get them all in first go and tightened up after about 30 min......i rekon i was lucky though..long nose pliers helped...

 

[rob323]

An easy tip regarding the waterpump pulley, put a couple of drops of superglue on the back of it before you put it on the water pump, fit, it to the waterpump and leave it for a couple of minutes (have a beer) and then its alot easier to put the bolts back in without the pulley falling off every 10 seconds. A long handle 10 mm ring spanner with a slight offset is a handy tool for this also (and magnetise the sucker).