Tips on changing the cambelt on my 1.6 GTi

ive recently removed the head from my 1.6 GTi to change the valve stem oil seals and to fix the broken studs on the exhasust manifold, diving round for tha last couple of weeks with only 2 out of the 6 bolts!!!

anyway, ive now come to the stage where im gonna be putting the head back on with a new belt, im pritty sure i just need to align the middle toothed sprocket punch mark with the grove on the bottom V belt then stick the head back on with the spot on the top toothed sprocket in line with the top of the head, and in therory everyhting sould be ok, it then just a cast of tesioning the belt?? is this right? i shouldnt need to mess with dissy, ill just check its positioning, also while the head is of and no1 is TDC, is no4 ment to be tdc too???
 i can also check this is ok by looking thu the hold in the top of the bell housing, do i have to remove the whole plasticy thing or can you see what you need to see by just removing the pull out cap???
also are the vlave stem oil seals push on fittings???

let me know,

Cylinder #4 is up at the same time as #1 (firing order 1-3-4-2 I think). But, its 2 strokes behind in the 4 stroke cycle, the details are not important so long as u get the camshaft timing right……

A couple of tips:

1. If you have an older style tensioner (with a nut on the end, instead of 2 holes), you'll need to take out the bolts from the engine mount nearby and lift the engine maybe an inch or so, to get it past the bodywork! Crazy, I know….
2. Once all done, turn the engine over a couple of turns, to check that nothing collides. Even if you're hopelessly wrong on your cam timing, at least you won't damage anything and can just retry.
3. They say not to turn it on the camshaft (then the belt is taking the strain to turn the crank).
4. Ummm, a bit late for you but helpful for others. I had real troubles finding the timing marks, so I just made my own with Tipp-ex, on nearby things like the sump, etc. Remember you can refit the crank pulley 4 different ways, so you'll need a mark on this and the crankshaft, too.

i dont think you can re fit it 4 different ways mate, well on mine theres a little stud sticking out on the actual bottom sprokect, that lines up with the pressed lump thing, ie it can only be put on flat in that position,

am i right in saying that when the bottom V belt pully lines up with middle toothed sproket puch mark the timing of the bottom end is correct? then all i have to to is wind the top sprokect till the punch mark is lined up with the top of the head, and check that the cam on no1 is touching the bucket?? and that the rota arm is lining up with the mark on the side of the dissy???
pritty sure its all A ok.
also is it a deffiate must to change the head bolts?? as i need 1 exhasust valve as i thas a small crak in it so while im at the parts shop hopfully colecting the vlave tomorrow (as i need it back on the road asap) i could collect a new set of head bolts too.
let me know
cheers
alex.

alex1916v said

i dont think you can re fit it 4 different ways mate, well on mine theres a little stud sticking out on the actual bottom sprokect, that lines up with the pressed lump thing, ie it can only be put on flat in that position,

am i right in saying that when the bottom V belt pully lines up with middle toothed sproket puch mark the timing of the bottom end is correct? then all i have to to is wind the top sprokect till the punch mark is lined up with the top of the head, and check that the cam on no1 is touching the bucket?? and that the rota arm is lining up with the mark on the side of the dissy???
pritty sure its all A ok.
also is it a deffiate must to change the head bolts?? as i need 1 exhasust valve as i thas a small crak in it so while im at the parts shop hopfully colecting the vlave tomorrow (as i need it back on the road asap) i could collect a new set of head bolts too.
let me know
cheers
alex.

OK I could be wrong on the '4 ways to fit' thing -  I've only done the job once, and I didn't even try to fit it wrong ways!!! I never found the marks for the bottom pulley (hence, I marked it all up before I took the belt off). But you've described the top pulley correctly.

I think (not sure) that the head bolts stretch while being torqued up, so if you reuse them the torque that you turn it to, becomes meaningless. I dare say you could reuse them but you'd need to use another torque figure.

nice one, ill order the valve first thing and if they can get some head bolts too ill get them aswell, i just HOPE they have the valve in stock or can get it asap!!!!

ill set it all up once the heads toruqed down to the first stange, then ill get the correct tension and then turn it over by hand a few times all *should be ok* but i defently turn it over at least 3times before i go anywhere near the ignition,
cheers for you help mate, nice to be reausred!

cheers
alex.,