Engine timing question

ganesh

ganesh

ganesh

Associate
Joined
23 Sep 2006
Posts
2,399
Location
Wiltshire
Hello chaps,

How obvious would it be if i had got the timing wrong on my car?
(1999 clio, 1.4 8v engine)

I replaced the belts and pump last weekend, it started up fine afterwards and there were no unusual noises, but it didn't sound quite as smooth as i remember. Doubt is now creeping into my mind that i may have cocked up the timing (though i followed haynes precisely, set TDC and lined up belt correctly), it has not been driven, just started a couple of times. I spoke to a mechanic and he said it might not be all that obvious if i had only got it a little bit wrong, but with disastrous repercussions.

I can't check the belt now as i did something very silly (removed tensioner and lost belt position).
 
23JMZ07 said:
Its very hard to put the belt back on in a different position. As long as the marks are all lined up then you can't really go wrong.

Its probably fine but just drive it for a bit, you will soon see if its not right.
Click to expand...

I wish i could, but i did something very silly. Removed the tensioner and lost the belt position and then accidentally moved the camshaft sprocket independently, so it's currently sitting outside with no belts on while i figure out what to do.
 
23JMZ07 said:
The cam sprocket should have a mark on it to line up with a mark on the block?
Click to expand...

Is it as simple as just rotating it back around to the TDC mark? and the same for the crankshaft sprocket? I thought that moving it on it's own would mess things up royally.
 
Ok, perhaps things aren't as bad as i thought. I'll have another crack at it this weekend, Biohazard is correct with regard to timing marks.

Thanks very much chaps, you've given me confidence in my amateur spannering.
 
Biohazard said:
Just have the covers off and check although I'd be suprised.

You take anything else off while you were at it?

I like the lumps reliable and can be seen to go beyond 200k. Easy to work on as well, you can get to pretty much everything in situ.

I had one a few years ago with extensive headwork in a phase one clio 3dr, gave a sluggish idle but it was very nippy for what it was.
Click to expand...

At the moment it's just the cambelt and alternator belt that are off, i've already replaced the water pump and also the rocker cover gasket. I agree, access is pretty good and being single cam you don't have to worry about cam locking tools or TDC pins.
 
Ok, so it's round two, i've put the belt on and lined it up correctly. But when i turn the engine round by hand it seems to consistently be out by two teeth, i really don't understand this. It's the right belt with the correct amount of teeth and i position the marks on the belt over the tdc marks on both sprockets, but when spinning it back round again the lines on the belt end up two teeth away from the TDC marks.

Any ideas?
 
Certainly feels tight enough, am just using the manual method though and twisting it between fingers. Am pretty sick of this car now, am tempted to just leave the belt as it is and see how it runs.
 
Ok, worry is over now, after enough turning the engine everything eventually lined up correctly. However, my main concern now is that the headgasket is knackered, the reason for doing this work was because the car overheated (needed new water pump). The oil is a kind of coffee colour so i'm pretty sure it's gone, will drive it a bit this week to make sure, but it certainly looks like it'll be going on ebay for spares or repair soon.

Oh well.
 
Can't remember how many times i turned it but it drove just the same as it did before, wasn't sluggish at all. However, doesn't matter really as i'm sure the headgasket has gone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom