K series Timing belt change advice?

[finmac]

Car is 04 reg done 5500 miles and I believe running its original belt. I am planning to change it soon but my garage guy can't fit it in till after a forthcoming track day I have coming up. How susceptible to breaking are K series belts, given the mileage and age? Cheers

[leon]

Recommendation is change every 5 to 6 years IIRC.

 

Also recommended to change the tensioner at the same time as its going to be 10+ years old when the belt next needs doing if its not done this time round.

 

Search of techtalk will give you more info.

[myothercarsa2cv]

It's pretty easy to do Oily will send you all the parts you need (if you don't have them already). Just a case of locking the cams, whipping off the tensioner, off with the belt, on with the new one, tension up, jobs a good'un. Hardest bit is getting the cover off If you haven't binned the front mount, do that at the same time. Blanking plate is £12 from CC, you'll save close to a kilo of weight.

[Myles]

I've not yet seen a belt break - but I have seen two (one of mine included) strip teeth resulting in wildly-out cam-timing (or lack of cam drive!) and bent/broken valves as a result.

 

In fact, you can see some of the gore here

[David Brown]

Myles, if I remember right (and I may not) you didn't run with the pulley cover fitted which looks great but would allow dirt and stones between the belt and wheel, potentially causing wear.

David

 

Edited by - David Brown on 5 Apr 2012 14:06:01

[GPBox]

here are some of my pics here

 

G

[Titanium7]

Utube video

[Q Catcher]

Beware CC are likely to send you the wrong belt, 'cos they've got 'em listed wrongly. IIRC the VVC requires 143-tooth belt, others take the 145-tooth belt. Oilyhands, DVA, will send you the right stuff.

[stevethemook]

or use Redline to get the bits but get the cover off and quote the belt number .

 

Trickiest part I found was removing the belt pulley wheel bolt..

 

Steve

[Edzup Ezzer]

Trickiest bit for me was getting the new belt on, even with the tensioner backed right off. Takes a lot of patience and at least three hands to get it started but once you do, it goes on easy. Fine now it's done. Perhaps somebody has a useful tip on how to do that bit. Otherwise, like the man says, make sure you get the right one and compare length with the old one before you fit it.