ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Cambelt Tensioning Help



In the process of changing my cambelt, i've read the process many times over but i can't figure out if i'm missing a tool or doing something wrong. I'm trying to rotate the belt 6 times to check the tension, which tool should i use ? The manual says MOT 799-01 but i'm using MOT 1801. I can rotate it maybe half or 1 turn and then it gets REALLY stiff... too stiff for me to turn. Is there a technique to using MOT 1801 ?
20170308_160955_zpsc4odgyo6.jpg


Also the belt is slowly moving towards the engine, why isn't it centering itself ?
20170308_163216_zpstowy24in.jpg
 
  phase 1 flamer 172
Did mine a couple of years ago, must admit ive forgotten the full procedure but I know (cause I still have it) I made a tool up to fit in those 2 holes in the big camwheel to turn things over.
 
  Clio 172
If you have a spare plug for the dephaser, you can put the old one in and use that to turn the engine.
 
Did mine a couple of years ago, must admit ive forgotten the full procedure but I know (cause I still have it) I made a tool up to fit in those 2 holes in the big camwheel to turn things over.
If i Google MOT 799-01 i see this (below) and the tool i'm currently using.
mot.-799-01-39edf6d.jpg

It does make sense to use a tool like that.

If you have a spare plug for the dephaser, you can put the old one in and use that to turn the engine.
Plug ? The oil cap for the dephaser ? How would that help ?

FYI, all 3 pulley nuts and bolts are loose as per the process.
 
  phase 1 flamer 172
If I remember correctly, I had to loosen the main pulley bolt more than I thought necessary as it seemed to tighten itself while rotating, and making it go tight.
 
  phase 1 flamer 172
Yeah, once its all tightened up and you are checking the camshaft locking tool will slide back in you can use it, but initially its all rotated with bolts loosened.
 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t
ClioSport Club Member
I'm surprised there's no guide on here for the changing of the cambelt. Be quite interesting/useful.
 

Stay Puft

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172
I'm surprised there's no guide on here for the changing of the cambelt. Be quite interesting/useful.

Would probably put a few traders out of work! Saying that, cant be a huge amount of change from the £600 or so.
 
  dan's cast offs.
have you checked the bottom pulley is free? they can rust up a bit and stick. also make sure the pulleys are pulled all the way on and then back the nut/bolt off. they can also tighten up as the pulleys turn as well.
 
have you checked the bottom pulley is free? they can rust up a bit and stick. also make sure the pulleys are pulled all the way on and then back the nut/bolt off. they can also tighten up as the pulleys turn as well.
Bottom pulley is definately loose. I'll loosen the cam pulley's a bit more and see if that works.
What about the cambelt moving towards the engine ? Is it because the pulleys aren't tight or sitting flush ?
 
  dan's cast offs.
must just be pulley/s not seated fully? never had one do it. watch out though the exhaust cam can sometimes seem seated but isn't all the way on (if that makes sense)
 
  Clio 172
If i Google MOT 799-01 i see this (below) and the tool i'm currently using.
mot.-799-01-39edf6d.jpg

It does make sense to use a tool like that.


Plug ? The oil cap for the dephaser ? How would that help ?

FYI, all 3 pulley nuts and bolts are loose as per the process.
Just whack it in and turn the engine with the same tool you used to take it off, it's how I done it, it's only for turning the pulleys while they are free to equalise tension across the belt.
 
I used my angle grinder key as well - the manual is a bit unclear, I'm sure it calls for torquing up the aux pulley BEFORE this rotation step...
 
Hello,
I have just finished a full head recon on mine ..... so had to mess with torquing the two camshaft pulleys and the crankshaft pulley along with the belt tensioning and cam alignment.
1. set all the alignment tools & TDC pin .... set the tensioner .... Do NOT tighten the pulleys
2. turn the BELT and three pulleys by hand - one hand on each camshaft pulley - I did mine with the engine in situ .... did not seem to be that hard
... you will notice it blocks sometimes because as you turn the pulleys the nuts/ bolts tend to want to tighten up, especially the exhaust one ..... as soon as there is significant resistance check the pulley nut/bolts are loose ..... one full turn away from contact should be good
3. once the tension is OK tighten up all the pulleys
4. check tensioner has not moved
5. remove tools and turn the engine by the crankshaft pulley 18mm socket (easier with spark plugs out) check TDC and cam alignment and tension one last time
 
If i Google MOT 799-01 i see this (below) and the tool i'm currently using.
mot.-799-01-39edf6d.jpg

It does make sense to use a tool like that.


Plug ? The oil cap for the dephaser ? How would that help ?

FYI, all 3 pulley nuts and bolts are loose as per the process.
using the old dephaser oil cap will allow you to use a tool/spanner on the dephaser pulley WITHOUT actually tightening the pulley i.e. so it remains free from the cam-shaft ... it's a neat idea .... but you should NOT need to do this ... the thee pulleys should be free to move and thus the cam-belt
 
I used my angle grinder key as well - the manual is a bit unclear, I'm sure it calls for torquing up the aux pulley BEFORE this rotation step...
If you torque anything up before then it's for sure that nothing is going to turn ..... you've got your TDC pin in and the cam-alignment tool in.... plus ... I hope ... that wonderfully expensive pulley locking tool ....
 
In the process of changing my cambelt, i've read the process many times over but i can't figure out if i'm missing a tool or doing something wrong. I'm trying to rotate the belt 6 times to check the tension, which tool should i use ? The manual says MOT 799-01 but i'm using MOT 1801. I can rotate it maybe half or 1 turn and then it gets REALLY stiff... too stiff for me to turn. Is there a technique to using MOT 1801 ?
20170308_160955_zpsc4odgyo6.jpg


Also the belt is slowly moving towards the engine, why isn't it centering itself ?
20170308_163216_zpstowy24in.jpg
you might want to check that the pulley locking tool it NOT engaged in the exhaust pulley ... looks very close in the photo .... you could even take the whole thing off to be sure it's not causing any issues...
 
So the tightening was the nut on the exhaust pulley tightening itself which stopped me rotating the cambelt. I couldn't stop the cambelt drifting towards the engine so i've tightened everything up to spec and rotated the engine via the crank.... All good now with no cambelt drifting, it's centered itself.
 
If you torque anything up before then it's for sure that nothing is going to turn ..... you've got your TDC pin in and the cam-alignment tool in.... plus ... I hope ... that wonderfully expensive pulley locking tool ....
Probably just me being a tit - got there in the end and all timed up correctly (with the £££ tools)
 


Top