1.6 Gti Cambelt Failure

[inferno 1]

i read this and cry! ive only ever replaced 2 cambelts on my own cars, one was an orion cvh i had brought with a blown HG, and the other was my turbo engine that went in the abused 309!

 

unless u count the sorento which had a headgasket by myself before i bought it!

 

and yes ive sat there looking at mi16 engines on the deck that ive then fitted to a 205 without even checking the belT

 

ok fingers cross the one on my gti doesnt snap tonight... previous owner had it nine years and didnt know when it was last serviced!!!

[Alastairh 47]

and yes ive sat there looking at mi16 engines on the deck that ive then fitted to a 205 without even checking the belT

 

Thats just bad workmanship.

 

8 valves are a piece of piss to swap over.

[Guest BrainFluid]

Nate, get to bed, stop messing around on car forums all night.

 

Yes sir!

 

Tho' I was working under the hood untill 3am last night brother!

[inferno 1]

Thats just bad workmanship.

 

8 valves are a piece of piss to swap over.

 

lazyness

[jeremy 68]

Just thought I would ask for an update!

[Daxed 7]

Well, the update is that I am definitely no longer 24, have just come in after the first day I have had free to work on the car and I can hardly move, my back is minging.

 

I dont know about swapping an engine in a day/weekend, this is going to take me a month.

 

The old lump is still in, although now only attached by the top engine mount, the gearbox mount and the exhaust. I couldnt get the exhaust manifold to down pipe disconnected single handed. Got the easiest of the two bolts out (the one that doesnt have its top shielded by the manifold), but the other needs someone to hold the head captive from above whilst being undone from below.

 

I also found.. O/S metal water pipe badly corroded along with poor condition flexibles. Both wishbone balljoints move easily under the slightest thumb pressure, still, at least it has been a lovely sunny day.

[sonofsam 5]

Got the easiest of the two bolts out (the one that doesnt have its top shielded by the manifold), but the other needs someone to hold the head captive from above whilst being undone from below.

 

I hate those damn bolts with a passion, especially on mine, where the exhaust DP sits at a jaunty angle!

One is ok to get to, but the other, i had to use a very long extension bar with my ratchet ( working from underneath) with a U/J before the socket and some how manage to hold the head of the bolt with a spanner, you can be a bit clever and wedge the spanner holding the bolt head against the manifold, to give yourself two hands to get at and undo the bottom nut.

[Daxed 7]

I tried for at least an hour, the 10mm spanner at the top just wouldn't stay in place, no matter how i tried to wedge it. Getting a hand up from underneath to hold the spanner on the top of the bolt whilst trying to undo the nut from below didn't work either. Will rope the G/F in to help in the morning.

[welshpug 1,622]

ratchet spanner!

[jackherer 543]

just cut it with a hacksaw if you cant unbolt it, I've had to do loads of them that way and it takes less than five minutes.

[jeremy 68]

just cut it with a hacksaw if you cant unbolt it, I've had to do loads of them that way and it takes less than five minutes.

 

I completely agree with you. However I left my manifold connected to the downpipe, and just undid all the manifold to head nuts.

Edited February 4, 2007 by jeremy

[jayblack-gti 0]

Ratchet spanners work a treat as welshpug mentioned. Ive been lucky with removing down pipes compared to some, try a 1/4inch ratchet if you have one and 10mm socket for the lower nut, with the spanner on top, its a bit tight but you should be able to get a hand down besides the manifold and undo the bolts from the top.

 

jay

Edited February 4, 2007 by jayblack-gti

[steve@cornwall 100]

I scraped the sh!t out of my hands on a scrappy trying to undo these bolts before giving up! Soon as I gave up a chappy arrived saying "are you after the manifold too?" I said if he wanted it , and could get it of, best of luck! Chap then puts a cold chisel on the top of the bolt and gives it one hefty blow from a lump hammer! Bolt went straight down through the top-hat, and as I had spent yonks undoing the mani/head bolts away he went with it!

You get new top-hatswith the gasket kit anyway

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

If it were my car I'd not belt it and risk killing the manifold but that is up to you.

 

However, I have undone them a few times and always from above using spanners and a short 1/4" drive ratchet. Also done them on the 309 with ratchet spanner and a ring/open spanner. Need to take the inlet filter box off first but never had trouble after that.

 

To do it in a weekend you need to have done it before really, it is so much quicker the second time. and I know what you mean about your back, ususally the back of my knees that suffers (esp on the 309).

 

Rob

[Daxed 7]

Don't even want to think about a 'second' time Rob, certainly not outside the house in the road anyway.

 

JH's tip worked a treat, cut through the remaining bolt with a junior hacksaw in no time.

[inferno 1]

hmmm ive never had any probs with these bolts when it maters, but this time, i took my gti engine out not caring about the manifold! three taps one side and 5 the other with a long bar and 7ib hammer, and then the manifolds knackered and downpipes fallen out