PDA

View Full Version : Timing belt replacement, the Russian way



claymore
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 20:51
Has anyone heard of or used this method?

Volvostorm
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 20:54
Is there suppose to be a link?

claymore
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:00
Is there suppose to be a link?
No link.

The Russian way is to slacken off the tensioner slightly then cut the old timing belt in half along it's length, remove the outer half then slide the new belt on, once the new belt is half way on, cut the rest of the old belt off, slide the new belt all the way on and retighten the tensioner, job done, no need for cam locking tools or any special equipment.

AndysR
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:02
Never heard of that and tbh I don't think it's something I'd adopt on such an important job going by the way it sounds.. lol

claymore
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:03
Never heard of that and tbh I don't think it's something I'd adopt on such an important job going by the way it sounds.. lol
A lot safer than relying on timing marks

Volvostorm
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:09
I've heard of that method, never seen it done though

Al115
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:10
Sounds clever.

woody
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:14
What a simple idea! lol love it!

claymore
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:15
And this is how to change a Beetle fan belt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQhfcdQf1QA&feature=player_embedded

Volvostorm
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:22
I tried that once, it hurt!!!!

Kingsford G
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:29
Ones u alighn the marks before removing old one if u not a numpty u just paint mark al pulleys and fit a new one on.Iwouldn`t use that metod anyway.

Bigrobv70
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:32
have seen this method used on a vaux v6 vectra
worked well to be fair but of course no bearings on anything were checked as all ways had a belt on them

not a method i would use to be fair

Rob

merc85
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:36
Ive seen it done that way before, But tbh think it's better done the right way, dont forget the Hydrolic tension can become weak, also the idler's etc can become worn and seize.

Better to replace with a Good oem kit to be on the safe side.

claymore
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:36
Ones u alighn the marks before removing old one if u not a numpty u just paint mark al pulleys and fit a new one on.Iwouldn`t use that metod anyway.
When you've done as many as I have, You see some nightmares,some cars don't even have timing marks to start with (HSR chevette springs to mind) so would you rather pull the engine out of a 20v fiat or slide a new belt on, I know which one I did :)

claymore
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:37
I wouldn't use this method on the Volvo, as our cars are a piece of pi$$ to do anyway

Kingsford G
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:44
When you've done as many as I have, You see some nightmares,some cars don't even have timing marks to start with (HSR chevette springs to mind) so would you rather pull the engine out of a 20v fiat or slide a new belt on, I know which one I did :)

There is always a way around it.Also how do u know how many c/belts I`ve done?

claymore
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 21:50
There is always a way around it.Also how do u know how many c/belts I`ve done?
I agree, there is always more than one way to do it, and this is another :), I didn't question how many belts you've changed, but I know I've done a few hundred. I'v only used the Russian method a couple of times.

Kingsford G
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 22:18
Never heard of it before but I suppose it is down to a personal choice really.

t5 pete
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 22:53
Do people know the way of changing it with out taking the bottom pully off

Kingsford G
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 23:22
Do people know the way of changing it with out taking the bottom pully off

Depends on a car but I mean its only 4 little bolts to undo.

t5 pete
Friday 24th February 2012, 09:52
I'm on about the t5's there is no need to remove the pully

streaky744
Friday 24th February 2012, 23:16
When you've done as many as I have, You see some nightmares,some cars don't even have timing marks to start with (HSR chevette springs to mind) so would you rather pull the engine out of a 20v fiat or slide a new belt on, I know which one I did :)

tip on the 20v fiat, especially the turbo coupe model. if you drill a hole through the inner arch you can fit a socket through it and slacken the tensioner, no need to remove engine, which cuts cam belt time from book time of 10 hrs to well under 2 hrs.

use a good sealer to prevent rust where you have drilled and fit a rubber gromit. done this on over 15 of these and makes the job a doddle.

ShadeTek
Friday 22nd June 2012, 09:30
Do people know the way of changing it with out taking the bottom pully off

I replaced my cambelt recently without taking the bottom pully off. I cut the old belt off, then push the new belt sideways up the back of the pully (with the belt teeth facing you), which is as you can imagine tight. You have to be careful here as there are three lugs protruding from the block so make sure you work the belt around them and that the belt is sitting neatly on the crank sprocket.

Turbodave
Friday 22nd June 2012, 11:54
In the past 12yrs dicking around with cars and working in the trade, I've yet to see a cambelt snap. I have however seen countless water pumps collapse, tensioners explode and pulleys seize. On that basis, the 'Russian' method may work on old, §§§§§§ed 8v Soviet block engines but on modern multi-valve stuff with automatic tensioners and so on... not a chane in hell I'd be taking the chance. Lining up the timing marks and locking everything up is so simple, why on earth would you try and cut corners and also opt not to replace the pump, tensioner/s and pulley/s?

y2blade
Friday 22nd June 2012, 12:00
This is new one on me.

Flatout Phil
Friday 22nd June 2012, 16:18
In the past 12yrs dicking around with cars and working in the trade, I've yet to see a cambelt snap. I have however seen countless water pumps collapse, tensioners explode and pulleys seize. On that basis, the 'Russian' method may work on old, §§§§§§ed 8v Soviet block engines but on modern multi-valve stuff with automatic tensioners and so on... not a chane in hell I'd be taking the chance. Lining up the timing marks and locking everything up is so simple, why on earth would you try and cut corners and also opt not to replace the pump, tensioner/s and pulley/s?

I think you have an excellent point - logical really.

streaky744
Monday 25th June 2012, 23:58
When you've done as many as I have, You see some nightmares,some cars don't even have timing marks to start with (HSR chevette springs to mind) so would you rather pull the engine out of a 20v fiat or slide a new belt on, I know which one I did :)

changed more belts than care to mention, but a tip for you on the fiat 20v engine and turbo models, if you drill hole through inner wing with small cone cutter you can get to the tensioner bolt and slacken it, remove belt, change tensioner and replace no need to remove engine. book time for job is 10hrs, cut hole in inner wing and job done in 2 hrs, then put a nice rubber bung in hole you drilled for next time.

as for russian method suicide springs to mind

Tim Williams
Tuesday 26th June 2012, 09:28
With a timing chain it can work fine if you lock the tensioner off but as pointed out with an early T5 without the mechanical tensioner a new belt won't fit as the old one will of streached.