Timing belt replacement, the Russian way

[t5 pete]

I'm on about the t5's there is no need to remove the pully

[streaky744]

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]

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]

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]

This is new one on me.

[Flatout Phil]

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]

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]

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.