My Latest Ebay Win - Timing Belt Gauge

[Johndouglas]

I saw an auction on ebay for a cambelt tension gauge in USA. I decided to try for it and finally got it for 30 USD - about 18 quid. Here it is in use on our Saxo.

 

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i53/Johndug/Belt006.jpg

[techbod]

nothing like the proper tools for peace of mind and cheap as well

[iannez]

they only work on cars with adjustable cam pullys. if there fixed and you time the engine using pins you dont get a true reading unless you can get them on the tensioner side of the belt which in most cases it wont fit without twisting the belt.

[paul.h]

How do dealers check the cambelt tension is correct ?

[iannez]

we have a digital gauge similar to john's but i only use it on dw8 engines as they have adjustable cam pully's. some citroens have an arrow on the tensioner that lines up with a notch when the tension is correct and all others i just use common sense.

[Johndouglas]

While the weather was still good I thought I'd put a new cambelt on the Pug 306. Not before time since it's eleven years old and still on the original belt. Our Pug is fitted with the last of the XUD9 engines so it has the spring loaded tensioner. Having got the engine nice and hot I had trouble getting the crankshaft bolt undone. A rattle gun wouldn't shift it so I had to resort to using a socket on the bolt with a long tommybar braced against the driveshaft and giving a quick burst on the starter. That shifted it first go. Although they are all similar engines, there seems to be less room between the wing and the belt covers on the 306 than there is on BX or 205s. Also it has some very inaccessable cover bolts. With a 6mm rod in the flywheel and three 8mm bolts in the cam and pump sprockets, timing can't be lost in fitting the new belt. Itss a low mileage engine so I didn't replace the water pump and tensioner pulley. To complete the job I fitted a new auxilliary belt. The old cambelt looked good for 11 years old but the other belt looked close to its life's end. It's been a long day of seven hours work but worth it for an outlay of £15.50.