Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

[macdonald.dm]

Hello. I was given a new cam belt with my Berli, so I guess it's only right I should fit it one day...

I'm hoping it's a case of: remove grill, radiator, fan belt and cam cover.
Slacken tensioner, remove old belt (don't allow engine to turn!!!), fit new and re-tension.

Or do the words 'cloud', 'cuckoo' and 'land' apply?

Any additional advice or pointers would be gratefully recieved! Thanks.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Sounds like you have it all worked out Donnie Good Luck! P.S How old is that belt you are going to fit and where has it been stored all of its life?

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Hi Danny, and thanks for the reply.

Good point! It came with the Berli - I think I remember Tony saying he'd bought it himself to do, but I may be imaginating this! It still looks in completely new order and is in the original box. It's proably been stored in the boot for that last few years while the car was off the road!

At what point would age become an issue?

Cheers.

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Donnie,

its a straight forward job. Why not buy one of those neat adjustable camshaft sprockets. With the aid of a dial test indicator you can get canine gonads valve timing. "They" say that the standard fixed sprocket can be out by 5? to 10? due to manufacturing tolerances!

Check the tensioner and make sure that the bearing is free, silent and has no play. If not, change it. Its cheaper than a camshaft and head repair!

I have, until recently, worked for VW and they say that the belts age deteriorate after 3 years; a fact desputed by some scientist/engineers who say that the materials do not geteriorate with age. However, oil and filth will reduce their life. VW always change the tensioners and idle pulleys at the same time. (This brings in more cash too!)

Good luck - don't rush it and all will be well.

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Message originally posted by: Malcolm Sherratt
I know it may make the job a little bigger but I would advocate changing the water pump at the same time, you are most of the way there when you have the cambelt off and it is quite common for the pump to sieze and take out a new cambelt.

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Thanks, Dane and Malcolm.

I'll definitely check the tensioner - very good point. As for going for the adjustable ('vernier'?) sprockets, I think I'll keep things simple and stick with what I have!

Yes, I'm aware that oil, etc, can badly affect belts, but I'd be surprised if being simply 3 years old had much of an effect - cam belts on modern cars usually have replacment times indicated by mileage rather than actual age, and many can be 6-7 years or more before being replaced due to the mileage criterea. Certainly, the belt I have looks perfect - I think it'll outlast my engine!

Malcolm, I beieve some cars have water pumps driven by the cam belts, so a siezure here could certainly cause major problems. But could this happen with the Pinto, with the pump driven by the fan belt instead?

My Pinto is around 30 years old. I'm going to replace the belt as a 'just in case', but I'm not too concerned with doing other jobs to it now as really it'll probably need replacing completely within a few years - it's a good runner, but I can't help thinking its days are numbered simply due to its age! I'll start keeping an eye out for a late 80's, low mileage Sierra - unleaded with 5 speed box!

Many thanks.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Donnie the belt is not an issue with age just condition, and I am sure if it looks okay then it will be. I have one and it presently resides in its 5th boot! approx 8or9 years old and I carry it as a spare. No problem with your water pump fan belt driven as you rightly say by fan belt seperate system. Just one point in your original listing. I see no mention of lining up your timing marks all at tdc,before undoing anything, but I am sure you are aware of this anyway

[gaddbrose]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Hi Donnie Just seen your enquiry and read the comments What correspondents seem to have missed is that you have to remove the crankshaft pulley to get the belt in to the inside the front housing and on to the belt 'gear', and if that's not been off for some time theen you will move the engine. The trick is to remove the big crankshaft nut and ease the pulley forward to get it moving , before slackening off the idler. Another good tip I use ,is mark the position of the rotor arm relative to the distributor case with the engine at TDC. because it is very easy to turn the distributer drive when the belt is being replaced and so upset the timing. As regards the age , if you have any doubts about it and its been knocking about in the boot and subject to goodness knows what, then replace it , they are quite cheap.. regards Brian

[gaddbrose]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Hi again. I forgot to mention in the previous note, that when you do the change of belt, you will need a special TORCX key to undo the idler bracket securing bolt..[unless previous owners have replaced with a hexagon headed bolt]..The Haynes manual does a good description. Brian

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Cheers Danny - good point; I'd assumed that as long as nothing moved (crank or cam) during replacement, I could just swap it around, but I'll take into acount the lining up of the timing marks.

Brian - AAARRGGHH! I thought the belt could be slipped OVER the crankshaft pulley and onto the toothed pulley behind? Rats! Does the pulley prevent this somehow? I know from experience that crankshaft nuts can be a swine to remove... yuck. This defo needs to be done?

Thanks.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Donnie sometimes it does and sometimes it does not, but do not worry Stick the thing in gear with the hand brake on and the wheels on the ground and crack it before you do anything! When you have done it you will realize how easy it is. The pinto is a very easy engine to work on.In your Haynes manual page 28/18 explains from 3 to 9 I did not gothrough this because I know you have got your Haynes Manual. No one works on a pinto unless you have your set of torsx

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Cheers Danny - that's reassuring. Didn't know that a special tool was needed to tighten the bolt!

Thanks to you all.

[pnutter21]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Donnie
Don't get to worked up, just done my timing belt at same time as waterpump hardest job was stripping dam front end to get radiator out. Rest is easy but would suggest a puller for front pulley and pull it with bolt in (saves damage to threads)

[macdonald.dm]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Cheers Peter!

I have done cam belts in the past - last one on on my Montego (confession time...), but no 'special' tools required there. What does the 'Torx'(?) tool for the Pinto tensioner look like, and can anything else be used instead?!

Thanks.

[gaddbrose]

Re: Cam belt, 2.0L Pinto.

Hi Donnie. The Torcx ?? spanner needed to undo the securing bolt is simply a piece of round bar with a specific number of splines, on one end. It's either 9 or 11 in all, but don't quote me. There are 2 types, one coarse and one fine , you'll want the fine one. Mine are fitted into the end of a socket which can be used with a ratchet or whatever. Do not try anything else or you'll damage the internal splines on the bolt and never get it out. Any respectable tool shop stock these things , but if you're in trouble and can't get one . I'll lend you mine. regards Brian.