L series cambelt fitter required!

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G

gBae

Member
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23
Location
london
Hiyer all,

Just acquired a beautiful new to me FL 1!

PO had it from new but seemed a minimal maintenance kinda guy, so I've started doing the basics (oil and filters and rear diff oil so far) before I go orft in it too far. He prolly dint do the belts or nufink so I might try an get the top cover off an look see if the belt is bran new looking or hangin by a fred. But I'm getting more nervous about that belt now cos the more I read on the internet is about them breaking up - lol
not funny though.

Even that the drive belt can fail and take the cambelt out, or the drive belt tensioner fails and takes everything else out.

Anyone reccomend a N. London mechanic who can fit me up a Freelander 1 L series cambelt kit and drivebelt. Don't mind getting the correct kit myself (from DMGRS) if necessary but want someone that'll do it properly with drills or pins rather than tipp-ex etc

Thanks in advance
 
Can't help with a recommendation, but you should get all 3 done including the fuel pump belt.

As the pump belt ages it results in poor starting - as well as the risk of losing the timing on the pump which (evidently) can't be reset outside of the factory.
 
Check on parts availablity.
Some mechs/garages wont fit your parts, as sometime back the law changed, and if they fit your parts and they fail they are responsible as they are deemed to be the pros.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Can't help with a recommendation, but you should get all 3 done including the fuel pump belt.

As the pump belt ages it results in poor starting - as well as the risk of losing the timing on the pump which (evidently) can't be reset outside of the factory.
Click to expand...


Thanks for that, I'll be get all three! Currently starts on the button, purrslike a kitten etc etc
 
lynall said:
Check on parts availablity.
Some mechs/garages wont fit your parts, as sometime back the law changed, and if they fit your parts and they fail they are responsible as they are deemed to be the pros.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, so far I've found a guy near Ashford in Kent Steve aka "Roverman" and also FreelanderSpecialist.com both of whom should be more than capable of obtaining the correct parts. Trouble can be that some suppliers list the wrong parts from the reg. no. there're two widths 28mm or 32mm two lengths 112 or 114 teeth, two types o tensioners etc etc also as GrumpyGel sez the pump can go out, and tis can happen during tensioning if the correct procedure is not followed. IMO if not doimg it your elf you need an expert or at least make sure the correct parts are used. Not unheard of for a small no.of garages to quickly fit your parts then blame the parts themselves if it goes pete tong!

Just hoping to find a local L seies guy/garage around the corner - long shot I know!
 
gBae said:
Trouble can be that some suppliers list the wrong parts from the reg. no. there're two widths 28mm or 32mm two lengths 112 or 114 teeth, two types o tensioners etc etc
Click to expand...

I believe that's only relevant for the 1.8 K series petrol engine.
The L series has just belt length and width if I remember correctly.
The timing belt on the L series isn't difficult to do, and in my experience, if it's starting quickly, then the belt is fine. As the belt begins to stretch with age, the retardation of the pump timing makes it difficult to start.
 
I've done all the maintenance on my L Series in my 12 years of ownership - except the cam belt. Both times I've had it done, I've given the car to a garage. The main reason is because there's so little room at the end of the engine and you can't see what you are working on well. I've never done a belt before and as its such an important thing (get it wrong and you're engine's knackered) - so I've not taken the risk and handed it over.

Freelander Specialists in Brandon do appear to be a good outfit, if they are not to far, I'd use them. They have the de-facto vid on YouTube for splitting the prop shafts from the VCU :D

As you say though, a Rover garage would be just as suitable for doing the belts on a Freelander.

There are very few Freelanders that use the early belt, it would have to be a very early car... however, I forget if that's the 112 or 114 toothed one!

Hope you enjoy your L Series. I love mine, as you would imagine having owned it for 12 years. It is primarily a family car and tour bus for visiting family and friends (when they are allowed into the country). Its also been called on to tow lots of different loads, sometimes over mountainous and twisty roads, and it loves it. Plus its my get away fishing truck. Its done it with boring reliability and reasonable economy. No street racer, but been a great little truck.

FreelanderAkaroa_2.jpg
 
Nodge68 said:
I believe that's only relevant for the 1.8 K series petrol engine.
The L series has just belt length and width if I remember correctly.
The timing belt on the L series isn't difficult to do, and in my experience, if it's starting quickly, then the belt is fine. As the belt begins to stretch with age, the retardation of the pump timing makes it difficult to start.
Click to expand...
 

Thanks Nodge - don't forget the L series has two belts and the pump timing belt is maybe the one that is fine as regards instant starting. I've helped a mechanic do several belts for customers and I've done two on my own cars but aforementioned mr oily was there to answer all my dumbass questions etc L series would take me a couple of days and prob get grief fordoing it on the street these days the mechanic friend has moved to the sticks!
Even the drive (as in fan-belt) belt can fail and take the cambelt out, (I'm told this but I can't yet see how) or the drive (fan belt) belt tensioner fails and takes its belt and the cambelt out.
 
GrumpyGel said:
I've done all the maintenance on my L Series in my 12 years of ownership - except the cam belt. Both times I've had it done, I've given the car to a garage. The main reason is because there's so little room at the end of the engine and you can't see what you are working on well. I've never done a belt before and as its such an important thing (get it wrong and you're engine's knackered) - so I've not taken the risk and handed it over.

Freelander Specialists in Brandon do appear to be a good outfit, if they are not to far, I'd use them. They have the de-facto vid on YouTube for splitting the prop shafts from the VCU :D

As you say though, a Rover garage would be just as suitable for doing the belts on a Freelander.

There are very few Freelanders that use the early belt, it would have to be a very early car... however, I forget if that's the 112 or 114 toothed one!

Hope you enjoy your L Series. I love mine, as you would imagine having owned it for 12 years. It is primarily a family car and tour bus for visiting family and friends (when they are allowed into the country). Its also been called on to tow lots of different loads, sometimes over mountainous and twisty roads, and it loves it. Plus its my get away fishing truck. Its done it with boring reliability and reasonable economy. No street racer, but been a great little truck.

View attachment 268573
Click to expand...

That's a nice looking Freelander! I'm more than happy with the boring reliability side of life. Mine's silver too on approx 72k the exentric PO ordered it with a km/hr speedo! It's 1998 model don't know when belts were changed.

I previously had a saxo petrol 'cos of the astronomic residents parking charges in London and extra for diesels (they wanted almost 700 squids a year for a mb190d 2.5. Couldn't live wiv the saxo though too small and uncofortable for my trips to Devon wiv wife cat and kitchen sink etc Public transport (and swimming) is free in london for us oldies though so only use a vehicle for travelling away!
 
gBae said:
That's a nice looking Freelander! I'm more than happy with the boring reliability side of life. Mine's silver too on approx 72k the exentric PO ordered it with a km/hr speedo! It's 1998 model don't know when belts were changed.

I previously had a saxo petrol 'cos of the astronomic residents parking charges in London and extra for diesels (they wanted almost 700 squids a year for a mb190d 2.5. Couldn't live wiv the saxo though too small and uncofortable for my trips to Devon wiv wife cat and kitchen sink etc Public transport (and swimming) is free in london for us oldies though so only use a vehicle for travelling away!
Click to expand...
Nice low mileage one then. Unusual to have the KM speedo in UK. Mine's in KM but that's what we use over here. Quite regularly see MPH ones for sale though where people have brought them over when they've moved down here. If you have any sense though they are avoided - don't want any of those British salt/rust issues!

There is a rule on the forum that if there's no pic it didn't happen - so without a pic of the motor we can only assume you're dreaming ;)

The problems with the drive belt I believe are almost always its tensioner. They go which throws the belt, which then gets collected by and wrapped round the main pulley, which then pushes off the cam belt and as the L Series is an interference engine... knackers it. Unfortunately, the drive belt tensioner is the most expensive component when replacing the belts.
 
gBae said:
Thanks for that, so far I've found a guy near Ashford in Kent Steve aka "Roverman" and also FreelanderSpecialist.com both of whom should be more than capable of obtaining the correct parts. Trouble can be that some suppliers list the wrong parts from the reg. no. there're two widths 28mm or 32mm two lengths 112 or 114 teeth, two types o tensioners etc etc also as GrumpyGel sez the pump can go out, and tis can happen during tensioning if the correct procedure is not followed. IMO if not doimg it your elf you need an expert or at least make sure the correct parts are used. Not unheard of for a small no.of garages to quickly fit your parts then blame the parts themselves if it goes pete tong!

Just hoping to find a local L seies guy/garage around the corner - long shot I know!
Click to expand...


I think you will find the only way to mess the pump timing up is if you undo the central shaft nut, which is the same on most injector pumps that have no keyway, and this is something you dont touch on a belt change.

Some vids on youtube, and tbh it looks pretty standard stuff.
 
lynall said:
I think you will find the only way to mess the pump timing up is if you undo the central shaft nut, which is the same on most injector pumps that have no keyway, and this is something you dont touch on a belt change.

Some vids on youtube, and tbh it looks pretty standard stuff.
Click to expand...
All the info is that you have to lock it. Any movement on the pump and the timing is shot. Having said that, there are only so many teeth on the sprockets, so there can only be so many positions - but would be a right fiddle to try and put it right.

Its not a common rail, it is direct injection.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Nice low mileage one then. Unusual to have the KM speedo in UK. Mine's in KM but that's what we use over here. Quite regularly see MPH ones for sale though where people have brought them over when they've moved down here. If you have any sense though they are avoided - don't want any of those British salt/rust issues!

There is a rule on the forum that if there's no pic it didn't happen - so without a pic of the motor we can only assume you're dreaming ;)

The problems with the drive belt I believe are almost always its tensioner. They go which throws the belt, which then gets collected by and wrapped round the main pulley, which then pushes off the cam belt and as the L Series is an interference engine... knackers it. Unfortunately, the drive belt tensioner is the most expensive component when replacing the belts.
Click to expand...
 
PO had it in Italy when he first got it hence the km/hr speedo even though british ones come with an inner ring of km/hr?

I'll post a pic prob in me profile pic

So some protection from disaster is to be afforded by drive belt and tensioner as a first stop gap measure then.

From underneath can you see the cam belt on the crank pulley and sometimes see if it is pristine with the printed maker/arrows etc (like in my dreams) or all shiny and/or threadbare lookin?
 
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