OK, while I'd got the head off and sundry other stuff out of the way, I
thought it'd be an idea to change the timing belt, which according to the
service record has done about 40K miles.

the belt that's come out has been eaten by the famous timing belt pulley
misalignment fault thing to the extent of about 2mm off one side of it; so:

a) is it going to do that repeatably (i.e. if I put a new belt on, will it
just eat 2mm in 40K miles, or will it eat it more rapidly)?

b) is it worth trying to source the necessary mods and fit 'em?

My current thought is that if it's only worn 2mm off in 40K miles, it can't
be far out, and it may not be worth the extra hassle and expense and delay
in getting the parts to modify it. The key point is whether a replacement
belt will suffer significantly more damage. I'm quite happy to change it at
36K mile intervals, which is only going to be about every 3 years for the
mileage the vehicle does, but if the wear rate is apt to be random, then
that's not really safe.

wot d'yer all think?

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then
something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination -
we learned to talk." Pink Floyd (1994)

Austin Shackles wrote:

> OK, while I'd got the head off and sundry other stuff out of the way, I
> thought it'd be an idea to change the timing belt, which according to the
> service record has done about 40K miles.
>
> the belt that's come out has been eaten by the famous timing belt pulley
> misalignment fault thing to the extent of about 2mm off one side of it; so:

> wot d'yer all think?

Do it properly - if it gives up the ghost prematurely in future you're
in for another expensive, time consuming job.

--
EMB
change two to number to reply

Austin Shackles <austin@ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in
news8etg09f20hh0j01j62c1nhm8qjmn68thc@4ax.com:

> the belt that's come out has been eaten by the famous
> timing belt pulley misalignment fault thing to the extent
> of about 2mm off one side of it;

Was there much fan belt debris in the fan belt enclosure
(whatever that is called)?

Can't answer your question (how long is a piece of string?) but
I do have a 300Tdi which, according to the VIN number is one of
those afflicted, and has so far done about 20,000 miles since
the last belt change.

I stuck an artist's paint brush up the drain hole recently and
did not find any rubber fragments so I am hoping I am safe for a
few more miles. But any information you can give me would be
helpful.

The local LR dealership suggested there would be rubber dust if
the fan belt was being worn away. They also said that the timing
belt failures they'd experience of occurred from about 20,000
miles so your 30,000+ may be optimistic.

It also occurs to me that if 2mm has been worn off now, the belt
will be distorting so the deterioration is only going to
accelerate with time. I'd fit the modification if only for peace
of mind.

Derry

Austin Shackles <austin@ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in
news8etg09f20hh0j01j62c1nhm8qjmn68thc@4ax.com:

> the belt that's come out has been eaten by the famous
> timing belt pulley misalignment fault thing to the extent
> of about 2mm off one side of it;

Was there much fan belt debris in the fan belt enclosure
(whatever that is called)?

Can't answer your question (how long is a piece of string?) but
I do have a 300Tdi which, according to the VIN number is one of
those afflicted, and has so far done about 20,000 miles since
the last belt change.

I stuck an artist's paint brush up the drain hole recently and
did not find any rubber fragments so I am hoping I am safe for a
few more miles. But any information you can give me would be
helpful.

The local LR dealership suggested there would be rubber dust if
the fan belt was being worn away. They also said that the timing
belt failures they'd experience of occurred from about 20,000
miles so your 30,000+ may be optimistic.

It also occurs to me that if 2mm has been worn off now, the belt
will be distorting so the deterioration is only going to
accelerate with time. I'd fit the modification if only for peace
of mind.

Derry

On or around Tue, 3 Aug 2004 08:44 +0100 (BST),
niamh@4x4cymru.spamtrapped.co.uk (Niamh Holding) enlightened us thusly:

>In article <o8etg09f20hh0j01j62c1nhm8qjmn68thc@4ax.com>,
>austin@ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk (Austin Shackles) wrote:
>
>> b) is it worth trying to source the necessary mods and fit 'em?
>
>Well, I'd be extremely nervous about an expensive bang if I didn't.

it is a fact that there's evidence of previous valve-piston contact, which
might've been due to the original belt jumping a tooth or something.

I guess we ought to do it right.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
0123456789112345678921234567893123456789412345678951234567896123456789712345
1 weebl: What's this? | in recognition of the fun that is weebl and bob
2 bob: it a SigRuler! | check out the weebl and bob archive:
3 weebl: How Handy! | http://www.weebl.jolt.co.uk/archives.php

In article <ngiug051ontaqs42m40cnequ7ud5pn51c1@4ax.com>,
austin@ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk (Austin Shackles) wrote:

>
> I guess we ought to do it right.

If you want a parts quote let me know

--
Niamh
4x4 Cymru
http://www.4x4cymru.co.uk

In article <hv50h09tcuq67a8cosljh1qhato49ft1un@4ax.com>, Austin Shackles wrote:
>
> 40K miles, my decision in the end was to put a new belt on and keep an eye
> on it.

You're a braver man than me, I don't think I'd want to risk it. 175 quid now
could multiply by lots if the belt fails in the future.


--
simon at sbarr dot demon dot co dot uk
Simon Barr.
'97 110 300Tdi.

In article <ceq64l$45v$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>, Badger wrote:
> I've seen more wear at lower mileage than Austin is quoting, on engines that
> I know have had the modded parts fitted!!!

You really now how to makes someones day you do!

Is there any way of gaining access to the belt easily to judge its condition
without major dismantling? Mine was supposedly fitted with a new belt when
I bought it last year but if I could see it for myself it would make me
feel a bit happier .


> Work that one out if you will. I think the only way I'd ever be happy(ish)
> with a 300tdi is with a set of gears replacing the belt.
> Badger.
>

Isn't there a company that produces a set of timing gears? Zuess or
something?

--
simon at sbarr dot demon dot co dot uk
Simon Barr.
'97 110 300Tdi.

On or around 4 Aug 2004 09:09:15 GMT, Simon Barr <me@privacy.net>
enlightened us thusly:

>In article <ceq64l$45v$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>, Badger wrote:
>> I've seen more wear at lower mileage than Austin is quoting, on engines that
>> I know have had the modded parts fitted!!!
>
>You really now how to makes someones day you do!
>
>Is there any way of gaining access to the belt easily to judge its condition
>without major dismantling? Mine was supposedly fitted with a new belt when
>I bought it last year but if I could see it for myself it would make me
>feel a bit happier .
>

In theory you can see it through the drain hole... the other thing you're
supposed to be able to do is look through the drain hole for rubber
filings..


mind, 's the only *really* difficult bit is getting the big bolt in the
pulley undone. I failed to shift it on mine despite damned great long
socket bar - the bar sprang about 20 degrees, but the bolt didn't shift.
Lined the bar up with the chassis, carefully took up the slack and fired the
starter, and nothing happened. so I lined it up about an inch off the
chassis and did the same, and it made a damned great clang and came loose.
Earlier, I'd done the same trick with a lesser socket bar and smashed the
bar.

Tightening it again... thread locking stuff on the bolt as per instructions,
tighten to 59 lb, OK, put gearbox in 4th, take up slack and go for the
"angle tighten a further 90 degrees" - not with any kit yer average type has
available. I got it about 60 degrees and it don't go any further. Springs
the socket bar (which is about 30" long) about 20 degrees, but the bolt
doesn't move. I guess a heavy 3/4" drive bar would be less springy, but to
tighten the bolt 90 degrees from where it was would, IME require a handle
about 5 feet long, and I'm not entirely convinced about applying that much
torque to the gearbox/handbrake - Having done the cylinder head bolts with
the same bar, and noted by applying the torque wrench afterwards that they
end up somewhere around 120 ft-lbs, I reckon that big sod on the front of
the engine must be up around 200. I guess the transmission should take that
much, at that, since the engine's rated around that...

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"
Alphonse Karr (1808 - 1890) Les Guêpes, Jan 1849

I've seen more wear at lower mileage than Austin is quoting, on engines that
I know have had the modded parts fitted!!!
Work that one out if you will. I think the only way I'd ever be happy(ish)
with a 300tdi is with a set of gears replacing the belt.
Badger.

"Simon Barr" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:2nbiiuFuqpq9U2@uni-berlin.de...
> In article <hv50h09tcuq67a8cosljh1qhato49ft1un@4ax.com>, Austin Shackles
wrote:
> >
> > 40K miles, my decision in the end was to put a new belt on and keep an
eye
> > on it.
>
> You're a braver man than me, I don't think I'd want to risk it. 175 quid
now
> could multiply by lots if the belt fails in the future.
>
>
> --
> simon at sbarr dot demon dot co dot uk
> Simon Barr.
> '97 110 300Tdi.

"Simon Barr" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:2nbndrFv3bukU1@uni-berlin.de...
> In article <ceq64l$45v$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>, Badger wrote:
> > I've seen more wear at lower mileage than Austin is quoting, on engines
that
> > I know have had the modded parts fitted!!!
>
> You really now how to makes someones day you do!

Sorry Simon, not trying to pi$$ anyone off, just passing on my tuppenceworth
based on what I've seen. I'd a job to do on a 300tdi disco a couple of years
back that entailed removing quite a lot of the front of the engine so I
suggested to the owner that it might be worth doing the belt while I was in
there anyway, and he said to just check it as it'd only been done 20-odd
thou ago. When I took off the front I found a right old mess, with the belt
having lost around 1/3 of it's original width. When I spoke to him he told
me it'd had the modded bits fitted when the main dealer had replaced the
belt that I was now looking at! 3 months later, got a call from his
son-in-law asking if I could have a look at his disco, turned out his had
also had the belt and tensioner pulley and idler all done at the same main
dealer* (alarm bells?) - the belt had worn and snapped at 39,500 miles!
Luckily it had only bent 2 pushrods and broken 1 rocker arm, not an overly
expensive fix.

>
> Is there any way of gaining access to the belt easily to judge its
condition
> without major dismantling? Mine was supposedly fitted with a new belt
when
> I bought it last year but if I could see it for myself it would make me
> feel a bit happier .

Fraid not, only sure way is take it apart.

>
>
> > Work that one out if you will. I think the only way I'd ever be
happy(ish)
> > with a 300tdi is with a set of gears replacing the belt.
> > Badger.
> >
>
> Isn't there a company that produces a set of timing gears? Zuess or
> something?

Yes, never priced any but I'd bet they're expensive.
Long live the V8!!!!!!!!
Badger.
B.H.Engineering, rover V8 engine specialists.

* - same dealer that replaced 2 lambda probes to cure a misfire, because the
computer said "lambda out of limits" DOH!
of course it was out of limits, 2 of the 8 cylinders were chucking a
lot of fuel at the probes! Cure - replace 1 coil pack.

In article <ceqpib$l5v$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk>, Badger wrote:
>
> "Simon Barr" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:2nbndrFv3bukU1@uni-berlin.de..>>
>> You really now how to makes someones day you do!
>
> Sorry Simon, not trying to pi$$ anyone off, just passing on my tuppenceworth
>

No worries, I was only jesting, hence the smiley

>
> Fraid not, only sure way is take it apart.
>

I thought that'd be the case, bugger. I'll just have to cross my fingers
and hope it lasts, which it will of course...

> Long live the V8!!!!!!!!
>

My original plan was to buy an ex military V8 and gas it, but a friend
put me off by telling me how crap v8's are in water. I don't go in water
very often at all but I didn't like the idea of being stuck when I did.

Plus I needed seats for the missus and kids.

I love the noise V8's make. Walking round Billing a couple of weeks ago
listening to V8's everywhere almost made me regret getting a diesel.

--
simon at sbarr dot demon dot co dot uk
Simon Barr.
'97 110 300Tdi.

Simon Barr <me@privacy.net> wrote in
news:2nbndrFv3bukU1@uni-berlin.de:

> Is there any way of gaining access to the belt easily to
> judge its condition without major dismantling?

A mechanic at McRae & Dick, Inverness, suggested I look up
through the drain hole in the bottom of the timing cover using a
small torch to check to see if the timing belt modification had
been done.

I am not able to do that as my head is afixed directly above my
neck with both eyes in the normal forward position<G>. But maybe
there is someone here who knows of a device that can do the job?

I would imagine one of those little video cameras urologists
push up your willy to examine your bladder from the inside would
be just the job -- an endoscope? (Billy Connolly is an authority
on the subject!).

The mechanic said to look for the outer rim on the appropriate
roller which looks something like a large washer. But I've
decided my 300 is going for open investigative surgery as it is
one of those with the dreaded VIN number. I'm a worrier.

Derry