sorry forgot we were talking about a diesel.You can't really do a compression check on a diesel as the compression is too high. Petrol cars have a much lower compression rate hence you can buy the tools readily from Halfords etc. Also diesels dont have spark plugs Jug. Well you can do a check but the actual tool costs mega money and hardly anyone stocks them. Shame really, but if you can get a garage to test it for you that be good.
Why are timing locks sold then? Its a genuine question, as I am struggling to get my engine running cleanly and quietly.
I wondered whether to buy a set, as the pulleys do move around when you tighten up a belt. The slack in the belt itself means that the marks move around a bit. Is the timing SO accurate that timing tools help - or are they just there to save time?
imagine your belt snaps on the way to work one day, you dont have any timing marks and you've lost your timing. correcting it is almost impossible without timing tools.When you say its impossible Jug - I'd say its easy to arrange to take up the tension on my belt - such that - when you've finished - the cam marker lines up exactly with the mark on the cover. (this is the old TD engine fitted to some early Bravas)