Tuning NEW CAM BELT: Is Fine Tuning Necessary?

[umanemo]

2000 FIAT Ducato 18Q - 2.8 TD
VIN ZFA23000005887229

Okay, I got the engine running again after turning a hard lock of the steering wheel over immediately at start up caused a tooth jump of my timing belt. The old belt had 89Km on it so I decided to have a new belt and pulley's installed when correcting the timing belt tooth jump issue anyway.

So, the mechanic did the job on my MH right on the pitch of a campground in Italy where he towed me to. His garage doors were too low to accommodate my MH (3.1Mt) but he assured me he could do the job at any site. He did. Seemed to be experienced with the task as he got it all done in less than 4 working hours! Turned over right off the bat and runs. But, there is always a but;

She's running with a new sort of, for lack of a better description, "slight harmonic vibration" that is really obvious around 1800 RPM. There are some parts of the MH that vibrate now that I never herd before.

As I said it's running, mostly smoothly but that vibration is something that I do not remember after the last belt was changed. Does anybody have an explanation for this vibration? Is there a necessity to "Fine Tune" the fuel pump timing following the belt change? If so I would like any input and guidance that I could pass along to the mechanic as I am now 2,200Km away from the Italian mechanic and in Spain where I am considering a stop at a good mechanic that I have used before in Castillo d'Empurias. (See other unrelated thread "Suspension Clunk")

Thanks!

(EDIT) I just forgot to ask; If the belt was positioned out by just a bit, I.E. one tooth or less maybe from a incorrect belt size or aftermarket belt, would that cause just such a slight timing error? Can this also be corrected by fine tuning the advance or retarding of the fuel pump timing?

 

[umanemo]

Believe it or not, the mechanic pointed out that the new rear motor mount installed with the cam belt may be the culprit. As it is new and not worn as the 16 year old mount was it is more solid and is transferring all the original vibes to the cockpit. I don't remember that when it was new but it has been 16 years after all! It should work in over time...

 

[vito115]

new belt to tight perhaps ?

 

[jontee61]

there was an article under"" white smoke cured"" on this forum recently it was on a 2.5td similar to your 2.8 and he solved his problem after new belt etc by fine tuning his engine by by adjusting the pump slightly. so your thinking could be on the right track.

 

[kennatt]

It could be that the timing is slightly out,to do it properly you need a dial gauge and adaptor to set the pump at 1.10mm on a 2.5 tdi.but you could just turn the pump a bit one way and keep test driving and moving the pump back and forwards till you are happy with the starting and running performance.A right mess on really ,and you need a special tool to get at one of the bolts on the pump.its a long thin socket. So not that straight forwards.


An old mechanic who used to work in my uncle's garage advised me to have a look under my pump( 2.5tdi) and see if it had an attachment linked to it. Early ones had a cable from cab to this which was used to advance the timing when cold to help start up.Later ones had an electrical sytem to do this via a solenoid,but even later one did away with it and used a flame start fitted to the inlet manifold,but just left the attachment on the pump,not wired up.

mine still had this so I eased the lever and fitted a small tie wrap between the lever and the wire which pulled it, so in effect advancing the pump by about 2mm. Cured my clouds of white smoke on start up when I had tried just about everything else.I'm going to leave the tie wrap on (Havent got the long socket to move the pump) and see what happens over a few miles. I can easily take it off if I need to.


Timing Might not be the cause of your trouble ,I was trying to get rid of the smoking which I have now done. Good luck with it