Hello, some of you know me - I've been on and off the forums for some years now, I've owned my 1.6 active from new on an 03 plate and recently bought the wife a 1.6 dynamic MW on a 53 plate. Anyway my car had hit the belt change time and Fiat had quoted me an estimate of £750 per car to do this job, i figured that it would and is more cost effective to do the job myself.

This is a rough guide to how i changed the belt on my car, I will include any information I can remember or feel is important, but i wont take any sort of responsibility for people who damage their engines etc. this is a rough guide done my an owner, I'm not in the motor trade so some practices maybe wrong in a true mechanics eye - but I've done it and my car is back on the road.
CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK

OK so your still here:)
First of all.....

If your not mechanically minded DON'T even attempt to do this job. Its not for the every day diy mechanic - you will need to know how the engines work (even I had some issues but i will go into them later).
The main thing with this is to check check and check again. The last thing you will want to do is put a valve though a piston.

Tools Needed.


Special first...
  • Correct Cam Locking tool (essential) - cost me £150 (made by Sealey)
  • Crank Locking tool - £20 - this is also made by Sealey, but the one they recommend wouldn't fit until I took an angle grinder to it. - this job would have been impossible without this tool
  • 36mm socket to remove crank bolt.
  • 22mm DEEP socket - this is to remove the fixed tensioner.
  • Axel stands + jack.
  • Good quality tool kit - socket set with normal size will be fine - some kits come without 15mm I've noticed and this is one size that is used often with the Stilo so get one.
  • Alum key set / or alum socket (unsure of the sizes).
  • Tippex
  • A long thin gardening stick (you will see later).
  • Lots of patience and plasters.
You will also obviously need a cam belt KIT - don't bother just changing the belt - Murphys law will state that what will go wrong.....
Also new aux belt and compressor belt (if applicable to your car).
You may also want to change the water pump, on the 1.6 its actually on the aux belt not on the cam belt - i didn't on mine (only because i forgot to get sealer) but i have purchased one and it was only £22 from Euro car parts.

I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence so I wont go into removing wheels and jacking, and tbh if you need a guide to do those then you really shouldn't be attempting this job.