Technical 1.2 16v valve timing question?

[denjo]

I need to replace the head gasket on my 97 1.2 ELX.
I dont realy dont want to spend £80 on tools that i probably wont use again.
So i thought if i put a dot of paint on the pulleys and another dot next to them on the belt, When i came to refit the belt, it would just be a case of lining up the dots on the puleys with the ones on the belt
That way it would go back the way it came off!

Before i start and mess it up. Is there any reason that it wouldnt work?

 

[missey]

If there was no reason to buy, then noone would

I seriously would not advise what you are thinking, I know the logic sounds ok, but without locking down with the tools, you will run into all sorts of problems.

A friend of mine done my belt without tools once, he improvised with bent screwdrivers apparently, how i don't know, but he said it was a complete cow and cursed me
And he owns his own garage/spray shop.

Get the tool and sell it on once done maybe? List it on here and and you will probably get most of your money back overnight....cheaper than taking it to fiat

 

[Moosey]

To do it properly you need the two cam locking tools, the piston height indicators, the two-pin wrench for the tensioner and a cam pulley holding tool. Sure, you can do it without at your own risk. Just remember, you can make timing marks, but do you know that the timing is right when you make the marks?

You'll also need a torque wrench that reads low (20nm) and a torque angle gauge for the head bolts.

There's a seller on eBay that rents out some timing tools, might be worth a look.

 

[Andy Monty]

As missy says it "can" be done.....

However you have just spent how much on a head gasket/ associated work?

how much will it cost you if you get it wrong and bend 16 valves?

scour the likes of ebay for a set (ensure they are the correct ones your engine type is on the vin plate)

problem is with putting a dot of paint on the crank / cam pullys is when you tension the belt up it pulls them together... (the crank pully clockwise and the cam pully anti clockwise)

its worth replacing the belt and tensioner whilst your at it....

 

[dave]

it cant be done properly like that as the cam pulley has to be loose until the belt is tensioned, so your dot will move.
many people have tried and failed and then be on here asking why there car don't work when they have bent all their valves

 

[Moosey]

However you have just spent how much on a head gasket/ associated work?

how much will it cost you if you get it wrong and bend 16 valves?

16 valves cost me £64. Then there's the new head gasket set (Don't reuse them.) which is about £60 for a good MLS one, then about £15 for the new head bolts. (Torque-to-yield, can't reuse!)

So yeah, doing it wrong could run you another £230-ish for the parts and the neccessary tools.

Which is why when i had to do one of these belts i scoured eBay and scored a set of used tools for £55. Already had the cam pulley holding tool, which was about £30.

 

[DaveMcT]

Don't even think about it. A locking kit for a 1200 costs £25 last time I looked (£50 for an HGT). But you dont need a dial gauge to set the pistons. On my HGT, I used a length of down down the spark plug to find top dead centre (TDC). The gearbox timing mark helps but on mine it was not at TDC and the belt could easily have been set out by a tooth.

When you turn the crank over TDC you can feel the reduction in friction as the piston stop/start moving. If you need to set it at 90 degs before TDC use 2 equal lengths of dowel in #1 and #2. Turn the crank forwards when the dowels are equal its at 90 degs.

 

[dave]

a 1.2 16v isnt times at tdc, its at mdc you can use dowels but use 4 its hard to tell if 2 are level or not.
you still need a cam locking tool

 

[Moosey]

Don't even think about it. A locking kit for a 1200 costs £25 last time I looked (£50 for an HGT). But you dont need a dial gauge to set the pistons. On my HGT, I used a length of down down the spark plug to find top dead centre (TDC). The gearbox timing mark helps but on mine it was not at TDC and the belt could easily have been set out by a tooth.

When you turn the crank over TDC you can feel the reduction in friction as the piston stop/start moving. If you need to set it at 90 degs before TDC use 2 equal lengths of dowel in #1 and #2. Turn the crank forwards when the dowels are equal its at 90 degs.

The cheapest i found new 16v locking tools was about £67. But you'll still need the cam pulley holder and the Ribe bits for the cam box and head bolts.

a 1.2 16v isnt times at tdc, its at mdc you can use dowels but use 4 its hard to tell if 2 are level or not.
you still need a cam locking tool

Correctomundo!