Technical Cabrio 16V timing belt change

[digger58]

Started to do it this evening, had bought the cheap timing kit on ebay, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Brav...325640?hash=item33ba7164c8:g:q5cAAOSw-KFXdQJ6

Tried to line up the cam shafts to screw in the locks and found they're too long, the grooved part will fit into the camshaft but the thread is too far back to screw in to get the tool to lock. Haynes has a guide to making the tool and you can see the difference in the pics, I'll mill it back tomorrow, I like things to work, just in case somebody thinks they haven't it set up right it would work fine to change the belt but the locks could shift. There is about 6mm to be taken off the ends and to mill out the flats to within 4mm of the threaded part. Is this the same on the other models it says it covers as well? Just giving the heads up to everyone.

 

[dave]

that thread should just slide forwards then you turn the round dit to screw it in. you only need to lock the front cam

 

[digger58]

The threaded part can't slide forward, look at the picture, it's up against the collar! That why it won't lock in.

 

[dave]

your right its been a while since i used one. but the tool is right you must have not tapped it fully home use the other end of your verners to measure the hole its going into.
mine is even longer and works but you do need to use something to tap it fully home.

 

[digger58]

There was no way it would go in any further (As the Bishop said to the Actress). I modified it to the dimensions shown in the Haynes manual and it fitted perfectly It is just too long as it comes. I also found the tensioning tool wouldn't fit in the holes in the bearing, I had to heat the end and slightly bend the fork to get the pins parallel, then one pin broke so had to replace it with a piece from a 2mm drillbit. Eventually got the job done though. Here are a couple of pics of the tool after I altered it

 

[blu73]

to be fair the cam lock is such a snug fit in the slot in the cam that you'd probably have been fine to just tap it and not worry about screwing it in, i've done a few without the tool just using an allen key (10mm if my memory serves) to hold the cam and some equally lengthed bits of welding wire to get the piston all level. But i did in end buy a tool, that bit more accurate and quicker. My set is just same as that one by looks of it but not ever had that problem with it not screwing in - done a mk1 punto 16v, mk2 1.2 16 punto and mk2b 1.4 16v punto with my tool..

And yes, the pins in the tensioner are made of butter, i just use a pair of right angled circlip pliers for the tensioner.

 

[digger58]

Got it all done, belt, water pump and tensioner, all were original!!!! So 17 yrs and 72,000 Mls, Back of every tooth on the belt had multiple cracks, how it lasted I don't know. Alternator belt had been changed,Water pump was stiff to turn, PAS belt was original as well, Oil and filter, plugs and air filter also. Running nicely now at least. Can't believe that people would leave things go that far for the sake of €100 or so.