Fiat cam locking tools for locking cam .

[martin fox]

Hello, just thought id share my experience changing the belt on my old marea.
I could not find the cam locking tools anywhere for the cam locking on my 1.8 Marea. Fiay dealers wont give any advise or lend any tools (or hire the blocks). The same story at most smaller outlets -no timing blocks!
As I would probably only use the locks once buying them of ebay at silly prices seemed pointless.
So I found a picture of the blocks on ebay,As far as I know they are all the same on most models.I saved the advert picture on my pc, adjusting to the aprox size with office, printed the pictures of and cut round them , sticking them to a thicker piece of paper with prit stick. I then cut round them with sissors ( inlet block is the one just past 12 oclock- exhaust was the 10 oclock lock)
I then lined the bottom crank pulley up with the factory marks-jamming a thin piece of wood between the ulley and pulley guard -tapping the wood in with a hammer. To lock the 2 cams I used a bolt from the belt cover through a drilled thin piece of wood, inserting the bolt into the hole for the cover between the cam pulleys-tightened up the bolt which locks the pulleys.
Using the cut-out pictures I lined the cam lobes up on number 2 inlet and 3 exhaust. Changed the belt as normal, A cheaper just as good alternative to buying expensive cam locking tools. My car runs sweet as a nut.
Hope this helps someone. Martin Fox

 

[dave]

welcome to the forum the blocks are only 12 quid ish on shop4parts. donated members get 10% off

full kit is only £42.64 and you can always sell on ebay after to get some money back

 

[fingers99]

welcome to the forum the blocks are only 12 quid ish on shop4parts. donated members get 10% off

full kit is only £42.64 and you can always sell on ebay after to get some money back

Or start your own (very small) tool hire business. I'm thinking of doing that with my 1.2/1.4 16v tools and my arch roller!

 

[martin fox]

You just said ONLY. 12 quid is twelve quid (x2 24) I just ment by my post there are alternatives to messing about trying to buy.Ive never seen any at this price. You could start doing the belt on the day you feel like doing it my way.
Also I bought a 168 toothed belt on ebay for £6.00. Using the old tensioner the bely I bought is 3mm thinner as its hard to tension a new belt with the old one. Its all about keeping the cost down on a old 2000 marea. Its not worth buying and trying to sell again in a recession.With the piece of timber used to lock the timing pulleys if there out ( as my marea was, bad starting etc) you can move each pulley individually using a socket and ratchet.

 

[dave]

12 quid is for 2

 

[fingers99]

2000 is pretty much brand new! All my cars are older than that (mind you, they're all more exciting, too).

To my mind, it's not worth the risk/hassle.

 

[martin fox]

there is no risk or hasstle,as every thing is locked good enough to tension the belt. if you want to use a new tensioner (as u should really) that's up to you.

 

[varesecrazy]

there is no risk or hasstle,as every thing is locked good enough to tension the belt. if you want to use a new tensioner (as u should really) that's up to you.

we did similar on a marea JTD , after the belt was changed in a clueless garage,
they did the belt + tensioner and left the waterpump that had been making all the noise, :bang:

the belt had band sawed it's way through it's cover in a week..!!

so we pulled of what was left of the covers, then cabletied the belt to the pulleys/sprockets, changed the pump,
then marked everything and fitted a new belt,
biggest part of the job was to cobble together all the bits of the plastic covers!

for me and my "FIAT fleet" though ,
I would spend the £12 - Common to lots of larger fiat/alfa cars,:idea:

Charlie

 

[portland_bill]

Also I bought a 168 toothed belt on ebay for £6.00. Using the old tensioner the bely I bought is 3mm thinner.....

3mm narrower? or actually 3mm thinner.
Narrower will ask the belt to do more work per mm of width, so will last a shorter time. So you'll need to keep a regular check on it.
Thinner seems quite frightening, so probably not what you meant.

There are at least three different belt tooth profiles, for £6, hopefully you got the right shape, or the teeth will strip very quickly. As above, check regularly.

With the piece of timber used to lock the timing pulleys if there out ( as my marea was, bad starting etc) you can move each pulley individually using a socket and ratchet.

Bit of wood sounds a great idea. Something soft, like balsa will deform to the tooth profile and hold well. Have seen a bag of assorted bits of soft wood in Hobbycraft.

 

[martin fox]

I meant narrower-sorry. I did this as I used the old tensioner. From past experience with Fords etc the reason the tensioner usually fails when you change the belt with a new one is that it cant tension the new belt. I checked the old tensioner for bearing wear and snap back rubbed a bit of CV grease into the joints just in case.I don't hammer cars anyway so for whats left in the engine it will probably do.
I know I sound like a minge-pot but as I said earlier I could not find the blocks (I never saw any for £12 anywhere) no one would advise-Fiats wouldn't even tell me which was which, inlet or exhaust just a load of technical gobbled-gook about dial test indicators.
Ive owned this marea for 6 years which I bought used. It always used to spit now and again on exelleration, since I did the belt using the picture method it starts better, seems better on fuel and no spitting-im quite chuffed really.