Timing Belt Tools!? HELP!
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 505
From:
RE: Timing Belt Tools!? HELP!
Aw come on guys I just did a 2.8 timing belt replace in under 3 hours. It is pretty easy if you are handy on a car.
My Dad's a ford mechanic so I used the good ole american way and I aint saying it is right but it worked just fine.
Instead of using the tools recommended, you can mark the belt and count teeth (double count) I would not include the camshaft seals as part of the operation, that took me ~22 hours.
But basically, set the engine at top dead center and make sure you are not sitting half way on a turn over (anything spins with no tool and you are screwed). Remove all the plastic and the crank pulley ~8-10 bolts (for serp belt). Now start marking. double mark all your gears on both the belt and gears, preferably either side of the gear, with a stripe that can be matched up (not a fat dot that can be misaligned later). I used white out. Check and be sure you are ready. The tensioner fits an 8 and a 6 hex, it is about center on the engine, the 6 is a bolt the 8 is a slot. Crank the 8 to come loose, the 6 to remove, (the other way and you'll just break something). You should have a replacement tensioner. There is also a second pulley you should replace to he right. Pull that one next and replace. Next, remove and replace the water pump and thermostat (I am assuming you can do this without direction if you cannot find a local mechanic for sure). Now to put on the new timing belt, you can finally take off the timing belt knowing exactly which marks came from where. Mark your new belt exactly like your old belt, counting teeth between marks 2-3 times to be sure. When done going all the way around, hold up the two belts and check again, you cannot be wrong on this. Then put the belt back where the marks line up on the gears. If you cannot line up on marks, you screwed up. But as long as you did not ever turn anything, you will still be in the same spot the whole time. If the teeth spin ever so slightly, do not think you can just turn back by going a loop, it aint true. I would strongly discourage pulling really hard on the belt when reinstalling and if anything is not quite fitting right well that is for you to figure out. Mine went right so I can't give good advice.
Hey you wanted to know how to do it with out the tool, that is how. Quick and Easy. But if you are not really familiar with how it all works, leave it to a pro.
My Dad's a ford mechanic so I used the good ole american way and I aint saying it is right but it worked just fine.
Instead of using the tools recommended, you can mark the belt and count teeth (double count) I would not include the camshaft seals as part of the operation, that took me ~22 hours.
But basically, set the engine at top dead center and make sure you are not sitting half way on a turn over (anything spins with no tool and you are screwed). Remove all the plastic and the crank pulley ~8-10 bolts (for serp belt). Now start marking. double mark all your gears on both the belt and gears, preferably either side of the gear, with a stripe that can be matched up (not a fat dot that can be misaligned later). I used white out. Check and be sure you are ready. The tensioner fits an 8 and a 6 hex, it is about center on the engine, the 6 is a bolt the 8 is a slot. Crank the 8 to come loose, the 6 to remove, (the other way and you'll just break something). You should have a replacement tensioner. There is also a second pulley you should replace to he right. Pull that one next and replace. Next, remove and replace the water pump and thermostat (I am assuming you can do this without direction if you cannot find a local mechanic for sure). Now to put on the new timing belt, you can finally take off the timing belt knowing exactly which marks came from where. Mark your new belt exactly like your old belt, counting teeth between marks 2-3 times to be sure. When done going all the way around, hold up the two belts and check again, you cannot be wrong on this. Then put the belt back where the marks line up on the gears. If you cannot line up on marks, you screwed up. But as long as you did not ever turn anything, you will still be in the same spot the whole time. If the teeth spin ever so slightly, do not think you can just turn back by going a loop, it aint true. I would strongly discourage pulling really hard on the belt when reinstalling and if anything is not quite fitting right well that is for you to figure out. Mine went right so I can't give good advice.
Hey you wanted to know how to do it with out the tool, that is how. Quick and Easy. But if you are not really familiar with how it all works, leave it to a pro.
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20
RE: Timing Belt Tools!? HELP!
I have done timing belt jobs before....On an Acura and an older BMW. Not too worried about the job itself, just want to do it right the first time. I would prefer to do the job with the tools as a means of insurance.
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,151
From:
RE: Timing Belt Tools!? HELP!
ORIGINAL: dan908
Aw come on guys I just did a 2.8 timing belt replace in under 3 hours. It is pretty easy if you are handy on a car.
My Dad's a ford mechanic so I used the good ole american way and I aint saying it is right but it worked just fine.
Instead of using the tools recommended, you can mark the belt and count teeth (double count) I would not include the camshaft seals as part of the operation, that took me ~22 hours.
But basically, set the engine at top dead center and make sure you are not sitting half way on a turn over (anything spins with no tool and you are screwed). Remove all the plastic and the crank pulley ~8-10 bolts (for serp belt). Now start marking. double mark all your gears on both the belt and gears, preferably either side of the gear, with a stripe that can be matched up (not a fat dot that can be misaligned later). I used white out. Check and be sure you are ready. The tensioner fits an 8 and a 6 hex, it is about center on the engine, the 6 is a bolt the 8 is a slot. Crank the 8 to come loose, the 6 to remove, (the other way and you'll just break something). You should have a replacement tensioner. There is also a second pulley you should replace to he right. Pull that one next and replace. Next, remove and replace the water pump and thermostat (I am assuming you can do this without direction if you cannot find a local mechanic for sure). Now to put on the new timing belt, you can finally take off the timing belt knowing exactly which marks came from where. Mark your new belt exactly like your old belt, counting teeth between marks 2-3 times to be sure. When done going all the way around, hold up the two belts and check again, you cannot be wrong on this. Then put the belt back where the marks line up on the gears. If you cannot line up on marks, you screwed up. But as long as you did not ever turn anything, you will still be in the same spot the whole time. If the teeth spin ever so slightly, do not think you can just turn back by going a loop, it aint true. I would strongly discourage pulling really hard on the belt when reinstalling and if anything is not quite fitting right well that is for you to figure out. Mine went right so I can't give good advice.
Hey you wanted to know how to do it with out the tool, that is how. Quick and Easy. But if you are not really familiar with how it all works, leave it to a pro.
Aw come on guys I just did a 2.8 timing belt replace in under 3 hours. It is pretty easy if you are handy on a car.
My Dad's a ford mechanic so I used the good ole american way and I aint saying it is right but it worked just fine.
Instead of using the tools recommended, you can mark the belt and count teeth (double count) I would not include the camshaft seals as part of the operation, that took me ~22 hours.
But basically, set the engine at top dead center and make sure you are not sitting half way on a turn over (anything spins with no tool and you are screwed). Remove all the plastic and the crank pulley ~8-10 bolts (for serp belt). Now start marking. double mark all your gears on both the belt and gears, preferably either side of the gear, with a stripe that can be matched up (not a fat dot that can be misaligned later). I used white out. Check and be sure you are ready. The tensioner fits an 8 and a 6 hex, it is about center on the engine, the 6 is a bolt the 8 is a slot. Crank the 8 to come loose, the 6 to remove, (the other way and you'll just break something). You should have a replacement tensioner. There is also a second pulley you should replace to he right. Pull that one next and replace. Next, remove and replace the water pump and thermostat (I am assuming you can do this without direction if you cannot find a local mechanic for sure). Now to put on the new timing belt, you can finally take off the timing belt knowing exactly which marks came from where. Mark your new belt exactly like your old belt, counting teeth between marks 2-3 times to be sure. When done going all the way around, hold up the two belts and check again, you cannot be wrong on this. Then put the belt back where the marks line up on the gears. If you cannot line up on marks, you screwed up. But as long as you did not ever turn anything, you will still be in the same spot the whole time. If the teeth spin ever so slightly, do not think you can just turn back by going a loop, it aint true. I would strongly discourage pulling really hard on the belt when reinstalling and if anything is not quite fitting right well that is for you to figure out. Mine went right so I can't give good advice.
Hey you wanted to know how to do it with out the tool, that is how. Quick and Easy. But if you are not really familiar with how it all works, leave it to a pro.
Hahaha, thats one way of doing it.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 107
From:
RE: Timing Belt Tools!? HELP!
I made my own camshaft locking tool. Took a little bit of time though. Once I got everything torn down, I took measurements of the cams and got 2x2 piece of wood, drilled some holes and ran some screws through it and attached them with nuts. Worked perfectly.
Site Moderator
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,927
From: Indianapolis, IN
RE: Timing Belt Tools!? HELP!
on a 2.8 you really should have the cam locking tool.
Other than that a TB job on an audi is not that difficult. Not nearly as difficult as my GF's 2.5 Subaru Forester.
Other than that a TB job on an audi is not that difficult. Not nearly as difficult as my GF's 2.5 Subaru Forester.
