Thanks for posting those pictures. That totally rocks.

So I checked the service manual after picking up the car today, and my timming belt had been changed at 61,850, with the water pump and thermo. I am so glad the previous owner had the records. I imagine the dealer just saw 80k and wanted to cover thier *** by recomending it.... I'll give them the benifit of the doubt.

So it looks like the radiator and stuff pivot out of the way but stay attached to allow access to the engine!? cool. Thanks again, pictures = a thousand words.
cheers all,

Its funny, my old volvo 240 has a "non-interference" engine - when/if the timming belt breaks, the valves do not colide with the tops of the cylinder heads. Nothing happens except the engine shuts off and you get stranded. Makes you wish all cars were that way. But then that thing is slow as hell.

 

That's odd, most cars are interference engines except for the higher end vehicles.

 

whats the flat steel bolted between the timing gears,,is it to keep gears from rotating ? how similar is the 2.8 eng compared to the 2.7 turbo ?

 

It's the cam timing lock bar. It's keep the cams timed when changing the belt.

The 2.8 is about the same. Just no Bi-pipe in the way, other then that it's the same.

 

The flat steel bar is the camshaft alignment tool used to maintain correct alignment of both camshafts while doing the timing belt replacement. A crankshaft alignment pin is also required to keep all components in their proper positions. The tools can be purchased from ECS and other vendors, orthey can be rented from Blauparts if you buy your timing belt kit from them.