UdderlyOffroad Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Hi all, My brother rang me to report his Disco 300 Tdi had snapped its cam belt and had been recovered to his yard. Trouble is, I live in Bristol and he lives in Cambridgeshire. My plan was therefore to go up over the course of 2 weekends to attempt a repair. Obviously the first time up would be more of a recce mission, take the rocker cover off, survey the damage. Hopefully it could just be a case of bent pushrods. Obviously I've had a browse of the tech archive and the Haynes, but I thought I'd ask on here what tools/supplies/spares would you take if attempting this job aweay from home, without access to your locals well-stocked spares place! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 just take your toolbox (if you have rollcab and topbox, stick topbox in your boot and all the tools from the rollcab in another box, the worst thing is when its a saturday afternoon and you realise youve left your "insert tool here" at home miles away... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yella 90 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 set of pushrods full timing set inc tensioner and idler front crank seal a few tappets two rockers big breaker bar puller for crank pulley feeler guages timing pins usual sockets spanners ect plasters and a nice big mug for the tea should cover it ive got them running at the side of the road a few times dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 In addition to normal full tool kit If you have a box of drill bits then take them along to use as timing pins (assuming you don't have the proper kit). Viscous fan spanner. Handfull of new pushrods. SHould be enough to do the job in one hit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Along with everything yella90 listed it might be worth taking a rocker cover gasket as well. Oh and something to clean all the carp out of the timing case (old paint brush or similar), when I did mine it was full of oily rubber fluff.... And don't forget one of those massive portfolio cases to take back the gigantic IOU that your brother will no doubt write out for you when the job is done Just a thought, if you are going to use the flick the starter method to undo the crank bolt you need to do something to stop the pistons hitting the valves first..... but you probably already thought of that... failing that a crank pulley holder could be added to your list (but they are expensive, unless you make one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco_al Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Just a thought, if you are going to use the flick the starter method to undo the crank bolt you need to do something to stop the pistons hitting the valves first take the rocker shaft off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yella 90 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 take the rocker shaft off? take the bent pushrods out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Just a thought, if you are going to use the flick the starter method to undo the crank bolt you need to do something to stop the pistons hitting the valves first..... but you probably already thought of that... failing that a crank pulley holder could be added to your list (but they are expensive, unless you make one). Removal of the rocker shaft would take care of that - though I always work on the basis that and valve open, or about to open, when the belt snapped will already have been hit and it's rocker broken or pushrod S-shaped! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 It's a very easy & quick job. I changed one by the road-side (my 300 had a bit of a habit of breaking belts, so I carried spares) in 40 mins on my way to a job interview! When you remove the bolts from the timing chest, keep a note of which bolt goes in which hole. They are several different lengths - and it saves a bit of guesswork when you re-assemble! On the whole it needed two rockers and three of four push rods. Replace the tensioner and idler as well as the belt & oil seal - ideally with genuine parts. It's difficult, but tighten the crank pulley bolt as tight as you can. It's supposed to be about 400ft/Lb and it's important to stop the bottom belt pulley rotating on the woodruf key. Not tight enough - and it will sound like a bag of spanners! (depending on which revision of bottom pulley you have). Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 2-weekends !!! lazy boy The only unknown is the reason for the belt to snap - possibly over the recommended time or mileage, but could be tensioner/idler failure. No major engine damage, so pushrods, timing belt/kit. This engine has weaker rockers than the 200TDi, so expect one or more to be broken. Tools will be what you get in any reasonable tool kit - 30mm socket/breaker bar for the crank bolt, 10/13mm for the timing belt cover/alternator/tappets. Blade screwdriver for the tappets, 6/7mm for the various jubilee clips. Valve caps might have come off or even broken as well, so look for any that are missing, still in the rocker/valve spring area. Timing cover dust seal as well, as you are going to take the cover off. Crank seal will not fail because the belt has snapped, but might be worth replacing as you 'are in there anyway'. Of course - thread lock for the crank bolt, and coppaslip grease for the timing cover bolts as well - timing cover gasket or rtv sealant. 9mm drill bit to set the timing, and a torque wrench. Get Si to do it and have 3 1/2 days to spare Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_wingnut Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Some sort of home made pulled for the crank pulley!! Very important, you'll need a couple of M8 by 70 bolts,sone sort of rigid bar with two holes spaced to fit the pulley. Youuse thecrank bolt, loosened off my 20mm to provide the leverage. I can post you mine if you promise to give it back!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_wingnut Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Should read Puller and not pulled. Not good with these mobile devices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Range Rover Blues Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 It's a very easy & quick job. I changed one by the road-side (my 300 had a bit of a habit of breaking belts, so I carried spares) in 40 mins on my way to a job interview! Si Did you get the job? would have gone down well at interview and I can honestly say I've heard some far worse excusses for being a lot later than 40 minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I was on time. Unfortunately they wanted a Web developer more than a mechanic and turning up covered in oil didn't really create the right impression! It was a suck-ey company anyway! No air-con or coke machine! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Thanks for the replies chaps Some sort of home made pulled for the crank pulley!! Very important, you'll need a couple of M8 by 70 bolts,sone sort of rigid bar with two holes spaced to fit the pulley. Youuse thecrank bolt, loosened off my 20mm to provide the leverage. I can post you mine if you promise to give it back!!!! I've actually got a home-made one suitable for a 200 Tdi, so hopefully I can bodge that to fit, thanks for the offer though. set of pushrods full timing set inc tensioner and idler front crank seal a few tappets two rockers ... should cover it ive got them running at the side of the road a few times dan Will start looking at that list. I don't have many spares sitting around, and if I do they're for a 200 Tdi, so will take a look at Ruskie-MicroCat and maybe order some bits. Like I said, I'm happy to do it in two trips as I can visit various family members whilst I'm up there but still it would be good to get it done. 2-weekends !!! lazy boy The only unknown is the reason for the belt to snap - possibly over the recommended time or mileage, but could be tensioner/idler failure. No major engine damage, so pushrods, timing belt/kit. This engine has weaker rockers than the 200TDi, so expect one or more to be broken. ... Valve caps might have come off or even broken as well, so look for any that are missing, still in the rocker/valve spring area. Get Si to do it and have 3 1/2 days to spare Les. Sounds like Si could do it in 40mins! And don't forget one of those massive portfolio cases to take back the gigantic IOU that your brother will no doubt write out for you when the job is done Actually, the idea is I can have use of it as he's already replaced the truck with another one!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 Ahh....was my reaction when I got on site. "Oh yea, after the belt went, I kept cranking the engine, because I thought it was the fuel lift pump again" were my brother's words to me. Result? 6 out of 8 push rods bent, one so badly I can't actually get it out! I can't see any damage anywhere else, but I have yet to take the head off. So, is there likely to be anymore damage, bearing in mind the post-belt-failure cranking? Or should I just plough on, replace the belt, pushrods and tensioner and see if she fires up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Replace belt pushrods and tensioner and see what happens IMHO. Rarely too much other damage. Maybe the rotator cap(s) will need changing. If you have your rod stuck in the hole (ooer) the easiest solution is a 4-5ft crowbar hooked onto the cupped end of the rod and supported over a hefty length of timber along the top of the head. With a couple of fat blokes swinging on the end of the crowbar the pushrod will straighten out and come out and it saves a lot of work but be careful you don't slip and bust the wing in with the crowbar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 As Bogmonster says - yank the pushrod out, there's no need to remove the head. Not that it matters, but multiple bent rods usually means teeth stripped off the belt - rather than it snapping. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 If you have a really bent push rod , have a good look down the hole to see if the support for the rod in the cam follower has not fractured , as they were brass and designed as a weak point , but maybe the rods are weaker than they used to be ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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