KV6 Timing Belt Tool Question?

[ScotSilver1987]

Guys,

I am going to need some help on this. I finally come down to the 24 countdown before I take the Timing Belt off for renewal on my beloved MG ZT 190.

However I have run into a snag, I am sat here studying the Haynes manual the night before she goes into my garage and it mentions when tightening the rear camshaft sprocket I need to use a 'forked tool'?! Not a spanner.

Can anybody on here tell me what I could use for a 'home made forked tool' i.e: something equivalent?


Cheers,

[rov9575]

Hi, I did this job on mine and made up the tool as per Haynes, you do need to have this. I bought a length of flat bar roughly 4mm thick x 15mm wide, cut to two equal lengths of about 30cm. Drill a hole near the ends of each to take a bolt and lock nut to create the two prongs, (these engage in the spokes of the cam sprockets). Drill another hole about 10cm back from said holes and insert another bolt and lock nut to give a scissor like pivot point. Having the pivot point nearer to the prongs gives a better mechanical advantage if I recall.
If marking timing marks with tipex, make several per sprocket in case one gets knocked off.

[kaiser]

The timing belt change on the KV6 is like any other car.
When you are finished, the marks must be where they were when you started.:)
The engine should be set in safe mode, and locked. In this position you can turn the camshafts to your hearts delight. Just make sure they are back to where they were before you take it out of safe mode.
The front sprockets are just drivers and can go on anyway you like. They are thus not keyed on the shaft. If the timing is right before you start, you don't need to touch them.
The rear sprockets are marked, and in safe mode these marks must be on one line.
The only tools you need are tools to hold the sprockets while you loosen/tighten the rear sprocket's bolts. Don't fix them via the front of the cam. The camshafts could break. There is no need to loosen the front sprockets, if your timing is right before you start.

Replace also the water pump and all items with bearings in them. The tensioiner has a spring in it. That needs to be compressed and the tensioner locked (with a small pin through a hole) in this compressed state. When you refit, move the tensioner as far out as possibel, in order to manually take up the most belt slack possible. Once there, bolt in place and then remove the pin, release the spring tension. Ideally the pin should not move much, indicating that the spring still has plenty of travel to self adjust.

Don't be afraid if a cam moves, just move it back! All will be well if the rear sprockets are in line, once the final slack has been taken up on the belt.

Move manually to test before firing up.

[ScotSilver1987]

Guys,

Thanks for the reply but has mentioned in the Haynes Manual to get new Camshaft Bolts? And not use the old ones, any idea where I could find these?

And which bolts I should replace as I have only bought the 3 belts and tensioners.

Cheers,

[kaiser]

There is really no good reason to replace the bolts.
It is generally accepted that even stretch bolts will last at least 3 cycles with no ill effects.

[ScotSilver1987]

Any ideas on this fork tool I need to get?

[Plezier]

Surely the bolts cannot cost that much so would it not be wise to change them?

Funnily enough I was discussing this with the garage chap only the other day about getting mine fitted. Outside upon a shingle drive is NOT the BEST place to work on cars I have found.

[mh007]

I would never recommend re-using stretch bolts especially in this situation where so much could go wrong if a camshaft sprocket bolt released !

On the rear belts, one sprocket per bank has to come off to fit the new belts so you will need two bolts.

Take a look on Rimmers website for the bolts.