Chinese Timing Tools
 

Evening,

My 2.5 v6 needs a timing belt as is never had it done at nearly 80k! Anyone have experience of these cheaper tool kits?

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Engine-Timi...wAAOSw0j9ZSjc6

I do all my own work and have done a couple of floating pulley Fords and Renaults.

You do not need any tools for setting the cam timing.
If you note the timing marks on the rear pulleys in "safe" position, that is where the factory set it, that is where it must be with the new belts fitted.
Simple. And if you have never changed belts before it will be the factory setting!

The front pulley is just a driving pulley the cam timing setting is determined by the two sets of rear pulleys. Take a pick of the marks before you start the work and let us see.

There is no need to disturb the front pulley at all.

Cheers for the reply,

Is the crank pulley keyed then?

That is Kaiser's opinion on the timing tools, and he is more than welcome to give it.

The alternative view is that the only way to ensure the timing is correct is to use the timing tools - you should be in the ball park if mark everything up though.

The discussion on whether to use the tools or not has been done to death on here and elsewhere, so we might as well agree to disagree. :}

It isn't just a Rover thing - did a cambelt on a Citroen DW8 last night, and both the cam and fuel pump sprockets float so you pin the flywheel, cam and pump sprockets, tension the new belt and then lock up the sprockets.

The good thing about the DW8 timing pins is that you can knock them up yourself. :D

Hello David. I don't have any experience of the kit to which you've linked but I see that it's unbranded with no warranty, made in China and retails at £55. Deduct the seller's profit and what tool quality do you think you'll be left with? ;)

Simon

PS Time to update your profile I think.

It may be cheap but probably good enough for a once in a blue moon job but certainly doubtful for pro use.it may be unbranded but does not mean it's not been made by a decent company.

A view to which I subscribe - that the only way to do it properly is to use timing tools. I will be doing the belts on our Ecotec 1.8VVT soon and despite being a much simpler set-up compared with the KV6, I will be using timing tool set.

Agreed 100%, a lot of stuff comes in from China and once here is branded up with some of the brands from the cheaper end of the market anyway.

I have a tool for replacing the rear bushes on Ford Focus rear suspension, cost me less than £60 but I have seen exactly the same tool badged up as a Laser 4437 for over £200.

What ever you do the best advice I can give you is once you have done the job rotate the engine by hand a couple of times with the plugs out to check nothing touches. If you do this at least there will be no damage if something is wrong.

Last year I did the belt on an Astra, one owner from new and it was the first time it had been done, timed it up and some of the marks did not line up, I checked several times and decided to remove the belt and line it all up before I put the new belt on. New belt on and did my checks so all seemed fine so I started it, no problems so I put it all back together and when the owner got home he rung me to say I had transformed the way the car drove :eek:. More powerful and a lot smoother. The engine had done over 40k like that, makes you wonder how many others are out there like that?

I’ve had good experience with all the unbranded Ford/Renault/vw tools Ive bought TBH but there’s also times when even branded but not OEM tools are widely known to be NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- such as the Lazer Renault “horseshoe” tool.

I was just wondering if anyone on here had experience of these Chinese ones. I’ll update my profile now

I had a similar experience when I replaced the timing chain and guides on a -08 Pug 308 Petrol.