Cambelt change by a friend

[gaz]

Mine's due next month. I'm going to take it to Birchdown.

Chris, If you wouldn't mind taking yours there the day before just so it's fresh in their mind how to do it, that would be great

Good lad, mate they can do these in their sleep, you'll have no issues what so ever.

 

[henderson]

they're not too bad to do, l did mine in a couple of hours no probs. l've also done several 172s and 182s including swapping engines and gearboxes in both models and from one model to another ! will do my third this week tomorrow.

have you ever put any of your cambelt changed cars on the rollers before and after mate?

 

[Rogue]

There are plenty of stories on here of people getting cambelt changes from non-renaultsport specialists and ending loosing 10-20bhp. Just take it to a specialist, getting the timing right isn't easy.

It's all hear say. I had mine done by a non-renault dealer and made 195bhp.

Nothing wrong there then!

 

[henderson]

It's all hear say. I had mine done by a non-renault dealer and made 195bhp.

Nothing wrong there then!

or your one of the lucky ones...

 

[BenW]

From what I heard, even using non-renault cam locking tools can throw the timing out because they flex too much. I'm only going on what I've read on here, not from personal experience. I got mine done at KTEC as they've got a ton of experience doing F4Rs, if they got them wrong the whole renaultsport community would know about it.

 

[lee]

have you ever put any of your cambelt changed cars on the rollers before and after mate?

sorry no not on rollers, just tracks !

 

[182michael]

lol @ the idiots not using the correct tools. Good luck with that!

These aren't a job for a typical backstreet garage, take it to a specialist. I'll be taking mine the 600 mile round trip to btm.

 

[MikeH]

sorry no not on rollers, just tracks !

Scalextric doesnt count as track.....

 

[gazb197]

My mate said when mines next due a Cambelt next year, he'll take pics step by step on how he does it. He says theres little difference to any other Cambelt change, the main reason being there's hardly any space to work

He had a brand new (at the time) 172 cup and when that was due a Cambelt Renault quoted over £1000 to change it. At the time with it being new, Renault used to take the engine out to change it. Someone then realised you can get round it by slackening the engine mounts giving you enough room to work

I'm only going on what he's told me as I have no idea

 

[sideways danny]

wow

I effectively paid my rent for several months a couple of years back, simply by rectifying cocked up timing belt changes on 172s and 182s. I still see them every couple of weeks now.

Anyone who believes you don't need locking tools is pure and simple an idiot. It's not rocket science, but it's not the kind of job you should be doing solo at your first attempt. I was supervised for the first half dozen I ever did. You don't get a reputation where people are driving 150 miles to have their cambelt done for nothing

 

[sideways danny]

My mate said when mines next due a Cambelt next year, he'll take pics step by step on how he does it. He says theres little difference to any other Cambelt change, the main reason being there's hardly any space to work

He had a brand new (at the time) 172 cup and when that was due a Cambelt Renault quoted over £1000 to change it. At the time with it being new, Renault used to take the engine out to change it. Someone then realised you can get round it by slackening the engine mounts giving you enough room to work

I'm only going on what he's told me as I have no idea

without wanting to offend, ********

 

[lee]

Scalextric doesnt count as track.....

lol ! does nurburgring, oulton and anglesey count then ?

 

[Muzz]

Not sure what implications are meant by referring to backstreet garages. There are plenty of independents not specialising in any particular make capable of working on different makes and models. Renaults are a little different due to having a free wheeling crank, but there's far worse cambelts to do. I wouldn't tackle one at home but I'm sure any competent mechanic with the locking tool could do it. We've done plenty on various Renault 16v engines and never had a come back. I would say anybody who's had issues has more likely had it done by a bad mechanic.

 

[sideways danny]

Not sure what implications are meant by referring to backstreet garages. There are plenty of independents not specialising in any particular make capable of working on different makes and models. Renaults are a little different due to having a free wheeling crank, but there's far worse cambelts to do. I wouldn't tackle one at home but I'm sure any competent mechanic with the locking tool could do it. We've done plenty on various Renault 16v engines and never had a come back. I would say anybody who's had issues has more likely had it done by a bad mechanic.

not necessarily true tbh. I've been called on by many local garages to help them fix timing promlems, and they're techs who I've had help me with other things in the past who are very good at what they do normally

 

[Muzz]

I must be missing something then as far as I was aware once the locking kit is fitted it ain't going anywhere

 

[bebbetufs]

I am following this with interest as I'm going to be doing this soon. There are no specialist Renault Sport shops over here (Norway) anyway, and hardly any dynos, so I'll just end up paying some generic mechanic a load of money for working on an engine he's probably never seen before anyway, so I figure I have little to lose... Actually, I have never ever seen a Clio RS on the streets over here. :nope:

I've done the belt on my zetec-s (free wheeling pulleys) and on my Porsche. I'dont see why this should be such a difficult task. As long as the locks are fitted correctly and are strong enough. The whole point of free wheeling pulleys is to make it easier to get the timing correct by letting the pulleys spin while keeping the cams and the crank timed. This is to take out any slack in the belt and to accommodate any variations in belt length or stretch before torquing. As long as the locks don't twist and the belt is correctly tensioned I don't see the problem. Are the non-renault tools people are using very weak or made to very low tolerances?

On my Porsche engine, where the pulleys are not free wheeling, the timing is set by the tooth on the belt and the tension. Once on the right tooth there's nothing more you can do. Surely the variation is much greater compared to free wheeling pulleys... Granted this older engine has no variable intake cam timing, but I've never seen or heard of anyone loosing 20bhp due to a slightly undertensioned belt. I've heard of engines eating incorrectly tensioned belts though, usually followed by tales of flying bits of valves and piston tops

I'm new with Renaults (hello forum) and looking forward to learning more about the great little F4R engine from the combined experience on this board.

 

[litchy]

Leave it to those that know.....there are enough horror stories. Take if from someone that was serious hurt!!!!

 

[bebbetufs]

Thank you for trying to help.
If I were the OP and lived in Britain I would consider going to a reputable shop, but for me it is not really an option as there are no one here who really knows these engines. They are extremely rare over here due to ridiculous HP taxes (The retail price of a 197 was £39000 back in 2007 due to taxation so none were imported....). Besides the cheapest quote I've been able to get is £1200, and that is by a generic shop. I consider it just as likely that they get it wrong as me messing it up.

What exactly is it that makes this job so difficult?