Timing Belt Worry - 1.8T
 

(1.8T) Amongst other things I have carried out this week, finally finishing off with checking the timing after tensioning the cam drive belt. The suggested test is to rotate the crankshaft twice to see if the marks all line up - however, if the marks were noted, surely, two rotations of the crank shaft would mean that everything would be lined up anyway?

Would the crank shaft be able to be rotated if that peril of pistons hitting the valves was existing?

The belt when tensioned can pull one of the sprockets one tooth out of alignment, you are ok turning the engine over by hand even if you are a couple of teeth off the marks, you would be surprised the amount of 1.8s running around with the timing set one tooth out!

Many thanks Andy; I followed all the directions and procedures, but I will probably take all the belt covers off again to recheck the positions of the marks and actually place "height" testing dowels in the spark plug sockets.

There is no peril turning the engine gently by hand (with the spark plugs removed) even if the timing is well out - you will feel the pistons touching the valves without inflicting any damage. :}

Unless your "hand" is neanderthal! :getmecoat:

Luckily, not a Neanderthal; took the top belt cover off then the coils and plugs out, carefully turning the crankshaft using extension pieces, I aligned the marks, then using one of the old engine bolts (cleaned) checked the heights of all pistons and all appears good.

Just got to go out to get some more oil, having used a fair amount to start to replenish and now leaving that to move around the block. Then will try a restart later. I have put a new head gasket in, along with water pump, belt tensioner and timing belt, oh, and new manifold studs.

Hi, I've done loads of timing belts but none for a couple of years when I did our mg tf. From memory the knack is to mate the belt on main pulleys and tension it towards the auto tensioner, if you do it the other way it can be a tooth out. I've put a belt on one tooth out in the past, a diesel, it was just a bit noisier on start up.

Many thanks for the advice peoples. All went well with the start up (apart from overheating which must be due to a coolant air lock) so it seems that everything is in the right place.

Why did I not do the thermostat at the same time? doh!

With steam emitting from the front area, forward of the radiator, it seemed the only way to find the fault was to take the front end off, so I've done that today......
https://i242.photobucket.com/albums/...pswparjnwi.jpg

Gonna' get steamed up tomorrow!