How to adjust timing

[Crisltn]

Could anyone help as my timing is slightly out and is tapping.is it possible to adjust the timing on an mg-zt 1.8 turbo on a 53 plate.if it is could someone help me please.the tapping is driving me nuts.
Thanks in advance

[T-Cut]

This will give you all you need to know. Not the exact same engine but near enough. Admittedly, it's dead easy with the engine out.

K-series timing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM5oA2X03z8

[mh007]

Originally Posted by Crisltn

Could anyone help as my timing is slightly out and is tapping.is it possible to adjust the timing on an mg-zt 1.8 turbo on a 53 plate.if it is could someone help me please.the tapping is driving me nuts.
Thanks in advance

Are you sure it's a tapping noise & not a slapping noise ?
The timing shouldn't move once it's set unless the timing belt has stretched or you have something else un-toward going on behind the covers !
If it's more of a slapping noise, it's likely the belt is slack & touching the timing cover.
The timing belt tensioner will either be a fixed type or automatic type.
I've known the automatic type partially sieze & not re-tension the belt properly.

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by mh007

Are you sure it's a tapping noise & not a slapping noise ?
The timing shouldn't move once it's set unless the timing belt has stretched or you have something else un-toward going on behind the covers !
If it's more of a slapping noise, it's likely the belt is slack & touching the timing cover.
The timing belt tensioner will either be a fixed type or automatic type.
I've known the automatic type partially sieze & not re-tension the belt properly.

Timing belt stretched, I think not, synchronous belts don't stretch, they snap once their limits of elasticity are exceeded, and all k series 75's are auto tensioners, unless someone's bodged a pre '97 head onto it.
Check to see if all the timing marks are aligned correctly, and the tensioner index wire should line up with the notch in the position marker, but if all else fails, I would suggest a belt & tensioner change c/w water pump, for the price it's peace of mind that money can't buy.
Noisy tappets, are a symptom of poor oil change regime, an can be remedied by removing the camshafts, and the hydraulic lifters, then disassembling and cleaning the lifters, or new ones http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROVER-HYDRAULI...6#ht_718wt_698
Hope this helps
Brian.

[mh007]

Originally Posted by marinabrian

Timing belt stretched, I think not, synchronous belts don't stretch, they snap once their limits of elasticity are exceeded, and all k series 75's are auto tensioners, unless someone's bodged a pre '97 head onto it.
Check to see if all the timing marks are aligned correctly, and the tensioner index wire should line up with the notch in the position marker, but if all else fails, I would suggest a belt & tensioner change c/w water pump, for the price it's peace of mind that money can't buy.
Noisy tappets, are a symptom of poor oil change regime, an can be remedied by removing the camshafts, and the hydraulic lifters, then disassembling and cleaning the lifters, or new ones http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROVER-HYDRAULI...6#ht_718wt_698
Hope this helps
Brian.

I completely disagree Brian, any belt, Sychronous or otherwise, can stretch !
I can provide technical info on this if you would like to see it but I've seen plenty throughout my years in the trade.

[chrissyboy]

contray to popular belief timing belts dont stretch ,they crack then snap .noisey tappets may be due to low oil pressure.

EDIT:


i stand half corrected ,i didnt realise that after market belts do in fact stretch


Aftermarket timing belts may be used to alter engine performance. OEM timing belts "will stretch at high rpm, retarding the cam and therefore the ignition.[7] Stronger, aftermarket belts, will not stretch and the timing is preserved.[8] In terms of engine design, "shortening the width of the timing belt reduce[s] weight and friction

[Zeb]

Noise is most likely the fuel purge valve and nowt to do with timing at all...

[mh007]

Originally Posted by chrissyboy

contray to popular belief timing belts dont stretch ,they crack then snap .noisey tappets may be due to low oil pressure.

EDIT:


i stand half corrected ,i didnt realise that after market belts do in fact stretch


Aftermarket timing belts may be used to alter engine performance. OEM timing belts "will stretch at high rpm, retarding the cam and therefore the ignition.[7] Stronger, aftermarket belts, will not stretch and the timing is preserved.[8] In terms of engine design, "shortening the width of the timing belt reduce[s] weight and friction

Hi Chrissyboy

I saw the very same info on Wikipedia as you've put above so I assume this is where it came from.

This is my personal opinion from a very long time in the trade. Now I appreciate opinions will vary on this but here goes:

It makes no difference if the belt is OEM or aftermarket.

Although belts are lined with reinforced strands (when these break, the belt snaps), they are bound to expand/contract to a degree surely & as they're getting to the end of their life, the degree of contraction gets less & less.

If you have an engine with a manual tensioner & the belt has covered say 70k, the belt will be slacker than when it was fitted new, are you saying that all the pulleys have worn away to cause this slack ?

On an engine with an auto tensioner, you set the base tension when the belt is new but again after about 70k, in nearly all the case i've seen, the tensioner sits differently to when the belt was new.

I know the teeth on the belt can wear & I have even seen teeth shear but again, just wear on the teeth wouldn't cause that much 'slack' on a belt.

It's also true that the pulley on some tensioners & idlers are plastic & therfore can wear, but not to that extent.

I've had several cases (one just this week on a Honda) with a steel Manual tensioner & the belt was 'slapping' the timing cover where it was so slack.
This was worse when cold as when the engine warmed up & the pulleys expanded, the belt became slightly more 'tensioned'.

As i've said above, i'm sure there will be split opinions & i'm mainly speaking from experience.

[mh007]

Originally Posted by Zeb

Noise is most likely the fuel purge valve and nowt to do with timing at all...

Didn't think of that Zeb !

Situated by the Battery on the 1.8 if I remember rightly.

[chrissyboy]

Originally Posted by mh007

Hi Chrissyboy

I saw the very same info on Wikipedia as you've put above so I assume this is where it came from.

This is my personal opinion from a very long time in the trade. Now I appreciate opinions will vary on this but here goes:

It makes no difference if the belt is OEM or aftermarket.

Although belts are lined with reinforced strands (when these break, the belt snaps), they are bound to expand/contract to a degree surely & as they're getting to the end of their life, the degree of contraction gets less & less.

If you have an engine with a manual tensioner & the belt has covered say 70k, the belt will be slacker than when it was fitted new, are you saying that all the pulleys have worn away to cause this slack ?

On an engine with an auto tensioner, you set the base tension when the belt is new but again after about 70k, in nearly all the case i've seen, the tensioner sits differently to when the belt was new.

I know the teeth on the belt can wear & I have even seen teeth shear but again, just wear on the teeth wouldn't cause that much 'slack' on a belt.

It's also true that the pulley on some tensioners & idlers are plastic & therfore can wear, but not to that extent.

I've had several cases (one just this week on a Honda) with a steel Manual tensioner & the belt was 'slapping' the timing cover where it was so slack.
This was worse when cold as when the engine warmed up & the pulleys expanded, the belt became slightly more 'tensioned'.

As i've said above, i'm sure there will be split opinions & i'm mainly speaking from experience.

hi , like all with all things they are designed to do certain things but in reality do do uexpected things .your opinion is based of what you have seen in your years in the trade.just like some posts i have done re the hgf on the 2.5 engine .. yes they do go andnot as rare as members state ... i myself have never done any internal work on an engine .i used to fix up cortinas whe younger ,no problem changing an engine or gear box or clutch ,cars changed and i never kept up as i started doing roofing and building work..i have now gone back to cars at the 53 years old .im training ondiagnostics but also now know how to change disc`s and pads ,as your know the cortina was really easy conpared to the model cars... can also service cars from panda1s to jags, now the jag is a pig to service as removal of the inlet manifold is required to change left back plugs. as i said seeing i believeing and in your case i will bow to your findings given the extensive exprience you have cant ove the years ....

i do know that the belts now are cover with some new stuff that reinforces them making them less likely to snap or indeed stretch . but there is always the chance of the belt becoming strecthed due to what ever reason .