Less Pinky more Perky

[Steve A]

Under bonnet bling

[Steve A]

I've been shopping

CONTINENTAL 4040410 Belt (4010.32.0000) £ 8.63
CONTINENTAL 4040275 Belt (4010.32.0000) £ 1.43
GATES T169 Timing Belt (4010.35.0000) £ 6.79
GATES 41053 Water Pump (8413.30.8090) £ 19.25
NGK 6418 Spark Plug (8511.10.0090) 4 £ 17.56
ULTRA-POWER DR39 Ignition Coil (8511.30.0090) 2 £ 14.10
BOSCH D3312 Oil Filter (8421.23.0090) £ 7.03
Set of 4 BRAND NEW Delphi Upgrade Injectors, 1991-92 Lotus Elan & Isuzu Impulse 180 GBP (Ebay)
IGN M100 Kingsborne Spark Plug Wires Ignition Wire Set [Wire Set Size/Color:8mm Red] 21:55 GBP

Should keep me going for a while

[Steve A]

It's about time I took on the much dreaded task of changing the cam belt.
I've certainly changed a few belts on various cars over the years so I thought what's all the fuss about
I watched "the movie" on youtube I also read a few threads on this forum taking in all the good advice.

I bolted a plate to the pulley that locked the crank in place



Using a "suitable bar" I loosened the crank pulley bolt (after soaking it with penetrating oil for a few days )
The noise I heard would either be my socket exploding or the bolt coming loose



The belt is now off and I await my bits to arrive
I've got to say yes "it is a brute of a job"!!
and it doesn't really help that the belt you remove looks perfectly good for a few more years

[chrisP]

Sounds like you are having fun!! I managed to get pulley bolt undone by putting the car in gear and holding the brakes on - so i like your locking plate!! I could not believe the leave length required to shift the bolt.

Chris

[Steve A]

Sounds like you are having fun!! I managed to get pulley bolt undone by putting the car in gear and holding the brakes on - so i like your locking plate!! I could not believe the leave length required to shift the bolt.

Chris

I wouldn't call it fun
The forum and movie were a big help because it forewarned me of all the pitfalls I might come across.
The only problem I got was shearing the lower RH cam belt cover bolt still not got it out and might not despite trying
Waiting for all the parts to turn up now

[chrisP]

I quite enjoyed it once the pulley bolt was off and the engine mount was unbolted and out of the way. Can you not drill the remains of the bolt out and helicoil?
My only advice is to make sure that the upper cambelt cover has been in the sun for a while, before putting it back - having it slightly flexible makes the job easier (oh and don't do all the cover bolts up tight until you have all of them seated in their bolt holes.

Chris

[lotusflasherman]

The only problem I got was shearing the lower RH cam belt cover bolt still not got it out and might not despite trying

Where has it sheared, have you got any off it sticking out?

My procedure is spray with penetrating oil the night before (Plus Gas or Silkopen, but not WD40 which is bloody useless by comparison), respray in the morning, have a cup of tea, then use a stud extractor. Works most times..
(ebay search on "VS7232" for stud extractor if you haven't got one - £7.70 looks cheapest)

[Steve A]

I thought I had it sussed after drilling all the way through the broken stud.
I then tried a "easy out" which expanded the casting until bits started to break off
I didn't think the casting would be so brittle
I'm now left with the drilled stud surrounded by 2/3 of casting, difficult to get at
I might try and needle file through the hole in the stud but it'll take some time.

[Rice crispy]

Steve could you get a dremel in there would be quicker than the file. I have one you could borrow if it helps

[Steve A]

Steve could you get a dremel in there would be quicker than the file. I have one you could borrow if it helps

Thanks for the offer Dave, I do have a dremel but the "stone" I have is too big, I will try and pick up a smaller stone tomorrow.

[Rice crispy]

I may have some smaller ones if you get stuck that were for sharpening chainsaws. Let me know if you want me to try and find them

[lotusflasherman]

I try to avoid 'Easyouts' after my experience on the Eclat engine - snapped an Easyout in the drilled bolt shank and found they are HSS and just as hard as the drill bit .. but the stud extractor method came to the rescue..

[Steve A]

Well the broken stud finally gave up with the help of a rotary burr various drills and a needle file
I will most probably stick a longer bolt in this hole so it protrudes enough to put a nylock nut on the end as the
integrity of the thread has been comprised despite running a tap through it.

I'm still waiting for a few bits to turn up before I reassemble

I've been doing some minor "house keeping "



Rust converter (Metalmorphis)



Red oxide



Top coat(s)

[par]

Good effort, well worth taking the time to protect the chassis when you have access!

Metalmorphis is great stuff isnt it

[Steve A]

While I've been patently waiting for my parts (stuck at customs), I've been cleaning around the engine in preparation and I've noticed these cracks





A moment of shear panic struck me at the time WTF etc
Looking at the casting and where the cracks are there is nothing supporting it behind the casting above the cracks.
So was it caused by pressure of the cam belt cover or has it suffered abuse in the past ?
How long has they been there ?
It looks like this isn't a part that is readily available

[Steve A]

So it looks like oil pumps (A100E6402S OPG-006) are as rarer than hens teeth
Given that the cracks have been there for some time I suppose I can just pretend there not there, but that doesn't sit easy with me

[dapinky]

Steve,

I have been trying to track down a source of (correct) oil pumps for a couple of years - as has John Callahan in USA.....

....they appear to be the sort of thing that doesn't go wrong very often, so they aren't kept in stock anywhere - but I wanted one for my engine rebuild, because I just did!

I haven't looked recently, but kept drawing a blank when I did.

[chrisP]

Are those cracks in the casting, not just cracks that were in the original mould the Aluminium housing was pulled from and therefore are not cracks at all??

[Steve A]

Are those cracks in the casting, not just cracks that were in the original mould the Aluminium housing was pulled from and therefore are not cracks at all??

It's very possible that the "crack" close to the where the cam belt tensioner is may be a casting "step" (a third party who can easily access theirs is going to see if they have comparable marks)
The other "crack" I am convinced is real because if you tap around it with a 1/4 extension bar the nice ting ting noise you get when you tap something solid changes pitch the other side of the crack
I'm not too worried about that one the other one is more crucial though.

I have no idea where my cam belt tensioner is somewhere between Rockauto and Pacelforce

[lotusflasherman]

I have no idea where my cam belt tensioner is somewhere between Rockauto and Pacelforce

Steve, that's a bugger - Sod's Law working again!

My SE on SORN has a cambelt that's only done 20k but now past it's Use By Date, so I ordered the Rockauto 'composite kit' for when I get round to getting it back on the road. Not urgent, so it arrived in just a couple of days, of course..
Kit is still in the box - you're welcome to use that one and replace it when yours turns up if you want ...

(having said that, yours should turn up now )