Ditch the timing belt covers!!!!

[Sonicfrog]

So I had a knock in my engine. Well, problems solved!!!

 

Notice I said problems, as in plural? Well sit right down and I'll tell you a tale which demonstrates the advantages of having no timing belt covers.

 

So I had this nasty knocking sound coming from the engine, but the discription didn't quite fit with a piston rod knock. Well, it turned out not to be one problem but was a cacophony of different sounds blending to sound like a knock. The main culprits? A bad timing belt tensioner bearing, and the fan clutch bearing was in the proccess of disintegrating. I now believe both had been going south for quite some time and I didn't know it.

 

On my way home from Atwater on Monday, I suddenly heard a bad squeal coming from the engine. I was still 40 miles from home and would have been very bummed to have a breakdown that far from home. It just so happens that I was thinking about going to the J-Yard in Madera anyway, since I would be passing it on my way home, and luckely I was only a few miles from the yard when the problem got bad. I pulled into the parking lot of the yard, popped the hood, and fired up the engine. Of coarse the squeak dissapeared, but I noticed the driver side timing belt had some disformities. I looked at the timing belt tensioner and saw that it was discolored and had purple score marks consistent with metal getting really hot. I was lucky enough to find a GL with a partialy dissasembled front end, which made getting the tensoiner a breeze. While I was removing the fan, I discovered that the bearing in the fan clitch was also fubar'ed. I had one laying around at the house and figure I install that one when I got home. After I did, the "knock" I had worried about has all but dissapeared.

 

To conclude my adventure, I want to thank myself for leaving the belt covers off the last time I repaired the engine. Because I did, this repair was much easier than it should have been.

[Syonyk]

I totally stripped my covers as well when I had things apart.

 

The way I look at it, even if things go HORRIBLY wrong, I'll probably be only changing timing belts twice as often as with the covers. And, realistically, as long as I don't leave rags in the engine bay, I shouldn't really have problems.

 

However, changing the belts with the covers on is a ~2hr operation.

 

Changing the belts without the covers is a ~15min operation.

 

And, I can easily inspect the belts for problems without the covers.

 

So, I'm pretty sure that I'll be saving time over the life of the car without them.

 

-=Russ=-

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

So I had a knock in my engine ... The main culprits? A bad timing belt tensioner bearing, and the fan clutch bearing was in the proccess of disintegrating...

 

I had the same problems too... I Believe those bearings are Parts that Shall be Replaced every Timin` belts Change.

[jacobs]

I had the same problems too... I Believe those bearings are Parts that Shall be Replaced every Timin` belts Change.

 

 

OR pop out the seals on the old bearings and repack them. Bearings will last almost forever IF they don't run dry.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Except when the Ball Bearin´ is Too Loose, or Damaged.

(Here, extremly dusty Roads make some Ball Bearings to last short times...)

[beataru]

YAYAY... Glad to here the roo is in good health now!!!

[jacobs]

OR pop out the seals on the old bearings and repack them. Bearings will last almost forever IF they don't run dry.

 

Correction - Chinese bearings need to be replaced with EVERY belt change! You get what you pay for. Quality costs more money.

[Prospeeder]

ha im going through the same thing, coolant spewed everywhere and my little passenger side tensioner started knocking, i know thats what it is because when i had my belts off it was rust and had ALOT of drag but i was on a budget, im paying for it now and i have to replace it tomarrow