| Author | Message | ||
| Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member Username: Verell Post Number: 575 Registered: 5-2001 |
Ric, I've been intending to expand your write-up, & would be honored to co-author with you. I took quite a few digital pix last time I changed my belts & have a lot of notes in my notebook. I've just had my hands full between my 8-6 job, my 308, & Unobtainium Supply. I've got the name of a F*lister who also took a lot of photos & notes & was going to write the procedure up. I'm going on vacation for a week the end of next month with my wife & elderly in-laws. Based on an Alaska cruise we took with them 2 years ago, I expect I'll have a few hours/day that I"ll need to fill in to avoid sheer boredom.(Of course I could end up w/no free time, but I think that's unlikely.) I'll try to load my laptop up with everything I can lay my hands on between now & then & put together a 1st pass in a MS Word document. Then I'll eMAIL what I come up with (if anything) to you for your polishing/revision/sanity checking. My wife's a technical writer, so I might be able to talk her into editing/polishing it for us.(Which would be great as it would get her more involved in my car hobby.) How does this sound? | ||
| Ric Rainbolt (Ricrain)
Member Username: Ricrain Post Number: 497 Registered: 2-2002 |
We should revise my write up with the new information, no? Tom, send an email and I'll send you my cell phone number (the "panic line").  | ||
| Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member Username: Verell Post Number: 573 Registered: 5-2001 |
Tom, All I had to guide my first belt change was Ric's procedure & several FerrariList posts. I'm really grateful for Ric's taking the time to do a writeup. Also for his answering several of my panic phone calls when I got stumped on fine details. Search the archives. Last spring & summer I posted several long responses to cam belt change threads passing on numerous tips & fine details that Ric's write-up doesn't get down to. RobertGarvin also posted several at the same time. Good Luck, | ||
| Craig Dewey (Craigfl)
Member Username: Craigfl Post Number: 550 Registered: 1-2001 |
I did my belts and I recommend removing the cam covers, checking the alignment and the valves at the same time. If you lock the cam pulleys and just replace the belt, you may find that you have to turn one cam slightly to fit the belt -- so which way to turn it? As others have said, you need to replace the tensioner bearing/pulley too -- cheap insurance. Not a difficult job but I was very, very careful and double checked everything. Mistakes will be costly. | ||
| Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member Username: Lawrence Post Number: 528 Registered: 4-2002 |
Feel free to ask questions even ones you might perceive to be silly. There are a lot of knowledgeable on this list. They are more than willing to help you out. | ||
| Tom Francis (Tfrancis)
New member Username: Tfrancis Post Number: 12 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks Guys!! Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. I'm also doing a complete brake job so that won't be a concern with the rotors. I'll have to review and study this several times over to make sure I have this right. This is my winter project so I can take my time. I'll keep you guys posted with pictures etc. If you think of any other helpful hints please let me know. Thanks, Tom Francis 328 GTS | ||
| Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member Username: Lawrence Post Number: 527 Registered: 4-2002 |
And you are going to have to deal with the AC compressor. It is in the way and you cannot remove the front belt cover without getting it out of the way. This is where it gets tricky. What I do (and I am not saying this is the best way to do it but it is the way I have twice done it) is remove the passenger side gas tank. Then I pile up wooden planks where it was. Then I remove compressor and sit it on the planks out of the way with hoses connected and not loosened in any way. That gives you a lot of room to work with the belts. I can get the tank out in a morning. If you do this, make a mental note on how you positioned the tank to get it by the axle. One fellow on this list said he can get his out without removing brake rotor. I remove caliper and rotor. Maybe next time I'll try it without removing the rotor/caliper. Changing the belts is serious business. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 2867 Registered: 9-2001 |
give you a lot of credit fro trying this for the first time. Wasn't there website that walked you through a belt change on a 308 - might be worthwhile checking out. oh here it is - http://www.cameragear.com/ec/timing.htm looks like its Rics | ||
| Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member Username: Lawrence Post Number: 526 Registered: 4-2002 |
On the other end of the engine there are timing marks that indicate TDC. There is also a timing mark on each cam and corresponding bearing assembly. With these in view, you would know if timing has slipped. (Some people wedge something between the cam pulleys to prevent movement - something that is not harmful to the pulley surface.) But the cam marks necessitate removal of cam covers. If they are not leaking, you might want to leave them alone. I assume here you are not checking valve clearance. You could draw a line center to center through both cam pulleys. That way you know if a cam shaft rotates on you when you have the belt off. One of them has a tendency to do so at TDC. Also mark the crank pulley so you know it doesn't move. To this end, REMOVE spark plugs. You might want to check the condition of the tensioners. You did not say how old they are. Some people recommend replacement of them along with the belts. Don't forget to tighten (lock) the tensioners after you adjust the new belt. | ||
| Tom Francis (Tfrancis)
New member Username: Tfrancis Post Number: 11 Registered: 5-2002 |
One more question... I'm now down to the timing belts. I know I need to be careful here. I've never changed the timing belts before and need to know how to do it without disrupting the cams. It was done on it's last major service 3 years ago at 60K miles. I've since put on another 15k. They don't look too bad but since I'm this far into it seems like it's worth doing for $22 bucks a piece. Tom Francis | ||
| Tom Francis (Tfrancis)
New member Username: Tfrancis Post Number: 10 Registered: 5-2002 |
You were right Steve!! I loosened those three nuts and it gave me all the room I needed. I did have to remove the pulley tensioner in order to get the belt completely off. I wanted to do that anyway since I'm cleaning each piece and doing some powder coating. Thanks, Tom | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member Username: 91tr Post Number: 1427 Registered: 1-2001 |
On the AC belt, try backing off the three nuts holding the AC compressor to upper bracket as much as possible. You may even be forced to remove the nuts/washers and sort of "float" the AC compressor down a bit to get enough slack for the dismount/mount. I can confirm on my ex-308 that there was the maximum number of shims on the AC compressor mounting studs and just disengaging the AC belt idler pulley wasn't sufficient to dismount/mount the AC belt either. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 2828 Registered: 9-2001 |
should be able to move the a/c too?? Worse come to worse could you cut the belt, of course later you will have to adjust to get the new one on | ||
| Tom Francis (Tfrancis)
New member Username: Tfrancis Post Number: 9 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hey Folks, I'm trying to remove my alternator belt and A/C Compressor belt. I successfully removed the waterpump belt but the other two are giving me problems. I've loosed the bolts for the pulley and brackets but still don't have enough slack to pull them off. I could remove the upper bolt from the brace on the alternator which might allow me more flexibility. The A/C compressor I'm clueless. Any other suggestions welcomed. Thanks, Tom '86 328 GTS |