Nothing like getting to know your car by doing some diy work and developing some confidence in the car. Plan on changing all the fluids and doing the timing belts... Just finished exposing everything for the belts. The AC compressor is a pain! Plan to ask the list for help if I get stuck! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Awesome start! What is the one thing you wish somebody had warned you about before you started? One trick that you learned? Keep posting this stuff!
so far learned: 1) take compressor off mount then take mount off. stubby to get to belt adjusting bolt in the front, use my left arm from the wheel well. 2) need to swing compressor behind gas tank to get cam cover off then swing back beside tank to do work on belts. 3) stuffing card board pieces between drive pulley/belt and surround to hold belt on while using 19mm ratchet to move cam pulley to align belt marks. rear bank done, so far so good. don't have the best light, now 11pm so will finish up tomorrow! btw the A/C charge nipple is the one on the fitting on the compressor? is there a discharge fitting somewhere? will need to clip and clean under my nails before going to work on Monday - I'm a surgeon Image Unavailable, Please Login
Did my gear oil and breaks today on the 328. Belts will be my first major project in the next few weeks. I'll watch your progress for tips. Please share how long it is taking you and what you did to secure the cams.
Great that the first real DIY is the belts! Now you don't have to worry about them for the next 3 years... Or is it 5 years? Or is it 8 or 10 years? Or is it 30,000 miles. Or is it 52,000 miles? Oh well, at least you know for sure when the last belt change was done. You have at least three years to figure out the interval!
I am an attorney. You should see the looks I get when I show up with banged up hands/por 15 that won't come off and dents in my forehead from that damn deck bafold.
Great you're doing this yourself. While you have things torn down and the car accessible there are a few other things that you might consider replacing. One of the primary causes for car loss on the 328s is the collars on the fuel tank interconnect pipe. With time these things turn into mush and in extreme cases can cause fires and the loss of the car. (I know of at least two) Scuderia Rampante has a fuel hose kit that is absolutely state of the art. It's not inexpensive but is superior to any other option. Water pumps are a maintenance issue and if there is any evidence of leakage or bearing wear (usually manifested by drips from the weep hole on the casting) you should consider getting it rebuilt. Beware of the bargain basement ones on auction sites. Again this is not an inexpensive line item. I have had good results having Dave at Scuderia Rampante doing the rebuild and recommend him. Certainly there may be other options but do your homework before making a choice. If you go through the nuisance of draining the car of anti freeze, I would also replace the large diameter water hoses if they're still original. You have multiples up front and also on the engine area. I have used Gates Green Stripe 1 1/2" hose but there are other options also. Actual size is 40mm. When you reassemble the AC lines on the compressor, make sure they don't engage the three vapor lines off the R side fuel tank. Over time the friction can wear a hole through the AC line. I'm just repairing such a problem that wore a hole through the AC line causing loss of the refrigerant with loss of function. While the compressor is out, consider draining and replacing the oil. Ester oil is what I use as it is compatible with R-134A which many of the systems have been converted to. The York units typically take 8 to 10 oz of the oil. This is drained and filled from the hex head plug. One on each side of the unit 3/4 of the way up from the base. If the AC system is drained anyway, replace the filter dryer as a preventive measure. There are a number of possible interchanges out there. One of the most popular is from a 1987 Saab 900/9000 4-valve. These are available from places like Rock Auto and Car-Quest for ~$30US @. These are some of the things I have done on 328s along with replacing sway bar bushings while you're under the car. Most often they're in poor condition. There are a number of experts on this forum that can help you if you have questions. Of key importance is getting the timing belt installation correct. Again, this is well documented on this forum. The reward will be a great ride with few worries when you're done. Russ There is some excellent documentation on this forum on the entire belt process- be sure to review that especially the parts that deal with belt tensioning. Removal and cleaning/lubricating of the tensioners should also be done as part of this servicing.
I don't understand the comment about the paper cardboard. Here are some hints. 1. Latex gloves. That must be second nature to a surgeon like you. 2. Take the lid off. It is a 3 person operation to put it back but it saves the swearing. Cannot do the front bank valves with it on anyway. 3. Use large binder clips, or small c clamps to keep belt on 4. Make or buy a cam shaft pulley locking tool 5. Hill bearing. Say no more. 6. Air impact driver, 1/2 inch, Ingersol Rand, impact 36mm socket I still hate that AC compressor.
Great advice/hints. Thank you! TrojanFan I didn't clamp/secure the cam pulley (I talked to a mechanic who said he doesn't). If it's marked well, I didn't see a need. It will may move a few degrees but it's not like it turns freely and you can move the pulley pretty easily with a socket on the centre bolt to line up your marks. I didn't think the movement would cause problems with the valves/injure them hitting the pistons (not enough force) but I could be wrong. (I'm sure I'll be schooled here if many disagree) I'll have to take a look at those items Russ, I'll probably change the larger dia coolant hose up at top. I will check all the things you mentioned! yelcab, the cardboard was just a way to keep the belts on the drive sprocket, like the clips/c-clamps. I actually secretly enjoy not using latex gloves and getting my hands dirty since I can't do that at work Not sure I want to take the lid off unless I have to - I realigned mine the other day (space from side to side was slightly off) and it was a pain to get right.. What's the 36mm socket for? turning the engine over? - l think I have one (used to remove drive shaft in the front wheel of my 993turbo) more stuff I've learned 4) can mark the pulley/sprocket in the groves (there's space beside the belt) - easier/more accurate then marking the face. 5) after lining up the belts, slide the compressed tensioner/bearing (locked at full compression) onto the mounting bolts, then release the tensioner.
Regarding locking the cams, if the cams are on lobe and the shaft does move, wouldn't the valves move closed anyways? What's the firing order, can't think of a situation where valves would open rather than closed if the springs are allowed to move the camshaft..
Surgeons used to operate without gloves...now we use them... Many mechanics use them now too...just a modern development...to each his own, with respect to wrench turning only, of course. Your hands are your livelihood, though. Patients also don't seem too keen on their surgeons nails and fingers being all beat up and shabby. Great tips on the service. Ciao! Hannibal
That reminded me of one of my Land Cruiser buddies, I noticed him always wore gloves when doing something mechanical with the cruiser and told him he had a good habit of keep his hand clean, well he told me he's surgeon and didn't want his patients to see the dirty finger nails. LOL.
^ some torques M/mm (kg/m or daNM) ftlb cover to water pump housing & belt stretcher support 8 /13 (2.5) 18 ac compressor to support 10/17 (2) 14.5 alternator to support 10/17 (3) 22 timing case 10/17 (4) 30 alternator bracket 10/17 (6) 43.5 belt stretcher of ac 12/19 (4.6) 33.5 timing belt stretcher 12/19 (5.6) 40.5
"I didn't clamp/secure the cam pulley (I talked to a mechanic who said he doesn't). If it's marked well, I didn't see a need. It will may move a few degrees but it's not like it turns freely and you can move the pulley pretty easily with a socket on the centre bolt to line up your marks. I didn't think the movement would cause problems with the valves/injure them hitting the pistons (not enough force) but I could be wrong. (I'm sure I'll be schooled here if many disagree) " You are absolutely right. It is impossible for any damage to be caused by the cams shifting after the belt is removed and, as you noted, if they do, just shift them back when installing the belt. I've put new belts/chains/tensioners on more engines than I care to remember, both my own and as an professional engine builder and we never locked a cam in place to do it. I'm NOT saying there's anything wrong with locking cams if it makes a person feel more comfortable doing it.
^ I didn't worry about tdc either, if you screw up the marks, you're screwed anyways... Well I'm done the belts, took me two afternoons. The AC is a royal pain (I was thinking if I really need it!!). You have to think/plan out how to replace the AC: swing out behind the gas tank to get the covers on and the tensioning bracket on, swing back the AC to the normal position, mount the main AC bracket, attach the posterior mounting bolts on the AC, pass the tensioning bolt in front on, then put the remaining front AC bolts on, then pass the long tensioning bolt onto the bolt you placed earlier while rotating it to align... Clear as mud? Took a while thinking about it to figure this out... Next time will be faster! 5) only works for the rear tensioner, not the front .. Fun stuff
oh, also remember to put the plastic air intake from the fender opening back in prior to putting the coolant pipe back on... (also before putting the coolant support that attaches to the alternator bracket back on). ask me how I know.
I also found a couple of areas like Rem9/Russ mentioned on the a/c lines - rubbing against gas tank strap and along the side of the tank (there's foam there but collapsed) that I wedged/glued some rubber sheet to for protecting the lines. The vent line to the air cleaner box had a clamp that was rubbing against the fuel line which I moved/placed rubber between. When I followed the metal gas line up front where it turns on the firewall, it made contact with the wall and I could see abrasion - also repositioned slightly and padded with rubber... Had enough for this week end, got it up and running/bled the coolant. will save the oil/trans fluids for next weekend!
I find those rubber gloves a bit "wussy" but I suppose they make a lot of sense. Wheeler-Dealers Edd uses them all the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjcu6UEMIR8 I just get dirty nails and tell people "its OK, its Ferrari dirt".
