E30 Zone

hi yall
my car makes an god awfull squeal louder on start up, ive been told its probly the cam belt on the cover and told that its a comon fault ...is this true? ... what else could it be? ..... and can anybody give me a clue how much i should pay to get the cambelt changed.....as im trying to run this car on a budget at the mo but if jobs need doing id rather they were done........ cheers phil

Have you checked the tension on the fan belt and power steering belt, if you have power steering.
They will work out a hell of a lot cheaper to replace than a timing belt, Unless its due a new timing belt in which case get it fixed or its bye bye engine.

yeah checked the fanbelt and changed the alternator as i had a spare ..... was hoping i was just being numb and missing some usual fault that was an easy fix(wishfull thinking) dunno if the timing belt is due but ive the full kit sat here but didnt want to go to the unnessasery expence of paying to get it done if it wasnt needed .....phil

I'm trying to think if its possible to run the engine without the cover to see if it stops making a noise
But i think once your that involved you may as well go the whole hog and change it, have you got a new waterpump as well ?

no i aint got a new water pump... got a spare one on my scrapper im strippin y do u think it may be that?

Could be just the pump but the belt has to come off to get the pump off
I always change both when i do a belt because a new pump is only about Ԛ£20.

ok cool ill look into that .................... phil

Wierd it only does it on start up!
Starter motors can make strange noises (I always know when next door start up thier VW Polo!), could it be that? If the starter is not returning it can make a horrendous noise!

its louder on start up but its still there most the time (my stereos louder lol)its defenatly not the starter as with my head under the bonnet its coming from the front ............ cheers phil

the cam belt has to be changed every 30k miles.Neglect at your peril! lol.

I've never heard a cambelt rubbing on the front cover to make a noise like you describe, and a squeal on start up is usually the alternator belt slipping under heavy load as it tries to make up the energy depleted from the battery by starting.
BUT, if someone who has heard the noise reckons that is what it is, be aware there is a common fault where the centre shaft of the cam belt idler works loose, til;ts, and throws the cambelt forwards where it wears itself away against the front cover.
If this has happened, the belt will be very slack, and getting very narrow, and you will be living on borrowed time!

could be altenator bearing or pully bearing.

how big a job is changing the cam belt? i have done quite a bit of diy mechanics but this is one of those jobs ive always been scared of ....is there a thred of how 2 ....do i need any speicalist tools .....
......................................................................................................................................phil

Relatively easy on a M20, compared with the rubbish produced by some other manufactuers. No engine mounts to remove, or things like that.
No special tools required, and there is a built in automatic tensioner.
Radiator out, and get stuck in.

sweet nice to hear think that will be next weekends job then (depending on our great british weather)...cheers m8 phil

Tensioner should always be replaced with the belt, and water pump at least every second belt.
Coolant should be replaced (see warnings about airlocks on refilling), and carefully check the distributor cap and rotor while they are off.