cambelt 325i

[thesaint]

thinking of a cambelt chnage, is it an easy job, anthing else i should change while im at it?

[Brianmoooore]

Easy enough if you're at all mechanically competant.
Water pump should be changed at the same time, and belt tensioner pulley of course.
Distributor cap and rotor have to come off, so check them as well.
Don't strip the thread of the small long bolt that fixes the belt cover to the head.

[thesaint]

thanks for that, already done water pump 10,000 miles ago

[Brianmoooore]

thanks for that, already done water pump 10,000 miles ago

In that case, the cambelt should have been done as well.
You didn't re use the old one did you?

[thesaint]

was in a hurry and dint have a spare cambelt it looked good, but it worries me endlessly

[E30BeemerLad]

do a search for a thread called "Cambelt change Idiots Guide" it chronicles the belt change i did last summer and has links to a guide with pics etc. I had never done a job like that before and I pulled it off

[kam-325i]

I am dreading doing mine........

[Adammcf]

Its a piece of piss. Just make sure the notch on the crank lines up with the notch in the belt cover and the notch on the cam pulley lines up with the notch in the head. Then turn it a few times by hand once its all fitted to make sure nothing is catching and to make sure it still lines up after a few turns.

[Dan318-is]

Its a piece of piss. Just make sure the notch on the crank lines up with the notch in the belt cover and the notch on the cam pulley lines up with the notch in the head. Then turn it a few times by hand once its all fitted to make sure nothing is catching and to make sure it still lines up after a few turns.

This is extremely important; i found out the hard way on a 320i turd at college that is now in e30 heaven (well hopefully it went to hell)

[thesaint]

will do tomorrow if the dealer has the parts in stock

[kam-325i]

The last time i changed a cam belt, i managed to get it wrong, God knows how i got it 180Deg out....This was on my Cortina.

Do you have to take the bottom belt cover off ? the one around the bottom pulley.

[eun]

i need to do mine soon as i dont have a clue when it was
last done as i bought the engine from someone and i wanna be safe
than sorry

i got quoted Ԛ£300-Ԛ£350 is this expensive?

im not very mechanically minded, i would probably feel more confident paying brianmooore to do it as he gives more info than a specialist

[DaveD]

My mechanic has just done (i am a lazy sod)mine and had great trouble getting that big nut off the front of the crank...it had seized on.so have the right equipment ready

[Ant]

no need to take the "nut" off fella

makes me wonder WTF goes on when I read stuff like that !, talk about making it hard work

[eun]

no need to take the "nut" off fella

makes me wonder WTF goes on when I read stuff like that !, talk about making it hard work

see this is what i mean with garages ripping you off! if its a simple job
for a zoner id rather give my hard earned cash to them.

my car has no history anyway so its not like id be devaluing [sp] it

[E30BeemerLad]

here is the guide I used

http://www.angelfire.com/blues2/bimmer/

[gcorky]

300-350 id do 3 for that at proper rate...lol

[Brianmoooore]

If you're offering Ԛ£350, I'll be right down.

[Brianmoooore]

My mechanic has just done (i am a lazy sod)mine and had great trouble getting that big nut off the front of the crank...it had seized on.so have the right equipment ready

Yee Gods!!!!! FIND YOURSELF A NEW MECHANIC!