Removal of fan and timing belt

[Adammcf]

Im in the middle of taking my head off to check if it or the gasket has gone.
Ive the whole engine stripped now apart from the belts.
The fan is still connected but is there anything I should remember to do or not to do at this stage?
I dont want to screw up the position of the belts and pulleys etc for when it comes time to put it back together again.

ps: whats the best way of taking off the fan and belts etc?

Cheers.

[chu346]

Thats just what i've been doing for the last couple of days.

To start the fan will be reverse thread, so you'll need to undo that in the opposite direction. I found i had to take off the metal water pipe thing off to get at the nut. The nut will be 32mm.

What engine is you car M20? If so i took the case off the cam sproket cover and lined up the little mark on the cam sproket with the mark on the head, which is at the 1 o'clock position. Then i marked the crankshaft position with some paint against the housing. As you might have guest i didn't take the bottom cover off, as i was feeling abit lazy.

You will then need to undo the cam sprocket and getly prise of the sproket.

There might be another way of doing this with some proper tool, but im not sure on this engine. Just make sure you line up the cam sproket and mark the crankshaft pulley correctly.

[Ade]

Im doing the same too - Although i didnt need to take the fan off to get the cam belt off. I had to undo the bolts securing the fan pulley though and you cant do that if youve taken off or slackened the fan belt.

Next time I might undo the battery before I start - I put the ignition on (for the radio) and almost turned the starter motor - with the cam belt off...

Also beware of the 3 bolts securing the distributor rotor (if your dizzy is on the end of the cam) one of the allen bolts rounded off and when I used some force to get it off the bl**dy rotor and metal mount behind it snapped

(Another Ԛ£10 for the BM part and Ԛ£11 for a new rotor)

hope this helps
Ade

[Ade]

actually I did take the fan off - but didnt bother removing the viscous coupling that it bolts to - fan removal made things a lot easier

[Adammcf]

Cheers dudes. My Bentley manual came yesterday so I'll get the belts etc all off this weekend and get the head apart.
The only bolt so far to snap has been one of the little ones that holds on the dizzy cap.
Hopefully I can get the rest out of the cover and again hopefully BMW sell a new bolt.

[Ant]

no special tools needed on M20s dudes, its dot to dot bottom and top, just make sure and use a new tensioner and spring, the free length of the spriong is important to get tension correct and for the cost of the parts do you want to be safe or sorry ?

good work spanner twirlers !

[dazleeds]

use the tensioner mate he,s rite

i remember when i didnt

Daz leeds

[Adammcf]

Would a tensioner and belt from somewhere like GSF or Euro car parts be ok or is it best to stick to BMW parts? I'll be buying the head gasket and studs from them probably. Still praying I wont need a new head.[/quote]

[Ade]

oh crap - never looked at the length of the spring!

Is this something that I should have replaced?? I got a new tensioner as everyone said its not worth the hassle otherwise.

I thought the rule of thumb was that the belt needed to be just tight enough that it wouldnt jump and couldnt be twisted through more than 90 degrees. Am I wrong??

[Ant]

Don't worry about it dude, the 90 degrees rule of thumb is sound as a pound.

next time get a new spring though