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[Markie]

I am asking this question by the way as I suspect it has the wrong tensioner assembly fitted, it looks like the early one (EB) and hence why the the top idler is not between the cams....

hmmmm been back out and cant find anything at all even had her indoors check with me. Used mirror to even check parts i cant see....light now failing so need to check again tomorrow...

I cant possibly see how this car cant have engine damage from that set up do you ?

Also are there any other backing plates that may be unmarked ie some form of non vx or cheap version?

I was always under the assumption - maybe wrong - that any car with cam issues wouldnt start?

[Markie]

I am asking this question by the way as I suspect it has the wrong tensioner assembly fitted, it looks like the early one (EB) and hence why the the top idler is not between the cams....

that would also explain why the belt is slightly looser around the left of the tensioner wouldnt it......not significant play but more than the rest of the belt which seems fine..

[Marks DTM Calib]

Heres a pic of the two types of back plate (I have not re-sized it so you can still see the detail), hopefully you can see where the digits are in the middle....the top one is the type that should be fitted....and I am 99% sure its not......I would say there is a low risk of damage as the timing looks fairly close.....it needs the crank winding around as said to check properly....

[Markie]

had another look - theres definatley something engraved in there as you say  - need to check in morning..

Its definately not 01 and probably more like eb - but a lower case "e" rather than captial :-/

bearing in mind i cant get the backing plate for crank off and oil cooler is fitted now, can i carry on change the water pump and progress as i intended, or does it realy need cranked by hand before starting? I just need to pick up those banjo bolts tomorrow to complete the job. Car has done an accurate 44k and if its got wrong backing plate would suggest work has been done in this area since it left the factory.

Car has never gone in my time but when i bought it the car did start and tick over albeit roughly...no wonder with a duff radiator / oil cooler and all that sludge.

Thanks Mark  

[Ronald_McBurger]

Unusually, again I agree with Mark here. Something looks wrong with the position of the top idler. EB is what should be stamped, not eb. I again suspect iot may be the wrong back plate or that the top idler has worked loose.

[Kevin Wood]

I'd suggest if it was running rough it's more likely to be because of the cam timing being all over the place than the oil cooler / radiator issues.

Having done the work to get to the cam belt I would at least make sure the cam timing is OK and the belt correctly tensioned before putting it back together.

Kevin

[Markie]

hmm i knew that would be the answer - the one i didnt want....frankly cambelts scare me - its the one thing i avoid in a car and thats even with the excellent DVD. Also i cant get the plate off for crank......

[Kevin Wood]

I know what you're saying. It's not nice when a job snowballs into something bigger than you expected, especially if it takes you outside your "comfort zone" but I've also lobbed things back together when I had a gut feeling that something wasn't right and that leaves a feeling of dread too.

At least if you know you've been thorough you can (eventually) put it all together knowing it's not going to come back to haunt you.

Kevin

[JamesV6CDX]

Mate, bite the bullet, for a 44k car.... get a new belt, tensioners and pump  

[Markie]

awwwwww jeeeeeez i can feel a twitch in my wallet....

You know that fear we all in something that always seems to have stemmed from childhood - think thats where i get my cambelt fear from.... saw it done wrongly when i was 13.....

must overcome my fear - must do cambelt - dont think i can see a therapist for this  

[Kevin Wood]

At the end of the day 3 simple rules will ensure that it goes OK:

If you need to turn the cams on their own make sure the crankshaft is turned off the TDC position (back to 60 degrees before on a V6)

Turn the engine 2 turns and make sure the marks all line up again at TDC. Repeat as necessary. Start again as necessary. Once you've turned it through 2 turns and it all lines up you're good to go.

Before you put it all back together ensure that the tensioner bolts and all other fasteners under the cam cover have been correctly torqued and that the spring tensioner is set correctly.

Kevin

[Marks DTM Calib]

Oil cooler is a bigger challenge than the cambelt.....

I would turn the crank to see how far out of time the cambelt is as aready said....do you know when the cambelt was hanged, it looks fairly new....if it is new then we might be able to sort something out with a replacement tensioner plate...

[Markie]

Oil cooler is a bigger challenge than the cambelt.....

I would turn the crank to see how far out of time the cambelt is as aready said....do you know when the cambelt was hanged, it looks fairly new....if it is new then we might be able to sort something out with a replacement tensioner plate...

Well the guy that i bought it from - had no clue about these things he believed it needd 2 new heads - said about 40k just after he bought it - which means about 7/ 8 months ago....

Same old story though - no proof in writing. But like you i really do think that backing plate and the tensioners look really new.

[Markie]

ok todays progress - decided to remove brand new thermostat and have now also taken water pump off.

Surprisingly little came out from water pump... about a mug of very thick sludge and half a mug of water. Jacked car up and also left it level and also jacked passenger side only an an attempt to bleed every last drop out  

Now flushed as best i can from coolant slot through to water pump outlet and very comprehensivley cleaned both. With the use of a filter warm water is running from stat housing out water pump outlet ( into a container) and its clear.

So now back on with the stat / housing etc and fit new water pump.

Also got new banjo bolts and i will put 2 new ones on oil cooler pipes and also coolant bridge. Peace of mind and all that.  

and then.... :-/

[Marks DTM Calib]

....turn the crank until its at TDC and check the cam timing marks...