Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Diamond Black Geezer on 29 April 2020, 10:29:05

Title: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 29 April 2020, 10:29:05
Well, it's that lovely time of the decade, cambelt time again  :y And as the Omega is the daily transport for the other half as Community Nurse I owe it to her to keep the Old Girl in roadworthy safe condition.

I had a very kind off from a fellow OOFer to do the job myself with him looking over my shoulder so to speak, checking I'm doing everything right, though I'm not sure under current guidelines that's going to happen, however I'll check with him in due course. Options are...

1. Ignore it (no!)
2. Take it to local garage (no!)
3. Do it myself (have the tools, not the confidence!)
4. See about other qualified OOF persons on here - doesnt matter the mileage I have to travel as I know it'll be a good standard of work, Serek etc...

We're between Stratford-upon-Avon and Northampton essentially in a cow field... what do we think?  :)
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: biggriffin on 29 April 2020, 11:06:07
If your not 100% confident, and you've been offered help, take it. Every day is a learning day, and as you said the wife needs the car everyday to go to work,why risk doing it wrong..
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 29 April 2020, 11:11:34
Just to clarify it's a case of if the help is still on the table... may well be they don't want some smelly Norther person coming in their house coughing all over the place using their tools!  :D

More than happy to do the job with some assistance, in fact that's the preferred ideal solution. I will pay someone (good) if I have to, and equally will do the job on my own (again, if I have to) but as I say that extra pair of eyes will be worth their weight in gold. She's got s few days off in a little over a week so I'm just gathering my options for now.

Also, just to add to the list - do I recall that the crank locking tool (one on the left) is not strictly speaking necessary? Reason is I don't have one, got the other bits, not that.

(https://cdn3.volusion.com/szgnn.xxmwg/v/vspfiles/photos/KMTKM-800-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Entwood on 29 April 2020, 11:41:05
DLK (Darth LooKnee) has re-appeared on the forum and used to do mine for me .. really excellent work everytime ... now, he used to be in Stoke - I would drive up and he would do it while I waited - but he may well now be in Poland ... who knows !!!!!!!!!   :)

(and I still have a complete timing kit for sale ... see sales pages) ...  :)
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 29 April 2020, 11:42:00
Ta mate  :y

Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 29 April 2020, 11:42:46
You NEED the crank lock and wedge in order to not require a new engine.

Desmond doesn't require it, but the belt run is very different.
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 29 April 2020, 11:45:10
Ahhh  :(

Had it at the back of my mind that it was worth sticking on, but not strictly speaking necessary, given how hard it is to actually crank an engine over for anyone that's ever done it plugs in. Ta  :y
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 29 April 2020, 11:51:02
They turn over much less easily if you leave it in gear :-[
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 29 April 2020, 11:52:10
Fair dos  :y

So, who's still doing them or is everyone hiding indoors?  ;D
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: biggriffin on 29 April 2020, 15:23:31
If your in Northampton ish Shire, Try serek down here in hoof'land,
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 30 April 2020, 07:14:49
I’ll do it free of charge, the only issue at the moment is this Covid19 situation.

I’m not actually a mechanic by trade, so when they’re telling people to stay home by law, I’m not sure I should be doing a 100+ mile round trip to service a car. I want to - because it’s for a keyworker no less - but I’m just not sure it would constitute an essential journey.

Additionally, I’d be more than happy for you to bring it here, but again, part of the government rules are no visitors who don’t live in the household.

I would imagine the same difficulties would apply with any other hobbyist / enthusiast mechanics :(

Whilst ignoring it is obviously not an option, it might be a balanced decision to leave it until these regs are relaxed? Hopefully it won’t be long :y

Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Bigron on 30 April 2020, 07:31:14
James, it came as no surprise to read that you had volunteered to do this job - altruistic as ever
As I understand it, they are advisory rules rather than actual laws, and as you are helping a key worker surely is is ok to travel for such an important reason?
Stay safe anyway James.

Ron.
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 30 April 2020, 07:39:38
James, it came as no surprise to read that you had volunteered to do this job - altruistic as ever
As I understand it, they are advisory rules rather than actual laws, and as you are helping a key worker surely is is ok to travel for such an important reason?
Stay safe anyway James.

Ron.

No - it’s legislation. People undertaking non essential activity are being “ticketed”.

I just don’t think I could argue it’s essential travel / an essential visit if I were to be stopped or asked about why I’m so far from home. I don’t have work reasons - as I’m not a mechanic
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 April 2020, 07:57:29
If I was in work at the moment then it would be easy (working in Gaydon), sadly Notts is a bit further away.
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 30 April 2020, 09:53:51
Much thanks to all. And thanks for clarification of the situation James. In terms of the travel I fully appreciate you'd not want to risk any legal issues, don't want you risking anything on mine or anyone's behalf.

Also Thanks for Mark, yes Gaydon is just round the corner, typically it would have been mere seconds for you to glance over, see what I'd done wrong and probably refit and adjust the belt in its entirety, and probably sort the starting issue, cure the squeak in the passenger seat in the time it took me to return with a cuppa! But alas not to be.

I'd be happy to travel, at least putting any risk on my shoulders. Just confirming what I asked in the pm James, do you have a timing kit tool? Ta all, again  :y
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: dave.h on 30 April 2020, 12:57:22
Much thanks to all. And thanks for clarification of the situation James. In terms of the travel I fully appreciate you'd not want to risk any legal issues, don't want you risking anything on mine or anyone's behalf.

Also Thanks for Mark, yes Gaydon is just round the corner, typically it would have been mere seconds for you to glance over, see what I'd done wrong and probably refit and adjust the belt in its entirety, and probably sort the starting issue, cure the squeak in the passenger seat in the time it took me to return with a cuppa! But alas not to be.

I'd be happy to travel, at least putting any risk on my shoulders. Just confirming what I asked in the pm James, do you have a timing kit tool? Ta all, again  :y

Having just replaced my V6 belt, I have a timing locking kit.

If you're stuck, I'd be happy to send it down if you need to borrow one, as long as you send it back at some point.

Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: ronnyd on 30 April 2020, 13:13:54
I would imagine that you have a bit of a leeway of both mileage/4yr intervals for the cambelt. So, could you perhaps hang fire for the time being and see what the regs/guidelines are changed to over the next few weeks?  :-\
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Andy B on 30 April 2020, 13:26:09
I would imagine that you have a bit of a leeway of both mileage/4yr intervals for the cambelt. So, could you perhaps hang fire for the time being and see what the regs/guidelines are changed to over the next few weeks?  :-\

I'm with Ronny .... especially as the 4yr/40k was a knee jerk reaction to belts/tensioners failing under the original 8yr/80k belt service interval.
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Mutha Jugs n Speed on 30 April 2020, 18:06:05
I'm hoping that's true,as my three are out of time in a big way.....mileage not a problem,but can't remember if they have been done at an intermediate interval.... think Daz, JamesV6 and Serek may have a hand in all three....just lost in the mists of time. :-\ ::)
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: biggriffin on 01 May 2020, 06:52:57
I've seen many that have done 80k+ before cambelts were replaced,, The belt doesn't self distuct at 40,001miles, make of belt/tensioners, and driving style all play a part in belt life.,
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Mutha Jugs n Speed on 01 May 2020, 08:20:45
Just thinking back,I'm looking at maybe 9 years ago on the 3.0 but only 11k on mileage, both 3.2s 21k and 39k respectively but again could be 6-9 years....as you know I don't hold back on the money side,but it's all the time spent getting the cars sorted over the years and the cambelt issue sort of got by me.I had it all planned out to get them done this year and have stashed all the parts to get them done...but the batflu came along and stuffed that plan.  ::)
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 01 May 2020, 10:33:30
As soon as this is all over mate I’ll pop over and do them :y
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 01 May 2020, 20:26:59
I appreciate the feedback all. I know what you're saying,  they don't explode like a clock. 

I suppose ideally it would be done now, but situations being what it is.
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: dave.h on 03 May 2020, 00:09:41
I appreciate the feedback all. I know what you're saying,  they don't explode like a clock. 

I suppose ideally it would be done now, but situations being what it is.

I just bought a 2.2 petrol and the belt etc was changed last in 2016.  I figured I would do it and changed the belt pulleys and water pump but when I got it all off, the belt was in extremely good condition as were the pulleys, tensioner and water pump. I had to double check the service book and call the seller as it looked like if had been on less than a year, all the writing was still bright on the belt, but it was definitely 4 years old.

You've probably got time all things considered,
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 04 May 2020, 09:04:39
Just realised I haven't said thanks to Dave for the tool offer. Thanks and depending who's doing the job depends if they have one already. So watch this space,  but again, thanks for the offer, very decent of you!  :y
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 04 May 2020, 11:27:09
Just realised I haven't said thanks to Dave for the tool offer. Thanks and depending who's doing the job depends if they have one already. So watch this space,  but again, thanks for the offer, very decent of you!  :y

If you fancy a trip to Nottingham I can do it.

Or in a few weeks time when back at work
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: jonathanh on 05 May 2020, 14:53:04
Got a locking kit and cranked spanner plus the dvd here. Am in honiley near Kenilworth if it helps. Done a couple of v6 belts and a few others myself.  Drop me a line if it’s helpful
Title: Re: Nurse requires Cambelt!
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 01 June 2020, 01:10:23
New rules mean we can do this soon, if you like? Still free of charge :y