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Doing the 24v timing belt dance.

26K views 204 replies 19 participants last post by  horsewidower 
#1 · (Edited)
I moved the '95 LS into the workshop. Both boys were available, so, with a bit of bribery involving ribs and some freshly made caprese salad, they helped push the car into the workshop. My D-I-L participated by steering it into position. It was surprisingly easy to push.

I'll get it up on the lift this evening, after removing all the sand dust that is on areas that I'll be leaning over/brushing against. The horse arena provides an endless amount of unbound sandpaper courtesy of the breeze. Then I'll organize the work space.

First thing I'll need to do is find all the tools. I know I purchased cam locks. And, given that I need to move all the GTV6 parts to the storage garage, I'll probably run into them in that process. Once I've found the tools, the plan is to pull the sparkplugs and check both banks for any tattle tale marks of piston/valve intersection. Have bore gauge, will travel. If none are found, we'll move on to the normal timing belt replacement. If I find them, I'll pull the head(s) off the '94 and replace any suspect parts. This is the one area that could ruin my timetable. I'd like to avoid having to have anything go to the machine shop.

Assuming no witness marks, the plan is to get everything prep'd for the R&R over the first week of September. I should have enough time between now and then to have all the parts ordered and on hand, and tools found/ordered and on hand to do the job.

As always, there will be pictures.

Bob

Info:

https://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/8454234-post1.html
https://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/1012443-post28.html
 
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#2 ·
Have you actually determined if the timing is off, whether or not you end up changing the belt? Did you install the new ignition modules you were going to order? Would be nice to know before you start dismantling things. Just for your knowledge of what could go wrong, for possibly a next time.
 
#3 ·
Del, given that the belt was either past needing to be changed, or just about needing to be changed (you’ve seen the threads discussing it) I’m going to jump in and do the belt change. Which obviously means I’ll be setting cam timing, eliminating any chance of crashing valves. Once that’s done, I’ll move back to dealing with any other issues.

The last time I started it, it ran so poorly that I want to deal with cam timing, belts, pulleys etc before turning it over again.


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#4 ·
It's up on the lift. Quick underbody inspection. I now know why it sounded so dang good on the way down from Washington...both mufflers have holes. LOL

Two other things of note. Front side downpipe has a bit of a crush in it. There is fluid under the clutch, steering rack area. I know it has a clutch problem, so I'm going to hope it's that. I have those parts. I did the rack on the '94, I'll scavenge that if I need to. A bit of oil under the area of the belt cover. We'll obviously figure that out when we tear into the belts.

It's suppose to be 100*+ until the weekend. We'll see how far we get.
 
#5 ·
I moved the '95 LS into the workshop. Both boys were available, so, with a bit of bribery involving ribs and some freshly made caprese salad, they helped push the car into the workshop. My D-I-L participated by steering it into position. It was surprisingly easy to push.

I'll get it up on the lift this evening, after removing all the sand dust that is on areas that I'll be leaning over/brushing against. The horse arena provides an endless amount of unbound sandpaper courtesy of the breeze. Then I'll organize the work space.

First thing I'll need to do is find all the tools. I know I purchased cam locks. And, given that I need to move all the GTV6 parts to the storage garage, I'll probably run into them in that process. Once I've found the tools, the plan is to pull the sparkplugs and check both banks for any tattle tale marks of piston/valve intersection. Have bore gauge, will travel. If none are found, we'll move on to the normal timing belt replacement. If I find them, I'll pull the head(s) off the '94 and replace any suspect parts. This is the one area that could ruin my timetable. I'd like to avoid having to have anything go to the machine shop.

Assuming no witness marks, the plan is to get everything prep'd for the R&R over the first week of September. I should have enough time between now and then to have all the parts ordered and on hand, and tools found/ordered and on hand to do the job.

As always, there will be pictures.

Bob
If anything I bet if it did slip it was 1-2 teeth as the motor is running but not well, correct?

I have cam locks if needed to borrow.

As noted in a previous post, when I set up timing I make #1 piston is at top of towards the end of the plateau right before it falls.
This was a tip from a long time Alfa mechanic friend in the UK. While you are at it, either replace 2 rear camshaft washers and or add chalk.

Let me know if I can help.

Ciao
 
#6 ·
I have cam locks if needed to borrow.

As noted in a previous post, when I set up timing I make #1 piston is at top of towards the end of the plateau right before it falls.
This was a tip from a long time Alfa mechanic friend in the UK. While you are at it, either replace 2 rear camshaft washers and or add chalk.

Let me know if I can help.

Ciao
I'll get a hold of you for parts. I'll look around a bit harder to try and find my cam locks, if I can't I'll let you know and you can send them with my order. I'll be doing it soon so I won't keep them for long. I really appreciate the offer.
 
#7 · (Edited)
the 164 24v down pipe(s) double wall and shallow oil pans

"Front side downpipe has a bit of a crush in it."

FYI that front down pipe on 24v is double wall so inner pipe probably still round and OK inside it.

Myron's 95LS was like that from him finding concrete parking lot wheel stoppers or high curbs. Also another production change was installing shallower "7 qt" oil pans on later 12v and 24v engines to save the park by sound/feel CROWD from taking out the deep 8qt pans. what's a little dent in a exhaust pipe outer wall if is saves both down pipes and oil pans?
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
The heat is slowing me down. Shop was 98 at 8:30 this evening, and we have more of the same through at least Friday. This weekend it's supposed to cool down, so I should get some progress then.
 
#11 ·
I need to order parts from Jason next week, so I'll continue to unwrap this problem over the weekend. After I do some R&R on the GVT6's ignition wiring.

Some preliminary pictures:
 

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#12 ·
Compress and pin off that serpentine belt shock/strut tensioner AFTER loosening 3 M6 bolts on both water pump and power steering pump pulleys.

I think I remember you also have to remove crank pulley nut with air impact gun and remove pulley to get 24v timing belt off because of the large half moon teeth on timing belt won't clear between front cover and back side of pulley

Pin off timing belt tensioner, too if you can compress piston if you have factory weighted arm tool to be able to use as lever to compress to align rig pin hole.
 
#13 ·
belt will fit in sideways between pulley and cover, no need to remove crank harmonic dampener/pulley. Use rig pin in both the serp belt tensioner bracket (3/16 drill bit shank end) and timing belt tensioner (1/8 drill bit shank end)
 
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#14 ·
While digging around in there, have you been able to check up above whether or not the belt timing was off, before you pull the belt off? Just so you know, even if you are changing the belt?

I think this is important to know first, before tearing into things. Helps in possibly needed diagnostics later on.
 
#15 ·
With the combination of really hot weather, and helping a buddy move and paint the interior of his house, I just haven't gotten far enough into the car.

I'm off from 8/30 to 9/9 and intend to make this and the GTV6 top priorities. I had planned to run up to a buddy's house this weekend and start re-constructing his racecar, but he bailed...something about realizing it was his wedding anniversary. Excuses, Excuses.
 
#16 ·
Spent 3.5 hours today looking for the cam locks...found 'em!!! (man, my organization is not organization! Time to slow down and do something about this)

So, I'll get started on this this weekend in preparation of receiving the new parts next week.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Jason has done a great job getting the parts shipped. I may be working on the car this weekend!

On second thought, I will be working on the car this weekend in anticipation of the parts, regardless of whether they get here or not. Post office closes before noon, and, because of mail theft in our rural neighborhood, we only get mail at the PO Box.

Still, plenty of prep work to do, and I can figure out if the problem is a slipped belt.
 
#19 ·
I went by the Post Office today and asked the helpful lady when packages come in, she said they come in first thing...7am.

She and I get along very well...so then looked at me and said "but don't come then, come between 10:30 and 11:00 when "she" stops handing things out." We nodded to each other, as we both know that the curmudgeonly one does the package hand out on Saturdays, and she has been far less than helpful on many occasions.

Time to sing the ketchup song...the anticipation is killing me.
 
#22 ·
It's all in the timing. Curmudgeon Post Office lady smiled when I asked for it at 10:45 am.

Thanks for getting it here so quickly.
 
#23 ·
Not quite the week I expected. Life gets in the way.

Anyhow, some odd things on the coils, looks like three have experienced coolant. They have brown detritus on the reach to the spark plug. Looks like it came from under the cam cover, haven't yet taken the covers off. However, no brown shake at the oil fill. I'm wondering what this is about. Del, I'll have to have you give me your retorque procedure, again.

A bit more oil then I'd like on the front of the engine, looks to be coming from the back head.

Aux belt tensioner was not quite tensioned correctly. Had to manipulate the pulley to get the pin in.

Timing belt tensioner way off, 1/16" pin hole is actually visible above the body of the tensioner.

Pictures later.

Bob
 
#24 ·
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#25 ·
...I couldn't find the mark on the flywheel, so I'll just have to pop the cam covers to figure out if I'm on the compression stroke. You can also see that the timing belt tensioner was out of wack.
 

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#26 ·
Your last picture of front crank pulley timing marks shows you have engine on top dead center. If there was a mark on flywheel it would only show same thing. As for actually being on compression stroke for number one cylinder per say yes, you need rear cam cover off and timing dies installed to see if you are in time or 180 degrees off plus or minus any jumped time teeth.

There are timing marks on rear of cams, too but almost impossible to read so timing dies are the way to be sure you are really in time with all four cams.

Granted your tensioner piston being extended like that indicates timing belt under tensioned providing the weighted arm set at proper length was used to set belt tension. Do you have that set of tools to set belt tension?

Don't loosen anything having to do with belt tension until you try to install timing dies to see which cam if any is out of time.

Keep us posted.
 
#27 ·
Uhhh there is something wrong in photo 1. The tensioner pin tip is supposed to push onto a rotating lever that applies additional tension. That lever is missing and the tensioner tip is now fully extended as expected.

Can you clean this all up and take a few more photos?
 
#29 ·
I might be the one that doesn't understand something and clarification would help.

The tensioner should take up the slack in the belt stretch as shown in the photo, as doing the job it was intended to do.
That between the pin and pully 1/8" clearance set is because the belt was properly set using the tool weight at the proper length. The pin when removed should have the 1/8" clearance, but shouldn't the tensioner eventually extend to keep the pully tensioner in place against the belt?

It would seem to be if the tensioner didn't keep tension on the pully, that the pully would vibrate from the belt moving as it circulates. Therefore, the tensioner would keep that from happening, and giving life to the belt, besides not allowing teeth to be skipped on the back cam.
 
#30 ·
The back of the timing belt is badly checked. According to the maintenance records that came with the car, the belt was changed about 45K ago. I haven't taken it off yet, as I'm going to pull the cam covers and check the current cam timing situation.

The wiring is pretty crunchy. I read Goats thread about his problems with coils crapping out. So I think (yep "while I'm here") I'll pull the coil and injector wire harnesses, check for continuity and rewrap. All the coils were changed about 18 months ago. They all look good, no puffed out bodies or other signs of malfunction.
 
#31 ·
I'm glad your finally getting to use your 24 valve tools.

Can't you use a horse to pull it in. Instead of having to bribe people?
 
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#32 ·
I'm glad your finally getting to use your 24 valve tools.
You know how I don't like to rush things. :wink2:

Okay, I'm mildly surprised. I haven't bolted the blocks in, but just lay them on the appropriate places. Either the rear intake cam ADVANCED (!!!????) or the other three cams retarded. I'd read about someone else stating that a cam had advanced...but I'm trying to figure out the physics of that happening. Perhaps an interdimensional time anomaly occurred and the one cam moved while the rest stood still...yeah. I need to make sure I've got TDC absolutely right before we'll know that. See below

Picture below of the crappy belt:
 

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