Need some guidance on timing marks / cambelt change Vec C 1.9cdti please.

[Ian B]

Hi Guys,

Been stripping down my Vectra 1.9 cdti 150 this weekend , had some grief with the bottom pulley but all sorted thanks to this awesome community here !

So, i've cleaned it all up and fitted a new waterpump, themostat, replaced the tensioner and idler pulley but the problem I have is when checking the timing on the original belt before removing it I found that either the timing is silightly out beforehand and has been running like this , or, my Sealey cam/crank locking tool is not right but i seriously doubt that ?

Basically I set the cam at No. 1 TDC with the locking tool, but then the crank tool wouldn't line up. I then turned the crank one extra tooth width of the pulley clockwise and it then lines up. So it lools like the timing may have been out by one notch of the belt but do you think this is possible - the car seemed to run fine before but had been a pig to start sometimes.

I'm not sure now whether to refit it as it was or fit the new belt as per the timing set with the Sealey tool, basically turn the crank one extra notch clockwise.

Any thoughts please guys ?

[DieselWig]

I would trust your locking tool. I don't think a cambelt out of position by one tooth will cause damage or running problems (camshaft sensor ensures injection timing is ok) but may cause starting problems.
Whichever one you go with, check that the engine rotates freely by hand before you start it to make sure you don't knacker any valves/rockers.
However, I've not replaced a cambelt on this on this engine, so maybe someone else will offer better advice.

[mattv6diesel]

Unfortunatly if u haven't marked it it's lock pins

[plasma]

Antsss, Husky or PCMalt would be ones to ask off the top of my head

[Ian B]

Heres a couple of photo's i took to help explain.

This one shows how the crank locking tool is out when the cam is set at TDC, you can see the crank needs to turn clockwise a little more to line up.

Crank Locking Tool.jpg

This one shows the timing marks of the crank , the white one on the crank case is where the original belt was timed and the green one is where it need to be to allow the Sealey crank tool to fit. Basically the crank is one tooth on the belt out.

Crank Timing Marks.jpg

Do you think it was possible the timing was fitted wrong beforehand even though the car has been running fine. I'm worried that if i time it to the Sealey tools and start it then it might trash my engine.

[mattv6diesel]

The cam mark goes just past top and the crank mark goes about 20to

[alcutler]

If you have locked the camshaft, then that has to be in the right position, and then the same with the crankshaft - that also must be in the right place + you can always check the timing marks on the crank shaft - it will run if one tooth out. Have you counted the number of teeth on both belts to make sure they are the same

[Ian B]

cheers guys for your help.

DieselWig - it would always start fine in the morning when cold, took a few turns though, but once warm it would crank for longer and when it fired up the engine would jolt and cause a small screech from the pulley/belt area for a second. Do you think if the timing was originally out this would have been the reason.

I've marked the timing of the original belt so can put it back as was, it's just that the Sealey tells me the crank was out by one notch but i don't know whether to change it and risk killing the engine.

I did also notice the tensioner pin was not visible on the old tensioner so looks like someone may have already had this off at some point, cars done 73K and belt looked worn, but there were white timing marks on the pulleys and belt so i think someone may have been fiddling beforehand.

Can't believe it as it was all going so well thanks to the How To's posted by other on the site !!!

[DieselWig]

If the belt was a tooth out you may also experience rough idling - does this fit? As before, I would trust the tool and check by turning over manually once the belt is fitted that you're not going to bend anything.
Low tension if the tensioner wasn't set correctly could result in the belt jumping - not common, but possible.

[Ian B]

I checked the new belt to the old and it's identical, both are GM parts. I did refit the old belt , moving the crank position one notch to line up with the locking tool and the engine turned ok, tested it several times by hand. I also noticed the timing belt had three timing lines on it and fitted these to match the timing marks on the cam, crank and diesel pump pulleys and all lined up wheras before it was def one notch out.

Alcutler, one question and sorry to sound thick but when you say I can check the timing marks on the crank, how do you mean please, cheers

Would it really have run okay before hand if it was out, sorry for all the questions i'm just brickin it wondering what to do now as you can guess !

Only other thing I had thought is if the Crank Pulley was out or had slipped/moved, but surely this is not possible as it must be keyed to the crank ?