VX Astra 1.8 petrol: Noise from timing cover area after belt replacment?

[Split_Pin]

 

 

http://youtu.be/nrhI33vMQS0

 

I had the timing belt, pulley, waterpump and aux belt changed on my Astra Coupe in May, now about 1000 miles ago. I don't know if this noise has always been there but could anyone have a wee listen and see if the noise, at about 10 or so seconds in, sounds like something to worry about? Engine has 63k on it.

[Cavcraft]

It sounds like it's catching on something, but my hearing isn't all that good these days. Have you tried removing the (cam belt) cover to see if the belt has been rubbing on it, or to see if the cover is loose?

[Split_Pin]

I've not tried that yet, sounds like a plan though

[Cavcraft]

It's probably f*cked, luckily enough Cavcraft have extended their scrappage scheme and your old Astra coupe can be used as a down payment on a Renault Kangoo of (y)our choice.

[Split_Pin]

Well you were damn right!! Just took the timing cover off and the belt is worn down to the cords at one point. Something must be warped somewhere.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Was it a DIY job or did a qualified* professional* do it for you ?

[Cavcraft]

Is it possible they've sort of levered the belt on in one or two places which has resulted in it fraying?

[Split_Pin]

Could be. Thankfully it was my local garage who did it and I have a full itemised receipt. When I phoned them and asked them if what I found was normal the chap said "Eh,..no". From his tone I sensed that he really meant " Major implosion imminent, bring it in straight away". They're pretty honest and mistakes happen. Still bringing my receipt though.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Good stuff, they will hopefully pay a bit more attention when tensioning the belt this time round

[Split_Pin]

Me too, that could have caused major damage if it snapped! Still got to get it to the garage though.

[Bren]

It's a vauxhall.

 

Be thankful it even runs.

[Pete-M]

It's a vauxhall.

 

Be thankful when it explodes

IFTFY.

[Station]

Has the tensioner been torqued up? It sounds like the belt is loose.

I seem to remember you tension the belt up with the water pump. I BET this has not been done tight enough (three small bolts hold the pump in place).

[Rusty_Rocket]

These small-block 18XE1s were always slightly awkward to get spot on.  The wasserpompe is bolted solidly on these IIRC (I worked for VX years ago- memory fading a tad ) with just the tensioner to adjust.  The noise suggests something metallic is rattling though, a slack belt makes more of a plasticy/ rubbery clack.

Almost sounds as if the tensioner itself is loose, with the indicator pointer bouncing around.

Other alternative is the cam sensor inside the top cover has come undone, or even the bottom pulley- although these also give a signal to the crank sensor, so I'd expect the EML to be on in that case.

Whatever, get the covers off quick, and have a butchers.

[Split_Pin]

In the garage now, they took it back no problems. My mate did the belt last time around and I recall that the tensioner was bolted solid (old one had to have the bolt ground off as it was horsed up by Vauxhall) and I recall him showing me the 'old belt/new belt' positions on it. Don't have time for car jobs right now so got my local place to do it. They're usually spot on, someone must just have had a brain fart that day.

[Rusty_Rocket]

That tensioner bolt (a very shallow torx-head) is the most easily rounded bolt head in history!!!!!  It's deliberately very shallow to clear the bottom pulley.. At garage now, problem solved!

[twosmoke300]

I agree that torx bolts a twat. Usually use a torx bit with a square shanked screwdriver between the bit and the chassis leg to hold it in .

[Station]

The tensioner:

 

 

The water pump is eccentrically mounted, so as it rotates, it goes against the belt, and the arrow on the tensioner moves to the correct point.

 

 

It's a good little system, GM used to make it easy for DIY'ers to work on cars back then.

[Station]

I don't know if you can see photos here, but they seemed to be blocked from Flickr on my end.

[Sigmund Fraud]

On a slightly different note, are all VX blocks as poorly cast as the one in the picture that Station posted ? I know it's only cosmetics but it makes you wonder how far the cost cutting goes...

[lisbon_road]

I've never seen such a nasty casting.  It has a proper M8 bolt in place of the horrid button head torx though.  Glad I am not the only one who loathes those!

[twosmoke300]

Jesus , was that screwdriver the only tool used to take the covers off ?

[Rusty_Rocket]

Never seen a GM engine with a casting like that..

 

Yes, the older belts were so nice to do (apart from the w/p seizing in the block!)  Those X14/X16s had a nice hex-head tensioner bolt from the factory and worked perfectly.. but the tensioner was revised and subsequently made wider.. hence the bolt changed to the torx one made out of cheese 

My favourite one was the V6 Omega.. the local garages in the area were usually daunted by the job and didn't have the correct timing tools so we got the job.. I did so many of them, I got it down to around 35mins on a good day!

[Bren]

On a slightly different note, are all VX blocks as poorly cast as the one in the picture that Station posted ? I know it's only cosmetics but it makes you wonder how far the cost cutting goes...

Looks like chemical metal.

[Split_Pin]

Whoa just noticed that part of Station's picture, neither of mine are like that at all!