Meriva A (Z16XE) Cambelt change success!

[twosmoke300]

Ahh the hidden cam sensor bolts !

[beko1987]

Well, things were going so well, until it came to the waterpump, where haynes states to strike it gently with a soft faced hammer...

 

40 minutes with 2 extension bars and a lump hammer later...

 

 

 

 

 

Ya bastard! All the timing bits removed have been gm branded, the belts crazed all over!

 

Having a strawberry milkshake and a fag, then gonna clean up inside the timing cover and start putting it back together!

[lisbon_road]

They can be a swine but clearly you've been equal to that job.

 

Looking at the sealant on it, I'd say it is non original.  They don't put that sort of stuff on in the factory.  No matter though, I've seen too many water pump failures so always good to replace.

[oldcars]

Great work, hope the rest is easy for you.

[beko1987]

Cheers! At a point now where i need someone to stand on the brakes to do the camshaft pulley, and amy went out earlier...

 

New stat and coolants in, ive cleaned the old oil from the leaky sump off the covers and am now being paranoid that the belts too tight. Can just about twist it 1/4 on the long run at the front, and the tensioner is pointing to the new belt mark.

 

The tensioner bolts a cunt too, its very hand tight plus one more grunt, and it started to round doing that. Presumably thats 20nm or close...

 

It made it easier loosening the waterpump off and the tensioner, putting the belt on, repositioning the water pump and tightening it down, then doing the tensioner. That took half an hour to work out!

[beko1987]

They can be a swine but clearly you've been equal to that job.

 

Looking at the sealant on it, I'd say it is non original. They don't put that sort of stuff on in the factory. No matter though, I've seen too many water pump failures so always good to replace.

That must mean the belt was done not long before we bought it with vauxhall parts then, which is good. Unless the water pump played up and just that was replaced... Ive had to stick the new gasket in with sealent, was just too small to stay in the shallow groove! Same with the thermostat seal

 

 

 

The other side is fine, just the outside thats starting to go!

[oldcars]

That must mean the belt was done not long before we bought it with vauxhall parts then, which is good. Unless the water pump played up and just that was replaced... Ive had to stick the new gasket in with sealent, was just too small to stay in the shallow groove! Same with the thermostat seal

 

IMAG1126.jpg

 

IMAG1127.jpg

 

The other side is fine, just the outside thats starting to go!

I like the timing of this post. Gets coat..................................

[beko1987]

It runs!

[twosmoke300]

Woo hoo

[beko1987]

It seems the old thermostat was fucked as she now goes smack to the middle of the gauge, then just a bit further (92 degrees) and the fan comes on! Turned thr heaters on full to bring the temp down a bit, then let it warm up again. Idled it at 3k for a bit and all seems fine!

 

Amys driving it to work later, we shall see if it breaks or not!

[mrbenn]

Bloody nice work!

[beko1987]

It made it 4 miles to amys work, and the needle hit the middle so at least it heats up on her commute!

 

Still sounds like a derv though, got a video to link to in a sec

[beko1987]

I might turn this into a low key progress thread, might spur me on to crack on with the small list of bits remaining!

 

2x droplinks, as the bushes are knackered on them. £10 the pair

2x lower ball joints as it's knocking like the ZX used to, and the bushes are split. £20 the pair, and it's the same fitting as the ZX, so should be simple*

New exhaust. Leaky sump dripped oil onto the flexi section, and burnt through it. £70 from ECP for the whole thing, so not too bad

2 exhaust rubbers are split and the middle of the exhaust is being held up by the front and back now, might grab those Monday and fit after work...

it needs a wash

Tyres probably due by winter

 

The thing must be nearly shite by now, plus it's probably now worth something as it has service history, not just the green slip and last years MOT sheet like it had when we bought it! Would probably be prudent to sink the last £100 in (dont count tyres, tyres is tyres...) to finish the job. And ignore the clicky steering wheel...

[beko1987]

O, and the video

 

 

What is the little thing that clips onto the back of the air filter housing? It's rythmically clicking like a fucked hydropnumatic system, is it supposed to?

 

Rest of the engine sounds normal... ie tappety

[r.welfare]

Excellent work. How did you get the crank pulley off?

[beko1987]

A mate to stand on the brakes with it in 5th.

 

Apparently you can jam the disk, but its alot of tugging to put on the gearbox! Had to have the brakes on to undo the crankshaft pulley bolt after using it to turn the engine, didnt think spinning it backwards would be a good idea!

 

I did buy 2 tools when Id done though, a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter which would have been fucking handy, and a set of 1/2 extension bars, as I really could have done with them too, and have thought it before)

 

Had to borrow a mates socket set as it had a decent extension bar. He bought it because it was cheap, and it wasnt bad, I apologised for getting it oily, hes never really, judt keeps it handily in the boot. I reassured him it takes a belt eith the lump hammer!

[Rusty_Rocket]

Hey Bek, good work!  You may find that top end clatter will ease a bit now the thing is getting up to temperature.  It will probably use less fuel too.

An old boy once told me that long term, it damages an engine just as badly running it cool, as it does to overheat it.

[cort16]

I put the wrong grade of oil in my 1.8 16v disastra coupe and it got a bit noisier on the top end.

Is it defo running the right grade? (I can't remember what i put in mine )

[beko1987]

No, I dont think it is tbh. Topped it up with the last of the oil I have for it, will do some googling and get a cheap bottle of the right grade for now. 1l every 1k it drinks, in 5k it will have had a full flush, then itll be time for the pre winter oil change and ill try and chuck a decent bottle of oil in it