Is it feasible to tension the cambelt at home, without the factory
tool ??

Haynes manual says don't do it, send it to a garage. But that defeats
the object dosen't it.

TIA

"gray"  wrote in message 
news:fgvva19v32t83rp7au0oj5i2802g7s20io@4ax.com...

> Is it feasible to tension the cambelt at home, without the factory
> tool ??
>
> Haynes manual says don't do it, send it to a garage. But that defeats
> the object dosen't it.
>
> TIA


there are no special tools needed, these have a spring loaded tensioner 
wheel with a tension indicator built in,  if you are very unlucky, then the 
range of adjustment will be out of range when you fit a new belt, in which 
case you have to remove and alter the position of the water pump.  the pump 
seizes in position which is why you have to remove, clean and fit a new o 
ring.

This is a job where you frequently start with just a cam belt, progress to a 
tensioner, then buy a water pump.  the parts are not dear (I would recommend 
genuine every time) and the job is not too difficult.

mrcheerful

mrcheerful . wrote:


> the pump seizes in position


Oh yes, very much so, in a "big piece of timber and a lump hammer" way.

Si

The message <42b052d8$0$303$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com>
from "Mungo \"two sheds\" Toadfoot"  contains these words:


> Oh yes, very much so, in a "big piece of timber and a lump hammer" way.


I'm glad I'm not the only one who found that the only way to shift the
bastard.

I wonder if there's a special tool. 

-- 
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Guy King wrote:


> I wonder if there's a special tool.


http://www.bolton.org.uk/shammer2.jpg?

Si

The message <42b07035$0$302$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com>
from "Mungo \"two sheds\" Toadfoot"  contains these words:


> > I wonder if there's a special tool.

> http://www.bolton.org.uk/shammer2.jpg?


There's one like that not far from here at Blists Hill. Every now and
then they run it to make proper wrought iron. You can feel the ground
shake from about 50 yards away.

-- 
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

"Guy King"  wrote in message 
news:313030303432373942B0683216@zetnet.co.uk...

> The message <42b052d8$0$303$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com>
> from "Mungo \"two sheds\" Toadfoot"  contains these 
> words:
>
>> Oh yes, very much so, in a "big piece of timber and a lump hammer" way.
>
> I'm glad I'm not the only one who found that the only way to shift the
> bastard.
>
> I wonder if there's a special tool.
>


You don't need a special tool, after removing the three bolts, take off the 
hose at the back of the pump and insert a long drift, it should be long 
enough to come to over the gearbox a little, give it a quick whack with a 
copper hammer and even the most seized water pump comes out.  When clean and 
greased the cranked spanner they sell for the job will work, I have never 
come across a water pump that can immediately be moved with one of those 
short spanners they sell for the job.

mrcheerful

mrcheerful . wrote:

> "Guy King"  wrote in message
>>
>> I wonder if there's a special tool.
>>
>
> You don't need a special tool, after removing the three bolts, take
> off the hose at the back of the pump and insert a long drift, it
> should be long enough to come to over the gearbox a little, give it a
> quick whack with a copper hammer and even the most seized water pump
> comes out.


I beg to differ.

Si

The message <7l0se.51041$G8.48936@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>
from "mrcheerful                                                        
                 ."  contains these words:


> You don't need a special tool, after removing the three bolts, take off the 
> hose at the back of the pump and insert a long drift, it should be long 
> enough to come to over the gearbox a little, give it a quick whack with a 
> copper hammer and even the most seized water pump comes out.


The last one I did needed a lump of wood and a lump hammer to shift it.
It'd been in there for many years with no anti corrosion stuff - just
plain water in the system and kept in a garage which never froze.

-- 
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

"Guy King"  wrote in message 
news:313030303432373942B0AB1536@zetnet.co.uk...

> The message <7l0se.51041$G8.48936@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>
> from "mrcheerful
>                 ."  contains these words:
>
>> You don't need a special tool, after removing the three bolts, take off 
>> the
>> hose at the back of the pump and insert a long drift, it should be long
>> enough to come to over the gearbox a little, give it a quick whack with a
>> copper hammer and even the most seized water pump comes out.
>
> The last one I did needed a lump of wood and a lump hammer to shift it.
> It'd been in there for many years with no anti corrosion stuff - just
> plain water in the system and kept in a garage which never froze.
>


Whacking the pump from the outside can work, but the drift up the backside 
is the way to do it (if you see what I mean)  The pump is well supported 
sideways by the recess it fits into, but in a straight line there is nothing 
holding it (comparatively)

Try it next one you do, it is really quite fast and the pump is re-usable if 
not a leaker.

mrcheerful

Mungo "two sheds" Toadfoot wrote:

> mrcheerful . wrote:
>> "Guy King"  wrote in message
>>>
>>> I wonder if there's a special tool.
>>>
>>
>> You don't need a special tool, after removing the three bolts, take
>> off the hose at the back of the pump and insert a long drift, it
>> should be long enough to come to over the gearbox a little, give it a
>> quick whack with a copper hammer and even the most seized water pump
>> comes out.
>
> I beg to differ.


Actually, having read the post properly this time (!), if I ever have to do 
another one I'll try that.

Si

"mrcheerful ."  wrote in message 
news:DZ1se.51076$G8.41319@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
> "Guy King"  wrote in message 
> news:313030303432373942B0AB1536@zetnet.co.uk...
>> The message <7l0se.51041$G8.48936@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>
>> from "mrcheerful
>>                 ."  contains these words:
>>
>>> You don't need a special tool, after removing the three bolts, take off 
>>> the
>>> hose at the back of the pump and insert a long drift, it should be long
>>> enough to come to over the gearbox a little, give it a quick whack with 
>>> a
>>> copper hammer and even the most seized water pump comes out.
>>
>> The last one I did needed a lump of wood and a lump hammer to shift it.
>> It'd been in there for many years with no anti corrosion stuff - just
>> plain water in the system and kept in a garage which never froze.
>>
>
> Whacking the pump from the outside can work, but the drift up the backside 
> is the way to do it (if you see what I mean)  The pump is well supported 
> sideways by the recess it fits into, but in a straight line there is 
> nothing holding it (comparatively)
>
> Try it next one you do, it is really quite fast and the pump is re-usable 
> if not a leaker.
>

*Excellent* advice. This method has saved me hours (and much swearing and 
lost skin!). Unfortunately I had to work it out for myself the second time I 
did the job. I've done several now and it makes life so much easier getting 
the pump off.
Cheers,
JB

The message 
from "JB"  contains these words:


> *Excellent* advice. This method has saved me hours (and much swearing and 
> lost skin!). Unfortunately I had to work it out for myself the second
> time I 
> did the job. I've done several now and it makes life so much easier getting 
> the pump off.


Perhaps it was a different Astra engine I was working on (this was some
years ago) but I don't recall there being access to the rear.

-- 
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

"Guy King"  wrote in message 
news:313030303432373942B1DD0086@zetnet.co.uk...

> The message 
> from "JB"  contains these words:
>
>> *Excellent* advice. This method has saved me hours (and much swearing and
>> lost skin!). Unfortunately I had to work it out for myself the second
>> time I
>> did the job. I've done several now and it makes life so much easier 
>> getting
>> the pump off.
>
> Perhaps it was a different Astra engine I was working on (this was some
> years ago) but I don't recall there being access to the rear.
>


you can't easily see this area, but it is the same on all the sohc sideways 
vauxhall engines

mrcheerful

The message <L2lse.51512$G8.6862@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>
from "mrcheerful                                                        
                 ."  contains these words:


> you can't easily see this area, but it is the same on all the sohc sideways 
> vauxhall engines


Gosh - you live and learn.

-- 
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."