Zeus gears anyone

[DirtyDawg]

Anyone replaced their Timing belt with the zeus gears.
How much was the kit please and was it DIY or Mechanic fit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v363/dirtydawgaustralia/ZeusITC.jpg
the image is for the benefit of those who don't know.. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[RoverOne]

Hi DD,
Ring a friend of mine Ken Wright 02 9939 6319 a Sydney Aluminium engineer, and he will turn you off for life. He and a number of other Zues Gear people were taking a class action against Yican P/L the Australian agent in Melbourne. Cost Ken $10,000 dollars (& more since in lawers costs) when the gears let go out in the desert somewhere, and that always will be a problem with this type of modifaction, no one but Zues or experts can fix and they are always out of reach when needed, especially when that is why you fit them eliminating belts breaking, I've done three one with disastrous results, the other two before they let go, all within 100,000km the first at 17,000km but all done by Rover under warranty.

Somewhere there is a website that has listed 40 or 50 known failures in Australia from a pair of guys that had them fitted to a 130 and a Disco leading up to a round world trip, and becuase they failed the trip I think still hasn't gone ahead, if I can find this site again will post for you.

On the other hand I do know of two other members of my club in Sydney that have had no problems with long kilometres after the change, and one chap did the job himself in a 110 Defender hardtop. They are very noisy but not inside mostly when at idle standing near the car, they clatter

I'd love to fit them myself but would not be game now.

The cost from memory is around $3000 I think, don't hold me to that, about the same cost if the belt breaks and ruins con rods, tappets and others things.

Hope this helps

[camel_landy]

I thought about it but it works out far cheaper buying the tools and learning how to change the timing belt yourself.

Even if the belt went "ping" in the bush, changing the belt and repairing the damage isn't a drama. Worst case, you'll have to replace some push rods and a couple of rockers which can all be done without removing the head.

I suspect that one of the reasons for past failures is the lack of lubrication in the timing case.

HTH

Mark.

[JohnE]

Mr Dawg
I too dared to mention the Zeus product and was awash with information regarding the cons, I don't believe there was anything positive. The conclusion from my post was ' 3 cheers for the rubber band'

I haven't mastered the art of linking articles but my post is on page 9 of technical chatter, the heading is evident. There is a host of information and links on the various replies. The site 'number one' mentioned is below;


www.rovingtheglobe.com

john

[DirtyDawg]

Thankyou for your valued input gents...looks like I'll stick with the lacky band.. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[Lionel]

Just out of interest, what is the replacement interval for the Tdi timing belt? I had this type of toothed belt on several cars in the past, and advice was always to change at 60,000K's.

In the case of the Volvo 240 it was an easy DIY job.

Cheers,

Lionel

[camel_landy]

Originally posted by Lionel
Just out of interest, what is the replacement interval for the Tdi timing belt? I had this type of toothed belt on several cars in the past, and advice was always to change at 60,000K's.

In the case of the Volvo 240 it was an easy DIY job.

Cheers,

Lionel

60k will be fine, 100k or 5/6 yrs is what's recommended.

Mark.

[Lionel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>
60k will be fine, 100k or 5/6 yrs is what's recommended.
[/b][/quote]


If people have had them break under 100K, it might be better to change them at 60 to 80K.

Cheers,

Lionel

[camel_landy]

Don't forget that there's a number of factors involved.... Those vehicles may have been under 100k but how old was the belt? Were they setup to the revised settings from LandRover to prevent premature failure?

Also, what conditions were these belts subjected to? I know of a couple of vehicles that had snapped 3x belts with only 30k on the clock each.... Mind you, they spend most of their life as off-road instruction vehicles and each time the casing was opened it was full of mud!

Anyway... It's your truck, change it how ever often you want. 8) I'm happy with 100k / 5 yr intervals on mine.

Mark.

[cols110]

They certainly sound good in theory, but in practice there seems to be far to many horror stories.

Shame as I would&#96;nt mind a set, but not for the heart ache they have caused other people.

[Reads90]

Originally posted by camel_landy
I thought about it but it works out far cheaper buying the tools and learning how to change the timing belt yourself.

Even if the belt went "ping" in the bush, changing the belt and repairing the damage isn't a drama. Worst case, you'll have to replace some push rods and a couple of rockers which can all be done without removing the head.

I suspect that one of the reasons for past failures is the lack of lubrication in the timing case.

HTH

Mark.

I have snapped two belts in my 200 TDi 90 (being a ruff arse and the truck did live in mud) and each time was a full bore. But cost me very little to fix. The push rods on the TDi are the same as on the 2.25 diesel, so are very cheap to replace .This is designed by LR to fail when this happens and save the rest of the engine
Where as a mate of mine had a engine go bang big time with Zeus gears and he had to buy another engine. He now looks back and wishes he had let it with the belt

[RoverOne]

[. The site 'number one' mentioned is below;


www.rovingtheglobe.com

john[/quote]

thanks John have been racking my brain for this. I lost it when old computer got repaired had to start again with "Favourites" on new computer now I won't lose it this time.

Cheers
Bryce

[RoverOne]

60k will be fine, 100k or 5/6 yrs is what's recommended.

Mark.[/quote]

A friend of mine following us on a trip to Perth, had changed his belt pre the trip, speedo around the 130,000 (no new belt) the new belt let go at 8,000km, near Esperance, fortunately it was replaced at Land Rover expence as a dealer had fitted it, lucky Paul on this occassion. They are a lot better than back then about 7 years ago, the pully upgrade have fixed this problem I believe.

[camel_landy]

Originally posted by RoverOne
the pully upgrade have fixed this problem I believe.

No... It was reducing the torque setting on the tensioner that finally solved the problem!!!!!

[one_iota]

In support of camel_landy's statement:

http://www.difflock.com/servicing/300tdi-t...elt/index.shtml (http://www.difflock.com/servicing/300tdi-timingbelt/index.shtml)

23.Tensioning the New Belt

However, the quoted torque to be applied to the tensioning bracket was originally quoted as 15NM plus or minus 7 percent which is around twice the margin of error of Dial Indicating Torque Wrenches. However, Land Rover's latest service bulletin amends this tension to a new lower figure of 11NM"

Also :

LR Technical Bulletin 0008 CDS L8424bu

[camel_landy]

I thank you... 8)

The higher torque setting was effectively bending things which in turn causes the belt to work itself off!

Mark.

[british4wd]

Saw in a LR magazine where a chap in France had converted his to a chain drive. It did not give any details as to how long it had been installed and if any problems, but an interesting conversion

[rick130]

I read somewhere that the prototypes were chain drive, but that the rubber band was used to help reduce NVH when fitted to Discos. How true that is, I have no idea, but if anyone has seen the mess when a chain lets go, (think schrapnel all through the engine) I think I'd opt for the rubber band :wink:

[RoverOne]

Originally posted by camel_landy+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(camel_landy)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-RoverOne
the pully upgrade have fixed this problem I believe.

No... It was reducing the torque setting on the tensioner that finally solved the problem!!!!![/b][/quote]

No doubt all part of the cure, but back then when mine went at 18,000km (8 months old) they replaced the mounting bracket for the injector pump (old one was supposed to be twisting under load?) then around 39,000km they noticed the dreaded black stuff poking out the inspection hole in timing case cover when it was in for service (early 40,000 was going to Cape York). On this occassion new "improved" pulley kit was supplied under warranty as well as new timing case and to this day no problems, which reminds me I'm due a timing belt change, Thanks.
[b]
<span style="color:darkblue">Technical Informtion Upgrade Sheet # 2G8J dated 12/04/96.

Subject Timing Belt Wear, Issue 2.

Detail: Land Rover will shortly be introducing a redesigned fuel injection pump support bracket together with fitting instructions, this is due to reports being received indicating belt wear.

Note: This bulletin supersedes 13/12/96 as the information in the parts/SRO/procedures sections have been ammended.

Action Required: When excessive timing belt wear has been identified, replace the injection support bracket as detailed in the process below.

Procedure: (I've shortened wording but) Remove pump support bracket, replace with new (ERR6835) + 2 new bolts (FS 108301) torque 22/28nm, make sure sliding bushes contact injector pump bracket, replace timing belt tensioner, fit new belt per workshop manual.</span>
Bryce

[RoverOne]

Something else I just remembered when talking to Graeme Cooper years back, he told me that 200 TDI, never had that many problems as experienced by 300 TDI vehicles.

The reason being that the 200 pulleys were cast steel and the 300 were pressed :?: . The 200 were more concave and resulted in less ride up and rubbing wherever they rubbed and shredded on the sharper edge of the pressed thingo (on 300TDI) that caused them to shred (it was a while ago he told me and not too technical at this level with all the parts names).

I also heard some where of a chap, taking off the pulleys and honing them to make a deeper V to run the belt more central, sorry can't remeber just where this info came from, maybe read in a UK LR Mag?

Thats all I know about them, what I've been told.

Cheers
Bryce 8)

[p38arover]

,,