DIY 300 tdi timing belt?

[carvin]

Hi All,

Just a quick question. Is a relatively simple exercise to change a timing belt on a 300 tdi myself? Bare in mind that i've not changed one before. One of the reasons I'm considering doing this job is the car is currently without a grill, front guards or the radiator and shroud. The other reason is that I've no history of the vehicle other than the odometer, which is around 220k (and that i drove it around the block once when it was delivered from the auctions).

As a side note, should i consider doing something with the water pump while the vehicle is apart, ie, are there any checks i can do.

Regards Jamie

[mcrover]

Yes the timing belt isnt rocket science, do a search as there is a link somewhere to a really good tutorial on it but I cant remember it off hand.

I would while you have it all apart, clean out the radiator/intercooler, change hoses and belts and do your tensioner pulley bearings and inspect the waterpump and replace the P gasket while your at it.

That should keep you out of trouble for a couple of hours :D

[carvin]

Thank you for the input mcrover. I've already had the radiator, intercooler and condenser cleaned, and had intended replacing belts as well. My list of things to do isn't really getting any shorter.

Cheers Jamie

[87County]

this is a job you can do.....

there are some good threads on this site if you use the search function in top row...

you will need to fabricate/borrow some simple specific tools to set the timing, to hold the crankshaft and to pull the harmonic balancer.... (I think tool photos were posted on earlier threads)

you will need a 27mm 3/4" dr socket to undo the front harmonic balancer bolt

if you look up the difflock.com site there is also thereon a complete description of what to do and what not to do (has tool pix) ....

here's just one... http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/60803-tools-300tdi-timing-belt-change.html?highlight=timing+belt

hope this helps - Laurie

[MinniTheMoocha]

Yes the timing belt isnt rocket science, do a search as there is a link somewhere to a really good tutorial on it but I cant remember it off hand.

I would while you have it all apart, clean out the radiator/intercooler, change hoses and belts and do your tensioner pulley bearings and inspect the waterpump and replace the P gasket while your at it.

That should keep you out of trouble for a couple of hours :D

x2 - Just as mcrover said

[rick130]

Links to relevant threads, including a link to the Difflock tutorial (the best 300Tdi timing belt tutorial IMO) are here http://www.aulro.com/afvb/good-oil/41849-300tdi-timing-belt.html
DIFFLOCK - 300tdi Timing Belt Change (http://www.difflock.com/servicing/300tdi-timingbelt/index.shtml)

[mcrover]

Links to relevant threads, including a link to the Difflock tutorial (the best 300Tdi timing belt tutorial IMO) are here http://www.aulro.com/afvb/good-oil/41849-300tdi-timing-belt.html
DIFFLOCK - 300tdi Timing Belt Change (http://www.difflock.com/servicing/300tdi-timingbelt/index.shtml)

Thats the one I was thinking about :D

[2stroke]

Thanks Rick 130 for an extremely timely post I'm doing just that right now, also oil pump which should be one cover further in.(It's my first time).

[carvin]

Thanks to all for your help. Found the site everyone suggested, think i'll have a bash at it (maybe with the help of the old man - a welder and general gun with anything mechanical), between the both of us we should be able to sort it.

thanks to all
Jamie

[warren9981]

This is a relatively easy job to do.
I bought a kit from British4WD in Hobart. The kit had the pins to lock the fuel pump and the flywheel included as well as the crankshaft seal, timing belt, belt tensioner and cover gasket. Really good value for money too.
I just followed the directions from tha link.
Make sure you get the spanner to remove the fan as well. It is awkward without this offset spanner.

[2stroke]

To lock the flywheel I tapped a 10mm thread into a 1/4 to 1/8 B.S.P brass reducer and ground down the end of a low grade 10mm bolt to the size of the slot in the flywheel, screwed the reducer into the hole in the bellhousing as an adaptor then screwed in the bolt to engage the flywheel slot. For the fan I ground down a 30mm open ender to make it "thinner" and that worked fine but remember the fan thread is L.H. Oh and to lock the pump I used a drill bit.

[rick130]

<snip>
Make sure you get the spanner to remove the fan as well. It is awkward without this offset spanner.

The viscous hub spanner is a standard 32mm fan spanner that should be available almost anywhere specialist tools are sold, eg good auto parts wholesalers. They are pretty cheap.

The kit including the pins sounds like a great idea.
The locking pins can be fabbed relatively easily, eg the pump one I use a masonry drill bit shank as it's exactly the right size. Flywheel locking pin I made, (BSP adapter drilled and tapped to take a turned down 6mm bolt that screws in to the slot to lock the flywheel) etc,
Crank holding tool is a bit harder, but a few of us have made them. Some dealers just used a ground down chisel jammed in one of the flywheel slots, which seemed a bit too bodgy for me.....

[2stroke]

I checked the fan nut spanner after Rick 130 posted the size, it is indeed 32mm, it was 6 years ago and I forgot that for some reason I ground out a 30mm to 32mm.

[Young Angus]

Hey I was going to ask this myself on the D1 forum but I actually used the search function...HA! Still don't know much but I was wondering if the cam belt was possible to be a DIY job, seems like it is, just not sure if I can do it in an apartment building underground car park hmmm might need an actual garage...hello parents!!

[warren9981]

Should be a thread on the forum about changing the timing belt. This is something you can do in your apartment basement if you have the tools. Make sure you get hold of the bolts to lock the crank/flywheel and camshaft.

[Blknight.aus]

Yep its DIY.

Not that that means too much coming from me, I consider complete engine rebuilds DIY.

if you go at it and need a hand or more details drop me a PM for my number.

[Young Angus]

Thanks so much guys especially that offer Blknight...legends on this forum!

[Young Angus]

Here's a question...I saw that I can buy a major or a minor kit...which would I need? It hasn't snapped or anything I just want to do it because it hasn't been done for a while and the manual says every 3 years...not that I'm sure that's necessary but better to be safe than sorry and it's been about 5 or 6 years since I bought it and I have never had it done. I've only driven about 20,000km on it though.

Anyway, I was wondering about the major or minor kit...?

[jboot51]

minor such as this.

httphttp://www.roverparts.com.au/inc/sdetail/679/298://

[Blknight.aus]

Here's a question...I saw that I can buy a major or a minor kit...which would I need? It hasn't snapped or anything I just want to do it because it hasn't been done for a while and the manual says every 3 years...not that I'm sure that's necessary but better to be safe than sorry and it's been about 5 or 6 years since I bought it and I have never had it done. I've only driven about 20,000km on it though.

Anyway, I was wondering about the major or minor kit...?

You only need a minor kit so long as you have the updated pullies in there. (you should) if your crank pully is missing a flange you need to order one in.

the age of the belt is reasonably irrelevant but the number of KM's the vehicle has done counts. 80K km is the recommended interval which lines up with each second alt major service on a 10K service interval.

you hear some people claiming that their belts have done hugely more KM than the recommended interval and theres no reason to doubt them. theres a number of variables which come down to how the vehicle is used. A timing belt that has spent its life pushing 1 low at high RPMS is going to suffer more wear in the same number of KMs than one thats spend most of its life cruising around in 5 hi.

one that was installed correctly is going to last a lot longer than one that was half assed.

[AK83]

..... just not sure if I can do it in an apartment building underground car park hmmm might need an actual garage...hello parents!!

You probably can, I generally do all my stuff out in the open in my driveway, but then of course the weather closes in and it's a mad rush to finish off and pack stuff up.

BUT!!! .. there is a place you can rent a fully equipped workshop for about $45/hr, which includes many air tools, any type of car hoist you think you need .. etc, etc.
I'm thinking of doing this myself(even tho I have my own personal space!) .. just for the access to many tools that 'may come in handy' that this place has.

I'm waiting for some of my parts to come, I already have the necessary locking pins.

pm me if you want more info(or even some help).

[Blknight.aus]

a list of place I've done a timing belt.

on the side of a sort of road (snapped)
in a caravan park (preventative)
in private garages and apartment car parks (preventative)
In driveways (diy gone wrong, snapped and preventative)
In a paddock (FIP required replacing, not removed correctly timing was lost)
in someones front yard (preventative)
in someones front yard/driveway under a tarp in the rain. (you know who you are. preventative for a trip)

I can honestly say I have never done one in a workshop.

[AK83]

The pleasantness of the weather is inversely proportional to the amount of work required on the car!
Pop the bonnet, and the clouds start to build .. close the bonnet and they break up a little and the sun comes back out again.

When my garden is looking a bit parched, I pop the bonnet and start doing something on the D1 .. there's a 99.9% likelyhood it will start raining! That sorts the garden out nicely!:p

BUT! ...
The hard one is to figure out how to work on the car AND have nice weather .. I'm keeping the 'workshop option' as an ace up my sleeve.

seriously tho, it'd just be nice to have access to tools I don't have .. just in case something doesn't cooperate as it's supposed too.

[PAT303]

West Coast Rover did mine a month back for $600,for that price I couldn't be arsed. Pat