3200 GT cam/timing belt change

[Alecci]

Greetings to the board,

Time has come to change the cam/timing belt on my 3200 GT. Car has done about 15,000 kms (~9.5K miles) since last change, but it occurred six years ago so it may be time nonetheless.

Due to the fact that we have only two certified Maserati workshops in the country (both some 350 kms from where I live) and that they charge about £2,100 for the change, I would like to use an indie instead. The problem is that we have no established Maserati indies in Sweden that I'm aware of, so I went to a workshop that has carried out lots of work on my more "exotic" (and standard) cars in the past.

They said they could do it if I could supply them with a "locking kit" for the operation. I'm not familiar with the proper term in English, but apparently it's a few tools that allows you to lock the position of camshafts and crankshaft during the belt replacement process. I would like to know if anyone on here could tell me where to source such tools (and any other specific tools needed for the operation) and an approximate price? Or, better yet, if you could use such tools from another more standard car model?

As always, any assistance would be most appreciated!

 

[conaero]

If you email Mike Roberts, I am sure he can give you the real world instructions to change it. I know its not difficult but access is the issue.

I believe there is no locking tool used, I believe it is done with a dial gauge down the spark plug bore to get the piston to top dead centre (TDC)

When your indie does it, tell them they MUST remove the water radiator as the quick method is to unbolt it and pull it to one side.

This always stresses the pipe flanges and cracks them. If I had a pound for every time I have seen this happen I would be a rich man.

Mikes email is: mike@maseratished.co.uk

 

[jluis]

I have changed the belt and tensioner myself and there is no lock tool available.
The service manual specifies everything in detail
I changed mine without removing the rad but all the cooling pipes in the front had to come off.

I was very gentle on the rad flanges not to break tem

 

[jluis]

Also, 6 years is a long time on the belt. You should avoid driving the car until it's replaced.
The official interval is 3 years.

While you are in there, you might want to consider changing the bearings and the hydraulic tensioner.
Water pumps are expensive but if yours was never changed you might want to change it too as it's a very easy job once you removed everything to get to the belt.
I started my job without intention of removing the pump only to find it leaking from the shaft and then had to wait 1 month to get a pump.

The shim adjusting on the tensioner is a trial/error process and you will need to buy a few shims in advance so that you can make the stack with the proper clearance to maintain optimum tension (This is also detailed in the manual)

Also, when removing the screws from the belt cover, note their positions ans they are of several sizes acording to the position where they screw in.

Cam pulleys are marked so you can't misalign them but the crank pulley is not. You (or your indie) will need to mark it's position.
As you are not fiddling with the chains and assuming your engine is currently on the correct timing there is no need for the tool to set the engine to TDC.

 

[StuartW]

Also, 6 years is a long time on the belt. You should avoid driving the car until it's replaced.

Absolutely right, that belt will probably be dangerously weak by now

 

[Alecci]

Cheers for all the replies!

I'm aware of the regular interval at 3 years, this the main reason why I want to have the timing belt changed (without driving ~350 kms to the closest certified workshop). As can be seen from my other thread car's been standing more or less still for the last three years, and this is the reason why it wasn't done sooner. The indie I'm thinking about using is however only 35 kms away.

I have a copy of the workshop manual, would you say that this is a job I could perform myself provided I get a dial gauge? Alternatively, an argument for using a workshop would obviously be their warranty on the job.

I've seen that Eurospares offer a service kit where one can opt to have the tensioner parts included (after hearing lots of horror stories from friends with powerful cars I've resolved to always replace these parts as part of the operation while changing a cam belt), and I think it seems good value for money. Is there any other suppliers which offers these kits?

 

[jluis]

The problem with the yearly intervals on the cambelts has more to do with thermal cycles and the environment.
As you live in Sweden and I assume the car has been garaged this might not be an issue but I would still not risk it.
A snapped belt is a very expensive engine repair in these cars (read 2 new heads and valves in the worst case scenario)

As for you being able to perform the job yourself or not I cannot tell.
It was the first time I changed a cambelt in car. Having previously owned cars with transverse engines I have always found them a pain to change the belt and as such I never ventured (My 2002 volvo needs the engine mount removed to do this job and a bunch of other stuff...).
With this engine, being longitudinal and with enough room at the front I found the job doable but bear in mind that a mistake in that area has an expensive price to pay!
It's also an easier job if you have an assistant because one of the cam pulleys will move out of place when you remove the belt and cannot be held in it's correct place by itself.
An helper will need to hold it in place while you run the belt.

The service manual (espcialy the chapter on engine overhaul) should be all that is needed to do the job and you can even do without the dial gauge altough they are fairly cheap.

The tensioner on mine was leaking hydraulic fluid so it was a smart decision to have bought a new one in advance.
I have identified visualy the tensioner as a dayco part for a Mitsubishi but no one has been able to confirm this so if I were you, I would use the Maserati one.
The belt itself you can buy the dayco (listed as pattern in eurospares site) as this is the OEM part supplied to Maserati by Dayco

Also, you will need to remove all 8 spark plugs as part of the process (in order to rotate the engine freely) so it's a good time to put in new ones.
Be sure to have a torque wrench for this as they need a very light torque (9.8NM)

 

[Alecci]

Yes, the reason for thinking about doing it myself is because I'm not sure I would want to risk a snapped belt - I'm well aware of possible consequences although I've never experienced them.

I'm by no means a car mechanic, but I've wielded a few spanners in my days, including the disassembly and subsequent re-assembly of the engine of my Skyline GTR. I wouldn't call myself particularly adept at working with cars, but I wouldn't think that I'm inept either.

I already have a good torque wrench, I used to have a dial gauge (needed one when working on the GTR engine) but gave it away when done as I thought I'd never need it again. If doing this myself, I would have an assistant at all times. Still leaning towards having the indie perform the work, however, as they're certainly more used to working on cars than I am and they could perform a regular service at the same time (change of fluids, filters and spark plugs, etc).

 

[davy83]

i have replaced the belt and the only thing that's tricky is holding the main pulley (or the crank) still while removing the bolt that holds it in place, i think this locking tool holds the crank still. The cam pulleys are easily enough lined up either by taking a plug out and getting TDC from that and also they are marked. I additionally marked all 3 pulleys before removing the belt. There is a little locking pin tool to hold the belt tensioner off while you are working and this is literally a small pin, and a jewellers screw screw driver will do it.

 

[Contigo]

Belt was done on mine about 18 months ago. I hope you don't have to do the chain!!!!

 

[Alecci]

Once again, many thanks for all the replies!

Does anyone have any inkling on how long this job should take? My indie said he would do it, but he couldn't make a guesstimate of the costs as he's never undertaken this job before.

Belt was done on mine about 18 months ago. I hope you don't have to do the chain!!!!

Car's only done about 87,000 kms (~54.4K miles) at this point, so I hope not having to replace the chains just yet. At least they're not making any kind of noise, which unless I'm mistaken is usually the first sign of wear.

 

[Contigo]

Spot on yes, chains due at 67,500 miles marker.

 

[BennyD]

Chains? You must be talking about old toilets or 3200s. Much the same really.

 

[jluis]

That's a bit low Benny, even for your standards.

 

[Swedish Paul]

Don't get it. Chains? It's either a cam belt or a chain isn't it?

 

[dickygrace]

A 3200 has timing Chains and a cambelt.

 

[jluis]

Cambelt in the front to drive 1 cam per head and another chain in the back of each engine to link the exhaust and intake cam.
It's a bit of an hack .... The Ferrari v12 engines run 2 belts each of them drives both cams at the same time.

 

[BennyD]

That's a bit low Benny, even for your standards.

Oh come on, I put a smiley face at the end so it's all right really!

 

[Contigo]

Rather have one belt and one chain than 2 belts!

 

[miket]

Rather have chains no belt