550 Cambelt

[del mar 2]

Afternoon,

Anybody done one themselves ?

I have done a Fiat 500 and a Ghibli V6, there are a couple of youtube videos and they don't look too difficult, the WSM suggests you clamp the cam cogs with mole grips !!

Tensioning the belt.
Rather than buy a really expensive tool, i have downloaded the Gates Belt Tensioner App. I was going to test the tension on the belt several times in different locations before i remove it, and then when refitted make sure i get the same readings in the same places ?

I have just done oil, filters, gearbox oil and filter and fuel filters, so rather than spend £1000 at Foskers i thought i would give it a go.

Thanks

 

[philw696]

I seem to remember that in my 456 the handbook had all the information needed for the belts and doing the valve clearances.

 

[conaero]

We have done a few and I would say the major headache with that job is brittle and breaking pipe work. A lot of heat under that bonnet.

 

[del mar 2]

Would you say a fair job for somebody semi competent ?

Did you use an expensive tool to check the belt tension ?

thanks

 

[conaero]

I didn’t attempt it and from what I saw it’s pretty extensively strip down. I leave all that stuff to Ash and concentrate on the Maseratis only.

 

[philw696]

Would you say a fair job for somebody semi competent ?

Did you use an expensive tool to check the belt tension ?

thanks

I did a 360 Modena when at Maserati no major issues.

 

[conaero]

TBF, I would do a 360, it’s simple.

The F355 is simple to do but you have to drop the whole engine, box and subframe but if you have a lift and a trolly it’s pretty straight forward

 

[del mar 2]

Will get the maserati working first and then try it.

 

[philw696]

First Ferrari I did was a 348.
Dial guage for tdc.

 

[RodTungsten]

First Ferrari I did was a 348.
Dial guage for tdc.
View attachment 105353

That might be ok for a Ferrari but I always used a degree wheel on the crank and set TDC from either side of a stop near TDC as dial gauges can have quite a few degrees of vagueness around TDC.

 

[conaero]

Let’s face it an actual belt change is simple, it’s the access and that worry when you first turn the key.

Worst belt I’ve done is a V6 in a GTV it’s a total struggle

 

[Oneball]

Worst I’ve done is a D5 in an XC90. I’m sure it’s super simple in anything else but there’s not enough room to get the belt past the bottom pulley and subframe. And when putting it back on you can’t see the timing marks on the pulley which you’ve just had to take off.

 

[philw696]

Totally agree but on the high performance stuff it's accuracy that will unleash maximum power.
It's not just lining up the dots like on the average stuff.

 

[Bebs]

Totally agree but on the high performance stuff it's accuracy that will unleash maximum power.
It's not just lining up the dots like on the average stuff.

Spot on Phil. Aldous spent a lot of time getting mine absolutely spot on when they put the engine back together.

 

[philw696]

 

[allandwf]

Let’s face it an actual belt change is simple, it’s the access and that worry when you first turn the key.

Worst belt I’ve done is a V6 in a GTV it’s a total struggle

I thought the 3.0 GTV was ok, the camshaft pulleys float don't they? If I remember correctly. Cams locked with kit, I had no issues.

 

[CatmanV2]

I thought the 3.0 GTV was ok, the camshaft pulleys float don't they? If I remember correctly. Cams locked with kit, I had no issues.

Sud Sprint......

...nothing to do with the above, but engine out from memory.

C

 

[philw696]

In my case it's over 40 years learning my trade and still learning.

 

[CatmanV2]

In my case it's over 40 years learning my trade and still learning.

Sixpence for knocking..... (Not going to repeat myself again)

C

 

[Zep]

Sud Sprint......

...nothing to do with the above, but engine out from memory.

C

8 valve sprint is pretty simple, I did the head gaskets on one in the 90s. 16 valve 33 on the other hand, absolute PITA.