Advice changing timing belt

[Grifftapher]

Hi everyone, just after some advice!

Picked up a 2015 Sports Tourer 2.0 ecoflex (Engine: A20DTE) in June last year. So far it's done 33k miles and apart from a peeling steering wheel, no issues so far.

However, I'm getting a noisy tick over on cold mornings. So I did a bit of research and it seems that it's probably the water pump, so I might as well change the alt and timing belt as recommended.

Local garage is asking for about £500 to do it all, which I find a bit steep (please let me know if this is actually reasonable).

I've changed belts before but never changed a belt on an interference engine, so I'm after some advice regarding keeping the whole system in sync. If I somehow knock it out, is it easy to re-align?

Is it also recommended that I change any pulleys/tensioners as well?

I'm an engineer by trade so sitting down and getting my head round it shouldn't be an issue so if anyone can point me towards videos/manuals, or generally offer some advice, that would be really appreciated!

[exclusiv.]

500 is well steep.....you can get the locking tools to keep everything in place during a belt change,,and you get the tensioner as part of the timing kit,,water pump should be changed too

[RB02259]

hi there

cant give any advice on doing it yourself as im not particularly mechanically minded

however, i had timing belt and water pump done for 300 by a mechanic so you could try shopping around

[PeteH]

Welcome Grifftapher, to the friendliest forum on t'interweb

We like it if members introduce themselves in the 'new members' section, maybe giving details such as model, engine type, location etc before launching into specifics, (see https://insignia-drivers.uk/threads/...-(please-read) and https://insignia-drivers.uk/threads/...orum-etiquette)

Cheers

[Grifftapher]

Brill, cheers for the info mate!

[ade555]

You will hear faulty water pump, after I removed mine it was very hard to move by hand, as it warms up noise goes away is the normal tell tell sign, you can hear it in link below, as for doing cambelt on vauxhall engine you don't even need locking tools but will advice if you doing first time, price very but I paid for gates kit with water pump about £150, to get garage supply and fit shouldn't be more then £300

https://drive.google.com/file/...y_OJsOjvrYTbJ/view?usp=sharing

[Butt0ns]

Hi everyone, just after some advice!

Picked up a 2015 Sports Tourer 2.0 ecoflex (Engine: A20DTE) in June last year. So far it's done 33k miles and apart from a peeling steering wheel, no issues so far.

However, I'm getting a noisy tick over on cold mornings. So I did a bit of research and it seems that it's probably the water pump, so I might as well change the alt and timing belt as recommended.

Local garage is asking for about £500 to do it all, which I find a bit steep (please let me know if this is actually reasonable).

I've changed belts before but never changed a belt on an interference engine, so I'm after some advice regarding keeping the whole system in sync. If I somehow knock it out, is it easy to re-align?

Is it also recommended that I change any pulleys/tensioners as well?

I'm an engineer by trade so sitting down and getting my head round it shouldn't be an issue so if anyone can point me towards videos/manuals, or generally offer some advice, that would be really appreciated!

Like you I never changed a timing belt on any car before. But as my Biturbo edged twoards the 280k km mark I was not going to spend €50plus per hour on a garages time when I can do it myself as I do all the other servicing/maintenance myself. I was very nervous doing it and made a rookie mistake by leaving it in gear which meant when I tried to turn the engine over by the crankshaft to align the marks up, it wouldnt turn, took me half an hour to cop on as to why (I had loosened the glow plugs), the nerves distracted from the simple issue. Boy did I feel like a dumbass. Cam belt change is as simple as a filter change, the consequences of doing it wrong are a little bit more severe but if you take your time and be carefull there should be no problems. I bought the kit to lock the crankshaft and camshaft but to be honest its not needed if you work methodically though if its a first go it does add that bit of reassurance. I bought a Gates kit online with the water pump all the rollers and tensioner included. I then went on to do my wifes 2014 a few monthe later. Both still running, touch wood. Id say go for it. Auxillary belt requires the retraction of a single tensioner, that is definitely within your capabilities. You may want to change the rollers on that too, not expensive.

[Groovyblues]

You will hear faulty water pump, after I removed mine it was very hard to move by hand, as it warms up noise goes away is the normal tell tell sign, you can hear it in link below, as for doing cambelt on vauxhall engine you don't even need locking tools but will advice if you doing first time, price very but I paid for gates kit with water pump about £150, to get garage supply and fit shouldn't be more then £300

https://drive.google.com/file/...y_O...ew?usp=sharing

Hi mate,

Link isn’t working, but interested in what it sounds like as mine has a strange noise when I first start it up, but after a mile it’s gone, to be honest, never been too worried about it as she seems to drive quite happily. But would still like to know what it could be...It’s like a weird scratchy noise

[ade555]

Hi mate,

Link isn’t working, but interested in what it sounds like as mine has a strange noise when I first start it up, but after a mile it’s gone, to be honest, never been too worried about it as she seems to drive quite happily. But would still like to know what it could be...It’s like a weird scratchy noise

try this one

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-8ExI7otJ2iVtmAbwdky_OJsOjvrYTbJ

[Groovyblues]

try this one

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-8...ky_OJsOjvrYTbJ

Yes Thankyou. Not quite the noise I have an issue with. I’ll start another thread to see if anyone can shed any light on it.

[ade555]

Yes Thankyou. Not quite the noise I have an issue with. I’ll start another thread to see if anyone can shed any light on it.

Try to record the noise and post back, as for cambelt change I will give you brief description

1. All covers of engine/remove air box with piping
2.remove driver side wheel and put your jack under engine sump just make sure you use some wood between jack and engine sump, made that mistake once with FORD sump
3. remove aux belt and tensioner
4. remove engine mount on right hand side, make sure jack keeps the engine up
5. remove cambelt plastic cover
6. remove crank shaft pulley, secured with 4 bolts
7. find markings on crankshaft and camshafts, use bolt on crank to turn the engine to align
8.if you using locking tools, secure on crank, for the cams you have to remove plug which is located just above turbo, in video below at 7min you can see the chap securing fuel pump with M6 and front cam with special tool
9.loosen the tensioner
10. If you not using tools to secure gently pull belt off
11. remove tensioner and idler/roller
12. at some point in this process you need to drain coolant not all of it or just remove the water pump and let it drain
13. clean the area around cams ect.
14. fit new pump/idler / tensioner just don't do it to tight as this needs to be moved later
14. now putting the belt back on, I always done the same, gate belts have marks on belt and that belt should be lined up with markings on crank and cams, you need to look at your belt and work it out where is the bottom and top, then fit the belt from crank going up to cam shaft then over the top to fuel pump then down again over the tensioner, if you fitted right you will see all the markings lined up nicely
15. now the fun part start, setting the tension, put your socket on tensioner and I used flat screw driver to push the tensioner to desire position, due to poor visibility I had to do mine few time till I got it right
16. once you happy everything is secure or in right order, remove locking tools and spin the engine with crank bolt, there should be some resistance but not that you can't move by hand if there is you done something wrong
17. re-fit everything else

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsMWxNKtE-g

[RB02259]

Try to record the noise and post back, as for cambelt change I will give you brief description

1. All covers of engine/remove air box with piping
2.remove driver side wheel and put your jack under engine sump just make sure you use some wood between jack and engine sump, made that mistake once with FORD sump
3. remove aux belt and tensioner
4. remove engine mount on right hand side, make sure jack keeps the engine up
5. remove cambelt plastic cover
6. remove crank shaft pulley, secured with 4 bolts
7. find markings on crankshaft and camshafts, use bolt on crank to turn the engine to align
8.if you using locking tools, secure on crank, for the cams you have to remove plug which is located just above turbo, in video below at 7min you can see the chap securing fuel pump with M6 and front cam with special tool
9.loosen the tensioner
10. If you not using tools to secure gently pull belt off
11. remove tensioner and idler/roller
12. at some point in this process you need to drain coolant not all of it or just remove the water pump and let it drain
13. clean the area around cams ect.
14. fit new pump/idler / tensioner just don't do it to tight as this needs to be moved later
14. now putting the belt back on, I always done the same, gate belts have marks on belt and that belt should be lined up with markings on crank and cams, you need to look at your belt and work it out where is the bottom and top, then fit the belt from crank going up to cam shaft then over the top to fuel pump then down again over the tensioner, if you fitted right you will see all the markings lined up nicely
15. now the fun part start, setting the tension, put your socket on tensioner and I used flat screw driver to push the tensioner to desire position, due to poor visibility I had to do mine few time till I got it right
16. once you happy everything is secure or in right order, remove locking tools and spin the engine with crank bolt, there should be some resistance but not that you can't move by hand if there is you done something wrong
17. re-fit everything else

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsMWxNKtE-g

good summary mate

[Butt0ns]

I'd add, If you havent drained the coolant already, just tape under the water pump and shield with newspaper down to the crank pulley before removing, to prevent coolant getting onto the crank shaft pulley as the coolant will corrode the new belt.

[BodgeItAndScarper]

I'm getting a noisy tick over on cold mornings. So I did a bit of research and it seems that it's probably the water pump

Ahem. The 2.0 diesel injects extra fuel in cold start conditions making it sound clattery AF. Made me panic the first time I heard it, because it sounds quite bad compared to normal, but apparently it's supposed to do that.