How the hell did you get the new one on? I'm am at a bit of an impass. I can't get the new belt on at all. I have followed the bentley and other 225 guide for the timing belt to the letter and cannot get this belt back on.It almost seems like the new belt is an inch or so too short.Is there some trick that I do not know? The old one came off with hardly any resistance. I have now been 9.5 hours into it and am getting a little fed up. Please help!

 

well, im hoping:

A. You're using a new tensioner, and you haven't pulled the pin yet

or

B. You screwed a threaded rod into the old tensioner, so its retracted and you can put the new belt on.


Otherwise, its gonna be tight anyway, and you'll need to get it started and turn the crank running the belt on like a bicycle chain. just make sure everything is marked soo it doesn't slip, and turn the crank over 2 full rotations to be sure you don't have any valve interference before you start the car.

 

I am using a new tensioner, but I pulled the pin before I had the belt on. Knew it was a mistake right after I did it. I redid the whole m5 bolt to tighten down the new tensioner thing. The tensioner is locked down as far as it can go.

Bicycle... that's smart. Isn't it kind of dangerous though if it slips? Wouldn't it be hard to get back into alignment?

Thanks achttung.

 

that tensioner is tough. when you cranked the thing down it might have bent the bracket you are pushing on rather than push the tensioner in. it happend to me that way. i loosened the m5 bolt all the way, then bent the bracket back , or bent it higher. then retightened the tensioner and helped it alongback into place while i was tightening the bolt. the whole bicycle ides sounds dangerous. not only for your engine but remeber you have to hold the belt on the cam gears and pray that you keep your fingers intact. if i recall correctly. i pused on the tensioner with a prybar while i was tighteneing the bolt down. a bar like the one used to crank the jack up.
good luck

 

thanks for the advive, but I went ahead and put the old belt back on. I need the car tomorrow as this is my daily driver. Old belt went on in five minutes. Everything seem to be where it was before. I went ahead and did two full turns and felt some resistence but nothing sudden. Please pray for me that I got it back correctly! Good news is that I got all the other parts replaced (tensioner, piston, water pump, accessory belt). I was going to do the thermostat, but that isn't nearly as easy as the manual makes it out to be! I broke the dipstick tube in the process :-( That was a pain in the *** to get out.

How about the pcv? where is that located? I bought a new one but can't seem to find where it is.

 

As long as you have your belt and pulleys marked, the bicycle method works fine, if it slips, you'll know it when your marks dont line up, and you'll be able to align your marks again since the pulley marks should coincide with your belt marks.

I don't even bother lining the marks on the pulleys with the marks on the engine anymore, as long as you count teeth on the belt, and it all matches up, you're good.

The 2 crank turn method is insurance either way (do it regardless) the 'little bit of tension' you felt was most likely cylinder compression. You want that.... : )

 

the pcv is located in a three way housing rubber piece. looks like this

 

Thanks, that's exactly whatI needed.

 

you have to remove the intake manifold

 

Ya I know. I already have the supplies to do the job :-)