BDR Change cam belt - remove idler? Ans: yes and the crank pulley, but not the separate crank sprocket.

[anthony1956]

Water pump pulley is off, do I have to remove the idler ? edit ans: yes but loosening it is ok as it cannot come off.

I can't see any way to get the belt off without doing that.. not sure even with that - I am not cutting it so it is practice for getting a new one on

Edited September 5 by anthonym

[anthony1956]

and here's my answer from my 2012 work, the crank pulley comes off without affecting anything else:

so that's my memory still working, I recalled to get the engine out requires removal of the crank pulley without any other hassle. So there is access to the belt.

Edited September 2 by anthonym

[anthony1956]

and I am now told also to remove the idler.. 

[Nigel Blandin]

Once you have the tensioner loose, it should twist off and the new one on.

check the idler bearings though…

[anthony1956]

what are the idler "bearings"? and what am I checking about them? 

Is this 16 x 2 in the diagram? Ball races? Ugh.. 40 year old ball races..

So when you say "check" you mean for little very old ball bearings going "crunch crunch"? I hazard a spot of grease too? edit: granted only done about 40,000 miles so may be completely ok.

Haynes Manual p59

Edited September 3 by anthonym

[Nigel Blandin]

Just spin the idlers in your hands and listen/ feel for the ….graunciness (?) They will probably be fine, I think they are sealed, but while you are there you may as well. 

[anthony1956]

Looks like I should also check the bearing in the tensioner as it looks like a similar device 

Edited September 3 by anthonym

[Jonathan Kay]

4 hours ago, Nigel Blandin said:

Just spin the idlers in your hands and listen/ feel for the ….graunciness (?)

I'd include an h,  but it may be graunchier without.  : - )

Jonathan

[anthony1956]

38 minutes ago, Jonathan Kay said:

I'd include an h,  but it may be graunchier without.  : - )

 

me tooo

Come to think of it a general service approach, clean, grease (or degrease) once every 40 years is probably a good idea.

Edited September 3 by anthonym

[anthony1956]

ok so I thought the idler nut was F tight and beyond me, but using a 5/8 spanner with a lever through the other end broke what I think looks like old Loctite. Belt now off.

[Nigel Blandin]

I was working on the Italian idea of cc as ch. Cappuccino

My excuse and I’m sticking with it! 

[anthony1956]

I can see Italy from here (where we speak French) so absolument 🙂

[anthony1956]

oh yes; no grauncing when I spin the idler... 

 

en fait I think I am up to the point where everything should be easier because we are now re fitting as opposed to dismantling.

just a tad nervous about getting it on the right crank tooth the first time - which I did a few days ago when correcting the old belt that was two teeth out on the crank; for reasons unknown; we now think if any jumping went on it was more likely to have been on the Jackshaft sprocket.

The old belt (no teeth missing) is tooth for tooth the same length as the new - both being the exact same belt from Gates, in fact for posterity BDR Cam belt is:

Gates Powergrip 5291 - 146 x 25.4mm (do not crimp :-) 

The old and new do feel different, the new feels more flexible bent between thumb and finger. On reflection the old belt has lost some of it's suppleness; I suppose in the end like all rubber materials it gets harder and harder and eventually becomes brittle and breaks - like all the other rubber components I have just replaced.

Edited September 3 by anthonym

[Nigel Blandin]

Should be changed every 5 years for exactly this reason.

[anthony1956]

Nothing like re inventing the wheel 🙂