Well pleased

Finally got my x1/9 running well and took it for a blast tonight. Forgot how good they are when they are running well. Got some final tweaks and will more than likely get a rolling road session booked up to finally finish it off.

Felt a bit nervous about redlining it only took it up to 6000 but what a hoot. Might just do that timing belt first though before the rolling road just in case...

Dillon more sunny days

gaskin662 wrote: Might just do that timing belt first

Uh-oh. You've said it now. I've had a belt break on me twice- not in X1/9's - Both times I had a new belt in the boot waiting on "getting round to it".

Yep think that the next to do job! Is it a pig or fairly easy to do?

I found it to be the easiest cam belt change of any I've done, the longest bit is getting the alternator belt back on!! I find the easiest way to change it is to line all the timing marks up at TDC, mark the old belt with a bit of tipex against each of the notched pulley wheels, remove it and lay it out against the new one. (Note: you can't mark the crankshaft pulley as the alternator pulley wheel is in the way, but you can mark the belt against the alternator pulley which i've found to work fine for me) Transfer the marks across to the new belt and fit against the marks on the pulley wheels. The bit I like best about the system on the X is that tensioning the belt is pretty easy - at least it is on the early 1500's not sure if it's the same on later cars.

On a desmoged 79 I can change the belt in 40 minutes.

I don't ever recall removing the alternator. What I do is remove the Right rear wheel and splash cover to allow me to see the crank shaft timing marks for belt installation. Before you remove the wheel, line up the marks by rocking the car to get close. Then if it is off a bit use a 17mm wrench and turn the camshaft pulley at the nut to line up the marks. Drain the coolant to prevent it from seeping into the tensioner bearing. To keep the tensioner spring compressed which is in the right engine mount take a 1/2" spanner ( open end wrench ) and push it down between the shaft of the tensioner spring and washer head. You should be able to get 2 wrenches between the mount and the washer head to keep the spring compressed. This will allow you to install the belt without fighting the spring on the tensioner bearing. If you have not changed the tensioner bearing, it may be a good time to do this as well.

Apart from that installing the belt is simple. I just changed the one on me 2004 Acura TL, a 5 hour job, well the tensioner bearing on the aux drive belt blew apart 20 minutes after starting the engine. And now the power steering pump is making noise. 160,000 miles, something is bound to go.

Best of luck.

TonyK.

cambelt should always be the first job on your list

Well I checked the documentation and the cambelt was changed in November 2009. Since then the car has only done 1500 miles. So do u think I should change the belt or is good for a while yet?

i would change it,its cheap to do,takes half hour and gives you peace of mind,i always get mine done, low mileage isnt always a good thing