How to change timing belt, tensioner and idler on L series engines in 4 hours without even taking the wheel off.
My freelander was jingling from the engine bay and I thought I'd better have a look see.
It wasn't the alternator drive as initially suspected but the idler pulley for the timing belt. The bearing had collapsed and the jingling was the outer part of the pulley rolling round the inner ( dry and with no 'bearings' ). It had been like this for about 3 weeks and I'm lucky nothing more sinister had happened. When I inspected the timing belt it was full of 'bullet' holes from the ball bearings from the pulley!!
I did find a good guide to doing the belt without moving the engine or removing driveshafts etc but now can't find it. Fortunately I printed it so here it is edited slightly to suit my process.
This was done with no special tools only 3/8 and 1/2 inch sockets and an 8mm and offset spanner.
This I did in 4 hours having not done it before. I consider myself an average diy mechanic.
Remove engine acoustic cover.
Remove under tray, and inner wheel arch splash cover.
Crack crank pulley bolt. 18mm socket and long extension to bring 'bolt' outside of wheel arch, rest extension on wood or trolley jack at same height as bolt. With car ingear and beautiful assistant standing on brakes loosen bolt, might help to hit end of 'bolt' with heavy hammer.
Remove RH engine mounting torque reaction bar and triangular plate ( 15mm spanner )
No need to remove engine mount itself.
From engine bay remove upper timing belt cover and top 2 bolts of lower cover ( 8mm offset spanner )
From wheel arch use 15mm 3/8 socket on aux drive belt tensioner ( clockwise ) to loosen and remove belt.
Remove crack pulley ( there is no woodruff key )
Remove 4 bolts ( 8mm offset spanner and 8mm socket ) and remove lower timing belt cover.
Remove engine mounting plate ( 15mm and 13mm spanners ) ( Bridges over the belt ).
Temp refit crank pulley and turn engine until timing mark on cam pulley lines up with plastic web ( about 5 o'clock ) ( 18mm socket on crank bolt ).
Remove crank pulley.
Mark with paint or similar the belt and cam pulley ( marked 5 consequitive teeth ) and also the crank pulley, belt and engine block( 1 tooth ).
Carefully remove centre bolt on tensioner pulley and then top bolt ( 13mm offset spanner ).
Very carefully remove belt taking care not to remove marks.
Transfer marks to new belt. Set belts aside.
Support engine on trolley jack then remove the 3 bolts ( engine bay ) to loosen engine mount ( 15mm socket ) The 2 halves of the mount are held in place by two dowels on the bolts furthest from the engine the bolts go through these ( you'll see what I mean ).
Lower engine until a 22mm socket can be put on idler bolt and remove.
Fit new idler and reconnect engine mount and bolt up.
Hopefully by this stage nothing will have moved ( hadn't for me ).
Carefully fit new belt observing marks.
Fit new tensioner top bolt loosely first ( 13mm offset spanner ) ( Observe protruding dowel on block prior to fitting).
With weapon of choice push tensioner piston in so pulley back plate can be moved in to correct position. I used 600mm long speed bit for this having moved the belt out 6mm to allow this under and up to the tensioner.
Tighten top bolt on pulley back plate taking care that it is sitting properly in over its dowel.
Fit and loosely tighten tensioner pulley centre bolt ( 13mm offset spanner ).
Temp fit crank pulley and turn engine over two revs.
Remove crank pulley.
Loosen tensioner and allow to reset itself finally tighten tensioner bolts.
Check belt for tension.
Refit all items.
The secret to this method is correct marking of the belt and pulleys. Take care over this. If something moves then it will be difficult to fit the belt so recheck the cam pulley against the web and see if it has moved, if so use a spanner to reposition it. If the crank has moved a cloth and pump plyers on the crank belt pulley should allow repositioning.
My freelander was jingling from the engine bay and I thought I'd better have a look see.
It wasn't the alternator drive as initially suspected but the idler pulley for the timing belt. The bearing had collapsed and the jingling was the outer part of the pulley rolling round the inner ( dry and with no 'bearings' ). It had been like this for about 3 weeks and I'm lucky nothing more sinister had happened. When I inspected the timing belt it was full of 'bullet' holes from the ball bearings from the pulley!!
I did find a good guide to doing the belt without moving the engine or removing driveshafts etc but now can't find it. Fortunately I printed it so here it is edited slightly to suit my process.
This was done with no special tools only 3/8 and 1/2 inch sockets and an 8mm and offset spanner.
This I did in 4 hours having not done it before. I consider myself an average diy mechanic.
Remove engine acoustic cover.
Remove under tray, and inner wheel arch splash cover.
Crack crank pulley bolt. 18mm socket and long extension to bring 'bolt' outside of wheel arch, rest extension on wood or trolley jack at same height as bolt. With car ingear and beautiful assistant standing on brakes loosen bolt, might help to hit end of 'bolt' with heavy hammer.
Remove RH engine mounting torque reaction bar and triangular plate ( 15mm spanner )
No need to remove engine mount itself.
From engine bay remove upper timing belt cover and top 2 bolts of lower cover ( 8mm offset spanner )
From wheel arch use 15mm 3/8 socket on aux drive belt tensioner ( clockwise ) to loosen and remove belt.
Remove crack pulley ( there is no woodruff key )
Remove 4 bolts ( 8mm offset spanner and 8mm socket ) and remove lower timing belt cover.
Remove engine mounting plate ( 15mm and 13mm spanners ) ( Bridges over the belt ).
Temp refit crank pulley and turn engine until timing mark on cam pulley lines up with plastic web ( about 5 o'clock ) ( 18mm socket on crank bolt ).
Remove crank pulley.
Mark with paint or similar the belt and cam pulley ( marked 5 consequitive teeth ) and also the crank pulley, belt and engine block( 1 tooth ).
Carefully remove centre bolt on tensioner pulley and then top bolt ( 13mm offset spanner ).
Very carefully remove belt taking care not to remove marks.
Transfer marks to new belt. Set belts aside.
Support engine on trolley jack then remove the 3 bolts ( engine bay ) to loosen engine mount ( 15mm socket ) The 2 halves of the mount are held in place by two dowels on the bolts furthest from the engine the bolts go through these ( you'll see what I mean ).
Lower engine until a 22mm socket can be put on idler bolt and remove.
Fit new idler and reconnect engine mount and bolt up.
Hopefully by this stage nothing will have moved ( hadn't for me ).
Carefully fit new belt observing marks.
Fit new tensioner top bolt loosely first ( 13mm offset spanner ) ( Observe protruding dowel on block prior to fitting).
With weapon of choice push tensioner piston in so pulley back plate can be moved in to correct position. I used 600mm long speed bit for this having moved the belt out 6mm to allow this under and up to the tensioner.
Tighten top bolt on pulley back plate taking care that it is sitting properly in over its dowel.
Fit and loosely tighten tensioner pulley centre bolt ( 13mm offset spanner ).
Temp fit crank pulley and turn engine over two revs.
Remove crank pulley.
Loosen tensioner and allow to reset itself finally tighten tensioner bolts.
Check belt for tension.
Refit all items.
The secret to this method is correct marking of the belt and pulleys. Take care over this. If something moves then it will be difficult to fit the belt so recheck the cam pulley against the web and see if it has moved, if so use a spanner to reposition it. If the crank has moved a cloth and pump plyers on the crank belt pulley should allow repositioning.
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