Cam Belt

[Ski]

If you (the reader) had the front end of your car off doing the cam belt, what else would you change that is cheap but might as well do it while your there!?

[Lee]

Cambelt
Water Pump
Thermostat
Idler/Tensioner Pulley
All ancillary belts
I removed my Aux rad when I was there too (I disconnected it last summer to prove it wasn't needed and finally removed it altogether).
I removed my aircon too but that's a bit drastic!! Opens up the front end though huge amounts!!

[Doug_RS2]

I would also change a couple of the water hoses - one that connects to the metal pipe that goes across the front of the engine (this is bursting a on a lot of S2s and is an AA job if it goes while driving) - and I can't remember where the other one is!

Might as well do the Mark H intercooler mod while things are in bits - although you pull the intercooler and corssmember off the car as one piece.

It's tempting to take out my aircon - I might give it one last chance - need to get someone to look at it. Has anyone thought of using the aircon to cool the inlet air? I'm sure an Aston Martin uses air con compressors to cool the inlet air.

[Lee]

Do you mean the little hose that goes from the thermostat housing to the water manifold. That went on mine and it was a pain to change by removing the main rad...really long job! Easier to do it with the front end off.

@Doug, if you want to clear a move path to your turbo then get rid of the air con. Improves airflow to the main rad too expecially with the aux rad removed there is loads of space. I might fit a smaller fan now to take some weight out cas the standard one is massive and really heavy. Aircon weighed 18 kilos plus fluid and I left some pipes in place. Getting rid of the compressor makes loads of room for intake plumbing. I will put a big oil cooler in front of the main rad and reserve the space on the drivers side for the intake stuff. Just imagine it with an MTM style inlet too getting rid of that crossover pipe. Mmmmmm. It's all taking shape slowly!

[Ski]

I dont suppose the parts guru will have a part number for this hose ?

Whats a aux rad?

i must say taking out air con is v tempting!

[Doug_RS2]

That must have been the other one Lee - I think the one I changed was the one that feeds the coolant to the metal pipe that eventually goes to the turbo.

Air con is something I would like to have working - but on the other hand, it's not, and I am very tempted to rip it out - did you decompress yours?

[Doug_RS2]

Originally posted by Ski
I dont suppose the parts guru will have a part number for this hose ?

Just get a length of standard collant hose - only need a couple of inches, if that, for each. It is definitely a "must do" job.

Whats a aux rad?

That small radiator that sits in front of the cambelt, above the crossmember - it is "auxilary" to the main radiator. It's another thing that could go wrong and you'll need the AA to get you home. If you do remove it, you need to block the pipes - give newsh (john) a shout and he will make some cool plugs for it, for a small fee.

[Vagsport]

Yeah, Doug, the front subframe bolts have to be removed, the rear ones loosened enough to lower the assembly. The oil pick up tube will have to be removed, so a new O - ring is a good idea. You'll also need a new pump - to - block gasket (green paper!) Be careful, those pump to block bolts have a habit of seizing, you don't wanna snap one of them.

:eek2:

Siena

[Vagsport]

To make a neat job of removing the aux. rad (like it was never there) I use type 89 PS (1,994cc) 90 rad hose. No plugs, and less weak spots to leak later on.

Siena

[Ski]

does this hose have to be any thickness? im sure there are different sizes and i will be doing this work away from home so would like to be prepared.

do i have to block the pipes when taking the rad off? i will be installing brand new rad in its place and thought of changing the whole water.

Did i hear someone mention if i dont block them i might bet leaks later?

[Vagsport]

You won't definitely get leaks, but it's best to have as few joins as possible. Using the lower hose of a 1,994cc Audi 90 from '87 - '91, you won't require a plug, as this hose does not have the extra branch.

Siena

[Lee]

Good to know about this hose. I plugged mine now that my aux rad is out.

I think Ski is just going to replace the aux rad with a new one so he wont need to do any plugging!

[Lee]

Originally posted by Doug_RS2
make sure you are capable of locking that crank in place and you have a driver long/strong enough to get that bolt off - don't use the gearbox - Lee measured his breaking torque over 800Nm!

I was standing on a 1.2m bar whilst level and I weigh 80 kilos so yeah, that was about 800Nm. It didn't budge until I started jumping up and down on the end of the bar!

Here is the state of my home made tool after one cambelt change! I knocked one up ahilst at home. All of my fabricators were closed to doing any work over Xmas so I found some bits of steel and unearthed the arc welder...first time I'd used it in about 8 years so striking the arc needed a bit of practice!! Will make up a load of tools for people when I get the material that's on its way to me. Also got a fabricator lined up to weld them up too. My prototype was obviously not good enough so thicker section is now en route!

The tool is mangled purely due to the undoing and re-tightening torque. I snapped my 2ft breaker bar up whilst tightening the bolt. I could only do 150Nm plus about 110 degrees. And that felt like more than 450Nm too!! It stayed as I didn't have any tools left that could do the full 180 degrees! That torque is phenomenal!

Lee

[Lee]

BTW. The tools I am making will be made from stainless and not the crappy mild steel you see here! Could do a proper tool that located in the bore of the harmonic damper but that would add cost...but not value! It works fine as it is but just needs thicker material sections (and still clearance for the 27mm socket).

I reacted all of the torque against the snub mount too. Worked a treat until I started systematically breaking my doing-up tools!

[Doug_RS2]

What are the dimensions of the box section Lee?