Timing Belt Madness

[oxide32]

First of all, a big hello as a new member to the forum! i was hoping someone clever might be able to help advise on my recent attempt at changing my cambelt on my 99 alhambra 20vt, everything was going smoothly until i came to undoing the last of the 3 engine mount bracket bolts (rear bolt at the bottom) i couldnt for the life of me work out how to undo the burger! i tried jacking the engine up and then down but couldnt get anything onto the bolt to undo it! my daughter is due in hospital on friday so i had to give up the ghost and put her all back together. really cheesed off now as i dont usually give up on jobs! any help would be really appreciated!.

 

[oxide32]

bump. anyone ??

 

[james.l]

You might find this useful
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?2840728

 

[Big_daddy]

 

[oxide32]

many thanks to both who posted with advice!! it does not mention in any of the guides about the difficulty getting onto the last bolt of the 3 on the engine mounting bracket. i cannot get onto it with a socket or spanner even with the engine jacked up and lowered down, would it harm anything if i levered the whole engine over to the right slightly once the left hand rubber mount is removed so i can get onto the bolt. ??

 

[Seatmann]

Does it need to come off completely? or can you slip the belt past it?

My experience with a sharan was that you had to be good at yoga lol

 

[oxide32]

thanks for the reply, i could leave the actual metal bracket to engine inplace...IF i could get the last rear middle bolt out of it (3 in total) the actual problem is the inner wing is very close to the bracket and leaves no room for a socket or spanner ??? thanks again mate.

 

[Seatmann]

There either designed to come off the engine or off the car, no matter how awkward it looks there is a way to do it.

But looking at the pics Bigdaddy posted it looks like it comes off the wing then you can lift the engine at that end.

 

[oxide32]

i did try lifting the engine right up but i still couldnt get to the last bolt! someone on a google search said he had to use an offset ring spanner that had been ground down to allow access to the last bolt and he left the metal bracket in place while doing the belt,tensioners etc... strange how the guides dont mention any kind of special spanner etc...

 

[Seatmann]

Does the belt come through the mount? is that why you need it off?

 

[oxide32]

the mount has to be moved or even better removed for access to the belt and tensioners! the only way i can now see is jacking the engine RIGHT up but im worried about the driveshafts at such an extreme height! dont want to damage anything , or do you think it will be ok to raise it right up ??

 

[Seatmann]

I'd be more concerned with the exhaust myself, don't want to pull it about to much.

I'd like to be more helpful but I don't know the design of these newer alhambras, if you could maybe post some pics it might help.

 

[90landrover]

Interested to see what the outcome of this thread is as I to tried to change the belt on my 20vt and failed for exactly the same reason you are having. Even when I managed to undo the bolt I was unable to remove it due to it's length stopping it from clearing the engine bay side panel. There has to be a simple way of doing it but unfortunately none of the Seat mechanics on the web want to tell us. Probably protecting thier livelyhood. In the end took to Seat dealer and he changed it very quickly indeed - but charged me a fortune for doing so.Recommend you change the water pump as well or you will have to go through all this performance again as pump is located in the centre of the timing belt cover.

 

[Seatmann]

I don't suppose there's a hole in the chassis leg for it to go into?

 

[oxide32]

thanks again for the reply all, there is a cut out in the inner wing area that does allow for one of the bolts to be slipped into and out off( with nimble fingers) im wondering if the engine has to be levered about to use this area. i am also thinking that the pendulum support underneath the engine has to be undone to allow a greater height when jacking it up. ive done loads of cambelts on other cars and ive done 24v calibra engines with quad cams that were not as bad as this. ive purchased the gates cambelt kit complete with metal impeller water pump etc etc. any other thoughts guys, i am NOT giving up on this and wont be beat.

 

[Seatmann]

I just wished you lived closer so I could come and interfere lol

 

[oxide32]

lol thanks seatmann, its a shame you dont mate! you can all be sure that once i work out the easy way ill be doing a full right up on all this to help others as ive searched all the internet and information is really sparse to say the least. im thinking that the engine has to be jacked to the extreme and once that last bolt is undone then the bracket is pushed over to the hole in the inner wing area so the bolt can be pushed through out of the way and picked back up with magnetic pickup or pliers etc. wonder if anyone else on here who has a 20vt alhambra has ever done this job. ??

 

[Seatmann]

With the below mount undone you could probably swing the engine a bit to get the bolt out through that same place as the last one.

I like a challenge, logic is about all I have going for me lol

 

[oxide32]

thats exactly what i was thinking mate, i did not undo it the first time as others have said its not necessary (but they were golf 20v's etc and not alhambras) so im now thinking this is a MUST DO as its listed in the electronic manual i have. soon as my daughter has been in hospital for her tonsills to be removed ill get right on this job and get it sussed.

 

[90landrover]

Even though I eventually had mine done at a garage I await the outcome of this adventure just to see what you come up with, it defeated me but only because I was short on time.