changing my Excel's timing belt
Moderator: Board Moderators
- Mauro200
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 15:01
- Model: Excel
- Colour: Bianco
- Year: 1984
- Location: Silvi Marina Italy
changing my Excel's timing belt
Good morning. A question for experts. I have a problem changing my Excel's timing belt. I need to disassemble the crankshaft pulley, but does the bolt unscrew clockwise or counterclockwise? If you also give me a tip to lock the engine to unscrew.Thank you
- rbgosling
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1702
- Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 22:55
- Model: Lotus Excel SE
- Colour: Midnight Blue
- Year: 1990
- Location: Rugby
Re: changing my Excel's timing belt
The bolt unscrews anti-clockwise, as normal. It is done tight, so use a good-quality 6-point socket and a long bar!
You can lock the engine by removing a spark plug and feeding some rope (clean, that isn't likely to leave shreds behind) into the hole. Make sure it's in a cylinder that is coming up to its firing point, so the valves are closed.
Even with the bolt off don't assume the pulley will come off easily. Even with the engine out of the car my pulley put up a fight.
You can lock the engine by removing a spark plug and feeding some rope (clean, that isn't likely to leave shreds behind) into the hole. Make sure it's in a cylinder that is coming up to its firing point, so the valves are closed.
Even with the bolt off don't assume the pulley will come off easily. Even with the engine out of the car my pulley put up a fight.
"Farmer" Richard
1990 Lotus Excel SE (Lilith)
2022 MG MG5 EV (not due to be a classic for quite a few years...)
2011 Nissan Leaf (Ragly - EV pioneer, must be due to be a classic one day)
1990 Lotus Excel SE (Lilith)
2022 MG MG5 EV (not due to be a classic for quite a few years...)
2011 Nissan Leaf (Ragly - EV pioneer, must be due to be a classic one day)
- Mauro200
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 15:01
- Model: Excel
- Colour: Bianco
- Year: 1984
- Location: Silvi Marina Italy
Re: changing my Excel's timing belt
Thanks for the reply. It seems strange to me that if the engine turns clockwise, they put a bolt that unscrews counterclockwise. If it's as you say, I could lock the bolt with a good wrench and give the engine a starter blow, after disconnecting the ignition coil.
-
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 20:01
- Model: SE x2 + Celebration x2
- Colour: Gold,blue and green
- Year: 1987
- Location: Norwich
Re: changing my Excel's timing belt
Or put it in gear and bump the car, having locked a bar as you suggest.
- Tanz
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 22:05
- Model: SE
- Colour: Calypso Red
- Year: 1988
- Location: Wolverhampton
Re: changing my Excel's timing belt
The engine turns clockwise so it would be tightening bolt which unscrews anticlockwise. I always jam the flywheel with a large screw driver. If you stand on the right hand side of the engine (drivers side in the u.k). reach down to the bell housing from above you find a hole. A bit tricky to find but if you persevere you will find it. Insert a large screw driver between the teeth. Don't forget to remove it when you start the engine!!
There are some youtube links in this thread
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1660
There are some youtube links in this thread
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1660
Cheers, Phil
Never take life seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway!
Never take life seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway!
-
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2017 04:35
- Model: Excel SE
- Colour: Ice Blue
- Year: 1986
- Location: East Yorkshire
Re: changing my Excel's timing belt
Car on ground, in gear with handbrake on. Breaker bar from above, sharp tugs to shock it free worked for mine. As mentioned above getting the pulley off may well take plenty of effort too.
- DavidOliver
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 11:18
- Model: Excel
- Colour: Calypso Red
- Year: 1985
- Location: Malaga Spain
Re: changing my Excel's timing belt
I do not agree with Richard about putting rope (or anything) in a plug hole.
As others mention first try handbrake, fourth gear (direct), breaker bar to tension up and a smart heavy hammer blow.
Otherwise a long bar to the ground and a sharp engine start on.off (coil disconnected).
The pulley has two threaded holes which take a small puller. You can rig this with two bolts and a flat steel plate.
All of this with the bonnet off, an easy one man job, no weight.
Dave the cog.
As others mention first try handbrake, fourth gear (direct), breaker bar to tension up and a smart heavy hammer blow.
Otherwise a long bar to the ground and a sharp engine start on.off (coil disconnected).
The pulley has two threaded holes which take a small puller. You can rig this with two bolts and a flat steel plate.
All of this with the bonnet off, an easy one man job, no weight.
Dave the cog.
- Tanz
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 22:05
- Model: SE
- Colour: Calypso Red
- Year: 1988
- Location: Wolverhampton
Re: changing my Excel's timing belt
DavidOliver wrote: ↑Sat Feb 27, 2021 12:36
The pulley has two threaded holes which take a small puller. You can rig this with two bolts and a flat steel plate.
All of this with the bonnet off, an easy one man job, no weight.
Dave the cog.
Check the condition of the 'teeth' as they wear sharp and cut the belt
Cheers, Phil
Never take life seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway!
Never take life seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway!
- Mauro200
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 15:01
- Model: Excel
- Colour: Bianco
- Year: 1984
- Location: Silvi Marina Italy
Re: cambiare la cintura di cronometraggio di Excel
thanks everyone for the advice. however it is the V pulley that I have to extract to change the belt. for now the toothed pulley is fine there.
- Mauro200
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2019 15:01
- Model: Excel
- Colour: Bianco
- Year: 1984
- Location: Silvi Marina Italy
Re: cambiare la cintura di cronometraggio di Excel
Goodmorning everyone. I fixed it, put the fifth gear in and then with a good wrench and an extension tube the bolt counterclockwise unscrewed immediately, then the V-pulley came off effortlessly. Thank you