Changing cambelt & tensioner on MK3 ABF 16V in MK2 golf

If you attack the pulley bolts with a regular allen key, its bound to end in tears (unless they're loose).

I always use a hex head tool (6mm for these pulley bolts) on a ratchet driver, making sure to apply ample Super-Crack and get the tool nice and square in the hex hole, cleaning it out beforehand if necessary. By sheer chance, I've just done a cambelt change on a Digifant Mk2 8V, the bolts were so tight I had to use the 2 foot breaker bar on them, holding another breaker bar on the 19mm nut on the crank to prevent it turning. This allowed me to get the bolts off with no damage to them.

Impact driver is an alternative method which also works.

 

even the allen key on a socket will round the bolts off, a little tip that sometimes works, to be fair tho has never let me down (but prob could lol) try tightening the bolt first, wont move much but always seems to free it of when i come to undo the bolt, the other thing to try is put the allen key socket on an extension then hammer the extension into the bolt to shock the threads to help loosen it off

 

So how much tension is correct and 45 degrees of what?

Is it's the 10th anniversary this year?

 

Holy thread resurrection

Eddie posted a how-to using the belt tensioner somewhere. I`ll try and find it. That shows how to set the tension using the mechanism inside the tensioner. Much easier for those of us who haven`t done loads

 

Found it.

 

That's exactly what I was looking for. Nice one Eddie

 

All done, dead easy, thanks Eddie/Nigel

 

Excellent read, Where can i buy this type of tensioner from? Thankyou

 

http://www.gsfcarparts.com/132vg0310



Wait until the weekend if you can, they are having 40% off almost every weekend at the moment

 

Cheers bud appreciate that massively.

 

Ive searched on gsf! For a lengthy time last night with no joy, Do you have the cambelt number too, it has 151 teeth on it Nige

 

Are you looking at MK2 or MK3 16V`s ?

Just look at the MK3 2.0 16V, it`s listed right there, under Cam/ Timing Belt

http://www.gsfcarparts.com/131vg0150

 

The belts or belt kits are made by Dayco, Continental or INA.

Applications are VW GOLF 3 1H , Seat Ibiza and Cordoba 6K and Toldeo 1L.

Just a bit more information for a search

Example of Conti belt part number below.

 

The simplest way to remove any allen head bolt is to use Irwin extractors.

They don't damage the bolt allen key section and only make small creases in the outer part of the head. The more you tighten the more they grip. It also allows the use of a decent socket set to crack them off. The risk is the bolt shaft snapping if the threads are seriously corroded/seized. Using this method enables you to re-use the bolts with an allen key afterwards.