Replacing the timing belt — removal and installation (Opel Vectra B)

Warning! The timing belt must be replaced on a cold engine.

Removal

1. Set the piston of the first cylinder to the top dead center in the compression stroke. Secure the camshaft and fuel pump pulleys with bolts.

2. Remove the crankshaft pulley.

3. Unscrew the bolts and remove the lower timing belt cover together with the rubber seal.

4. Loosen the timing belt tensioner mounting bolts and disconnect the tensioner spring from the mounting pins.

5. Remove the timing belt. If the timing belt is to be reinstalled, mark its direction of rotation

6. Check the condition of the timing belt for wear, delamination or contamination with oil. If the belt is contaminated with oil, it is necessary to find the place of oil leakage and fix it.

Installation

1. Clean the timing belt pulleys. Check that the camshaft and fuel pump pulleys are secured with bolts. Temporarily install the crankshaft pulley to the timing pulley and check that the mark on the pulley aligns with the pointer on the oil pump housing. Also, the mark on the crankshaft timing pulley should align with the pointer on the oil pump housing (the mark is indicated by an arrow).



2. Remove the crankshaft auxiliary pulley and install the timing belt on the crankshaft pulley, oil pump pulley, fuel pump pulley, camshaft pulley and check that the rear branch of the belt is tight. Check that the timing marks on the pulleys are aligned with the pointers.

3. Tighten the timing belt with the tensioner pulley spring.

4. Check that the crankshaft pulley timing mark is aligned with the pointer, then remove the clamp bolts from the fuel pump pulleys and camshaft pulley.



5. Loosen the tensioner pulley mounting bolt and turn the crankshaft pulley back 60° (counterclockwise).



6. To automatically adjust the timing belt tension, secure the crankshaft pulley from turning and tighten the tensioner pulley mounting bolt.



7. Rotate the crankshaft two full revolutions and check that all timing marks on the pulleys are aligned with the pointer.

8. Loosen the tensioner pulley mounting bolt and turn the crankshaft 60° counterclockwise to adjust the timing belt tension. Secure the crankshaft pulley from turning and tighten the tensioner mounting bolt.

9. Set the engine crankshaft to a position where the piston of the first cylinder is at top dead center in the compression stroke and check that all timing marks on the pulleys are aligned with the pointers.

10. Install the timing belt covers and crankshaft pulley.