Replacing the timing belt (Opel Vectra B)

Maintenance work

• Remove the timing belt only when the engine is cold.
• Remove the front timing belt cover.
• Set the engine to the TDC position of the 1st cylinder ignition. In 16-valve engines, additionally fix the camshaft pulleys in this position with locking bolts (KM-852 for 16V 1.6 l engine or KM-953 for 16V 1.8 and 2.0 l engines).
• 8-valve 1.6L engine: Turn the timing belt tension roller upwards with a flat-end wrench, counteracting the spring force, so that the holes in the movable part of the tension roller and in its support plate coincide
• Secure the tension roller in this position with a suitable pin or drill.
• 16V: Loosen the tension roller mounting bolt and turn the adjusting eccentric clockwise until the arrow on the tension roller touches the left stop.
• For all: Remove the loose timing belt from the belt pulleys.
• In 16V engines, check the mounting position of the water pump, see section "Checking the timing belt tension".
• Place the new belt so that the traction side (between the camshaft pulley and the crankshaft pulley) was taut. If the position of the crankshaft and camshaft pulleys has not changed, then the valve timing has not yet been knocked out of alignment.
• However, for safety reasons, this should be checked before final installation.
• Check the timing belt tension.

The figures show the location of the timing belt, on the left - in the 8-valve engine - 1.6 l, in the center - in the 16-valve engine 1.6 l and on the right - in the engine 1.8/2.0 l. The correct tension of the timing belt in all engines is provided by an automatic tension roller between the water pump and the crankshaft. The arrow in each case shows the traction side of the timing belt.

The pictures show an 8-valve 1.6 l engine.

Left:When the timing belt tension is correct, the arrow on the movable part of the tension roller is opposite the mark on the support plate.

Right: To adjust the tension of the toothed belt, slightly loosen the water pump mounting bolts and accordingly turn the eccentrically located pump clockwise with the KM-421-A tool.