Festiva Harmonic balancer.

[dabro]

Is the thread on a 1998 ford festiva harmonic balancer normal thread ? ie turn anti clock wise to undo it .

[superyob]

I have just done the timing belt on my wife's 1997 Festiva and the front pulley bolt is a standard right hand thread...

[dabro]

Thank you . The belt is only $61 at Repco. Seeing it's an old car and I don't know it was last done I'm going to replace it.

[Road Games]

???

The pulley you need to remove is held on by 4 x 10mm bolts matey ...

[superyob]

Can you slide the belt off the crank gear with the belt retainer still in place? If so, that is now handy to know...

[Road Games]

Undo the tensioner and lock it in place mate.. very simple procedure..

I have the Festy timing belt swap done and dusted in 40 mins now

On this day i replaced the water pump as well...

[dabro]

So there is no need to remove the whole harmonic balancer and gear( ie the big center bolt.) Just the pully by removing the 4 bolts and then I can slip the belt off easily .

[dabro]

It looks to me you have to remove the bottom pulleys belt retaining plate somehow to get the belt on . How?

[Road Games]

Jack under the sump mate and remove the top engine mount bolt.... you can raise the engine nearly a foot !!

It had me stumped as well

[dabro]

I don't think I will access trouble as I have the axel removed to install new CV boot . But what I am worried about is can I get the timing belt off with the bottom guide cone still installed . I don't want undo the main harmonic balancer center bolt if I can get away with it.

[superyob]

I can't see how the timing belt slips past the retainer and timing case or sump... Have you actually done this yourself dazzlr?

Dabro, if you have to remove the pulley bolt, as there is no clear access straight onto the bolt, put a 13/16 offset ring spanner on the bolt (yes I know it's a metric bolt) and jam it up against the CV shaft. Hit the key a couple of times and wallah!!! Loose bolt.

To tighten, put in 5th gear, put a couple of wheel studs in the disc and put a bar through the middle so it jams up on the ground when the disc tries to turn. Put spanner on bolt and tighten with foot! Make sure the offset ring spanner is a longish 13/16 - 7/8 type...

Crude but effective...

[Road Games]

Originally Posted by superyob

I can't see how the timing belt slips past the retainer and timing case or sump... Have you actually done this yourself dazzlr?

Dabro, if you have to remove the pulley bolt, as there is no clear access straight onto the bolt, put a 13/16 offset ring spanner on the bolt (yes I know it's a metric bolt) and jam it up against the CV shaft. Hit the key a couple of times and wallah!!! Loose bolt.

To tighten, put in 5th gear, put a couple of wheel studs in the disc and put a bar through the middle so it jams up on the ground when the disc tries to turn. Put spanner on bolt and tighten with foot! Make sure the offset ring spanner is a longish 13/16 - 7/8 type...

Crude but effective...

Why do you need to go to this trouble ^^^ ?

Have i done it myself ????

WOW

[superyob]

Originally Posted by DAZZLR

Why do you need to go to this trouble ^^^ ?

Have i done it myself ????

WOW

Genuine question. Were you able to take the belt off with the retainer in place?

[dabro]

Thanks, I did that with a little Charade , it works . Yes I removed the 4 bolts on the bottom pulley. And yes I have to undo the main center bolt. The belt been making a bit of a noise , When today I removed the belt plastic cover I noticed rubbing marks on the inside . So I am thinking that the belt just needs tensioning . I can turn the tensioner roller with my fingers so I might tighten it up and see what happens. BTW at what kilometres do you change the belt ? under the bonnet it said it was changed at 99000 Kms . Due at 300000 kms . does that sound right .? It has now got 220000 kms .

[superyob]

Every 100 thousand ks is the norm. I have never heard of a manufacturer that did not specify that number, but my experience with replacing timing belts is limited to a Laser and a Festiva...

[superyob]

And were you able to do it without the crank moving, thus having to realign the timing...

[dabro]

One last question . This car is automatic so how can I lock the motor to tighten the harmonic balancer bolt ?

[superyob]

Originally Posted by dabro

One last question . This car is automatic so how can I lock the motor to tighten the harmonic balancer bolt ?

Not sure there is an easy answer for this one. Removal of starter motor or bottom transmission plate/cover to jam ring gear with a pry bar? Lot of work though. If you release front engine mount the engine has to drop 2 or 3 inches to get an impact socket and rattle gun on. Is it possible to block the cam gear? This may however put excess tension on the belt...


Any one else done this?

[dabro]

Job is now completed . I tightened up the harmonic balancer by jamming a bar into the slots in the balancer . Thank for all your help.