328 Timing Belt Change

Yes, you've got the idea.

Only GOTCHA is that you'll have to make your own cam locks as there aren't any production ones that are usable with a 4V engine.

Other than:
0. Put it in 5th gear, then rotate the engine clockwise (looking at the damper) until the engine is on on TDC (the flywheel PM1-4 mark), & set the park brake hard just in case something goes wrong.

While you have the tensioner bearings off, remove, clean & lubricate the tensioner mechanisms, that grease is probably 20 years old. If there's rust inside of the spring area, clean out the drain holes, or drill them if they aren't there (by the 328 they s/b there).

 

There was a good step-by-step write up that you could download and then print out from the old F-chat.

It was some sort of link to the expensive car.com archives or something like that. I've got my print out, but I don't know if you can still find it online.

Anyone know?

 

ExpensiveCar.com

 

Why does it have to be in 5th gear?

 

I'm assuming easier to turn.

 

continuing with what was already said. I have used a socket attached to the nut on crank damper/pulley to turn the engine over(always turn clockwise)to TDC. I remove the spark plugs when I do this, they should be replaced at service time anyway, engine turns over real easy then.This way seemed easier and allowed me to be a little more presice in lining up TDC. I have always put little paint marks on the pulley to mark its relationship with a static point on the engine block, same with each cam put a paint mark on the cam front, pulley side and mark it's relation to a static point on the head. cams on the 5-8 side seem to be easily moved out of postion. I never had access to cam blocks so this is the reason I did it this way, always worked fine. Regards, Vern

 

What is the idea of putting in 5th gear and not in neutral, it will turn easear in neutral.

 

Engaging the gearbox to the crankshaft, you are trying to turn the crankshaft to get the no. 1 piston to TDC.

 

The job definitely can be done w/o cam locks, especially if you have a helper who can hold the cam gears in place while you slip the belt on. I've done it quite a few times. However, now that I have my homemade cam locks, I won't go back. They make the whole job much much easier.

Forgot to mention pulling the plugs, do so.

I agree, on the 4V engines, the valves really are much less stable than the 2V engines, the front bank intake cam just plain doesn't want to stay in time as it's got 4 valves on the peak of the cam lobes. The front bank exhaust cam, & rear bank intake cam are also a bit twitchy. Never had a problem with the rear bank exh. cam moving.

Once the engine is on PM1-4, be sure you mark everything against everything else with a white china marker before you loosten your tensioners & remove your old belts.

RE: 5TH GEAR:
The object of turning the engine in gear & locking the park brake is to keep the engine from rotating clockwise while installing the belts.

Having the trans. in 5th gear & turning the engine with a socket on the crank will take all the slack out of the drivetrain in that direction. Then locking the park brake will keep it there. Reason for 5th is that gives the maximum drivetrain resistance to the engine moving.

If you really tug hard on the crank you can still make the park brake slip, but it's unlikely you can make it move fwd by accident.

BTW, now all the drive train slack is in the reverse direction. This is handy because you often need to back the engine up 1 to 3 degrees to get a belt on.

However, don't overdo it, there's enough slack so that you can back the engine far enough for a piston to touch a valve! Talk about a scary feeling when you realize what you just did. Have done it a couple of times & had the shakes for awhile. Have had other mechanics tell me they've tapped valves as well.

CAUTION:
If you do tap a valve, don't panic, every time I've done it/ heard of it happening, the engine passed compressin & leak-down afterwards. But you won't know if you got away with it until you've run those tests. Run them BEFORE starting the engine of course.


Another tip:
Take an ~8" strip of your old belt & use contact cement to glue it to a 8" length of 1/8" x 1" steel. Now you have a tool you can use to make sure both cam gears are timed relative to each other. Just lay it across the top of the gears where the belt goes. The teeth must mesh with both gears or one of the gears is miss-timed.

 

Another thought I had, I was focusing on belt change only, If you are going to the trouble of the belt change you really should remove the cam covers too. 2 reasons: the valve adjustment should be checked anyway and also the factory has stamped the cams with locator marks that you can see with the covers off. At TDC the cams are lined up with locator marks, this gives you a referece point for getting the belts, cams and crank back where you found them. If it ran ok when you started you should be ok to put it back the way you found it. I would follow this procedure if I wasn't going to degree the cams ie; if it ran ok when you started... Even with the covers off I still mark with paint the cams and crank for a double check. Regards, Vern

 

Russf

Yes the steps you mentioned are about right, but there is no tensionoing technique required, the spring in the tensioner automatically tensions the belt correctly. I have done the job on my 328 with and without locks and it is very much easier using locks, however if you are doing it for the first time I recommend you pull the cam covers anyway to be sure the timing is set correctly. For subsequent changes you can do the job without removing the covers if you use locks because you know timing is correct and you don't need to lock the cams with cardboard strips etc. I made my locks out of two pieces of wood and and a nut and bolt they worked brilliantly. Good luck !!

 

Did you search the old fchat archives?
There's a wealth of tips there.

Also, did you find the procedure on Ric Rainbolt's Expensive Car site?

If you're doing this for the first time, I agree, you should pull the cam covers before you pull the old belts, & at a minimum verify that the marks all line up. I've pulled a fair number of cam covers, & ony 1 engine had all 4 marks lined up properly. Most of the others had at least 1 cam that was off by several degrees. Many had 2 or more that were off!

BTW, if the marks don't line up, then you'll need to verify cam timing using a degree wheel & dial indicator. The cams may be imprecisely marked.

While I've never encountered it, the pro Ferrari mechanics, who are valued members here, have often enough that they strongly recommend always degreeing the cams in.

 

In general, what parts need to be removed to change the t-belts and the idler pulley? For beginner (to 328 t-belt change) but experienced shade tree mechanic, about how many hours would it take? Thanks.

- Nguyen

 

The 328 cam belt gears do not look like would fit this tool. I believe Verell has made a tool out of hard wood that presses the cam shafts (behind the cam gears) to prevent them from rotating.

 

That etoolcart tool won't fit the 3x8 cam gears.

While I sell the wooden tools for 2V cams, the 4V cams don't have the space between the cam seals & cam gears to permit it's use.

See my 'cam lock' thread for a picture of my prototype 4V cam lock. I hacked it out of a block of nylon with a bandsaw in about 20 minuites. You s/b able to make one out of maple, or a hard machinable plastic like nylon or delrin.

 

I just did this job for the first time on my 308 following the instructions in the archives here and it probably took about 8 hours in all including replacing the waterpump and hoses behind the pump housing. Biggest pain was removing and refillting the compressor in its brackets although I saved time by hooking it upside down and sliding the engine cover past. I would say without doing the water pump and hoses it is a 4-5 hour job plus a bit more to clean up everything. Parts ran me about $200 for belts and bearings from our sponser Ricambi.

 

http://www.etoolcart.com/browseproducts/Cam-Sprocket-and-Timing-Lock-B4500.html

 

Ok, so I am getting close to the time where I will need to change my belts. Probably this coming winter. I have seen many posts on the how, but I need to know the "what". Has anyone used Nick's, Ricambi's or durable1's tensioner bearings? Has anyone tried an updated waterpump? What about changing out to lighter pulleys and cam sprockets?
Thanks,
Nathan

 

I used Ricambis for bearings and am happy. I used the Flying Dutchman for an exchange pump and he beat everyone ones price by miles and also had a longer warrenty. Am also thinking of Nicks lighter balancer and pulleys but not convinced its worth the cost.

 

flying dutchman?

 

Shark,
I don't think that one will work with the 3x8's trapezoidal teeth either. In one of the new cam gear design threads it came up & we believe it only works with then new curvilinear teeth.

If you buy a pair, let us know how it works out.

 

Here is his site: http://members.ispwest.com/tmac1/ferrari.html

I was getting annoyed about the crazy prices everyone was quoting even for rebuild kids and then someone else on here recomended him.
Great service he has them in stock and only $225 exchange with a 2 year warranty, can't beat it IMHO.