Checking timing

[Skitts123]

I received my Haynes manual yesterday so I thought I would check the timing as someone told me that's what's wrong with my car.

Anyway I got to the part where you put the bolt in. Came across a problem straight away. The picture shows 4 holes but mine has 5. My car has different cams would that make a difference ?

[Skitts123]

Anyone ?

[citroensaxo]

Dear Skitts123,
I know when I was doing the head gasket etc etc, on my daughters 1999 1.4 8v Saxo. I was supposed to fit a drill bit/bolt dowel into a specified hole in the camshaft sproket, to keep it lined up with a hole in the side of the cylinder head. But I didn,t need to because the head had to go away to be skimmed ( where they had to remove the camshaft to do this and they fitted a new camshaft oil seal aswell )
One thing I noticed was that on her Saxo, no.1 cylinder is right next to the gearbox, nearest the flywheel.
I don,t know if it is possible for you to use a strobe timing light ? the lead on your timing light would need to go onto the no.1 plug lead, for sure. I have never done it myself that way. but maybe worth a try.
It depends on what you are wanting to check the timing for.
Vince,

[Skitts123]

My timing belt has got 2 teeth missing so im guessing my timing has slipped. Want to get the timing done and fit new cambelt. Hopefully theres no valve damage but i want to check the timing first as it's suppose to be the easiest

[citroensaxo]

Dear Skitts123,
You have a problem then don,t you, ( you can,t turn the engine over to check the timing, due to teeth missing from the cambelt )
Is your Saxo 8 or 16v Skitts ?
One of the problems I had, all head skimming places they have to remove your camshaft, to get the head to fit into their skimming machines. So they bring your head back with a moved and in an untimed position. Which is easy to rectify on an 8v.
I think you will have to just take the head off and sort out your timing once your head back from your skimmers.
The people that skimmed my daughters Saxo head were a mail order and collected the head from my home, they were also offering to pressure test the head aswell, but I declined that service.
One other question I need to ask has your car got valves/springs and rockers or does it have hydraulic tappets ?
Once you have got your head back from the skimmers, you will need to start to time your engine up, you will need to lock the crankshaft with a special tool on the flywheel somewhere ( with the timing marks ) replace your waterpump ( if you are doing that ) Put the head back on and you will need to position your camshaft/s so that no 4 ( nearest the timing belt end ) valves are " on rock ". This will ensure that your timing the engine so that it will be firing on no 1 cylinder ( like it needs to be ):y:
One other thing you will definately need to renew will be the cylinder head bolts, as these are stretch-bolts. Torque settings on hers was stage 1 =
20 N/m, stage 2 = plus 120 degrees, stage 3 = plus 120 degrees. All the head bolts need be tightened at each stage ( in sequence ) from the middle of the head diagonally opposite and clockwise and outwards.
Vince,

[Skitts123]

Mines a the gti lump so it's 16v, I didn't really wanna get the head done if i could avoid it. So thought i would check the timing first, then replace the timing belt. Looks like this isn't going to be as easy as i hoped :(

[citroensaxo]

Dear Skitts123,
I now fully understand what you are trying to achieve, you are trying to renew the cambelt, without taking the head off, in the hope that it may just
fire up and run ok.
What I think you would need to do, would be to remove all your spark-plugs ( don,t forget to put some small rags into each of the spark-plug holes in the cylinder head ) to elimate the chance of dropping any nuts/ washers down them ) the reason for taking the plugs out, is because you need to do this, to make turning your camshafts alot more easier.
The next thing you will need to do is to remove your old cambelt ( water pump and tensioners, only if you are going to renew them, you don,t have to, this is your choice. )
The next thing you need to do, is to turn your crankshaft using the bolt on the crankshaft, where the bottom polyvee belt pulley is. you will need to turn the crankshaft so that it will in " safe " position. you can check this by putting a long suitable size screwdriver down your plug holes.
Once the engine is in the " safe " position, you can now rotate your camshafts ( some cams have spanner slot on them, but not all do ) I use a pair of swan necked grips to turn the camshafts ( sometimes you may have resort to using some large mole grips, ) not on the cam lobes obviously.
What you need to be aiming for, to time your camshafts up, you should be looking to get is both vavles on " rock " ( one just opening and the other just closing ) on no.4 cylinder ( nearest to the cambelt end ) This now means that your cylinder head is now all timed up properly on TDC and firing on no. 1 cylinder.
To time your crankshaft, may need a locating tool. ( on the 16v I don,t where you fit the tool ) but I think they fit somewhere near the flywheel.
I hope this help, good luck and if you need anything else don,t hesitate to ask ok.
Vince,