Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Zetec Maintenance timing belt

it's getting to be that time to change the timing belt, waterpump, and belt tensioner... I got prices for the parts, under 200, uhhh... anyone ever done this themselves? I'd like to because I'm extremely hard for cash right now.. help? any how to's? and what's the % of me f'ing it up. thanks

Easy enough. There is a how-to somewhere. Just take your time, have all the right tools, and maybe have a friend helping you. If you have a shop do it, it's gonna cost ~$150-$200 labor.

easy job, just make sure you got the cams locked before you take the belt off.

the water pumps a PITA to get out, you will have the jack the motor out and take the coolant tank out to get it out, also have fun with the pin that hold the coolant hose onto the waterpump.

Changing the water pump isn't hard.

JD28 did his timing belt a few months ago. He has some tricks on how to reinstall it too. Check out this link if you did not find it earlier.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=zetecmaint&Number=1030899&Forum=All_Forums&Words=20705&Match=Username&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=1027411&Search=true#Post1030899

thanks guys, I really appr. one question though, I'm doing this at home obviously, any ideas around how long, and do I really NEED to lift the engine? how the F I do that w/o an engine hoist??

holy Cr@p.. after reading all the , do's and don't and well. what if.. and I don't have the tool or care to make one or disable my car that much.. uh.. I hate to say it, but 200 bucks ain't a lot to save the trouble.. plus my best friend's dad works in a garage... they already did great work on my car for dirt cheap.. u know these polak types ... so, I'll get a quote tomorrow . thanks again fellas, and ladies

all you have to do is get a peice of wood, and jack it up by the oil pan.

Hey thanks for the credit Tony

If you can get it done right, and cheap, and don't have the tools (like jack, jack stand, wrench, rachets and MM sockets) then the shop might be the way to go.

If you done jobs like these on older cars, have a fair amount of tools, you will just need the locking set (25 dollars). Like they said a jack and a piece of wood is all that is needed to hold the engine after removing the rightside motor mount.

It can take a good day of work to get it done. Some people would back away at that thought, me on the other hand love working on my car and don't mind spending time with her.... um I mean it...

PS don't just replace the timing belt, get a gates belt kit with rollers and tensioner and belt. Make sure who you take it too understand you want all timing components replaced. The rollers go bad too.

JD