Ghibli Cam Belt change

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
Ross is holding a pile of seals and gaskets for me.

I can see an easy £100 on a few rubber rings !
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
Bearings replaced.

Put the new ones in the freezer overnight, then push the old ones out with a 3 armed puller.
Use the old bearing to tap the new ones in.




Water pump gasket made - appears a little thicker than the one that was already in there, but 0.5 vs 1mm cant make that much difference.



rebuilt 2.jpgrebuilt 1.jpggasket.jpgback in.jpgbearings out.jpg
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
Using the old belt to hold the cam pulleys I took them off with an impact gun.

You can see where the leak has been, new parts ordered, but as away next week will complete when I return.

I spent a good hour with a toothbrush cleaning the block !

Del

cover leak.jpgcover off.jpgcam off.jpgtied belt.jpg
 

Needamaser

Member
Messages
1,491
Impressed with the work!
For what it is worth I am told "Elbow Grease" from Home Bargains (99p!) makes a fantastic job of removing grease and dirt (including burned on) from any surface.
Might be a lot quicker than a toothbrush!
Pal used it to take crud off the engine and exhaust on his bike and couldn't believe how well it worked.
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
The man who was going to refurb the radiator has been taken ill and not sure when he will be able to do it. He did say that it looks very like a Renault van one - internet shows a late 1990's Traffic. I will retrieve it and have a look.

£40 worth or powder coating

powder coat.JPG

£90 worth of rubber seals.. They do the "minimum order approach" I need 1 but you have to buy 4 ! The long shoe lace gasket is £40, I have measured it and it appears to be 2.5mm thick rubber cord - £2 on ebay have bought some and will see if it fits. I doubt Maserati sourced some specialist rubber for this.

rubber seals.JPG
 

ZAM400209

Member
Messages
585
What happened with the radiator, Graham..?

Are you back together now?

Powder coated bits look terrific...
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
radiator....

The man that was going to do it was taken seriously ill and might not return to work. I found another man and dropped it off on the 23rd so wont here back until the New year. He also felt it looked like a Renault traffic / master radiator.

I am stuck with the cam seals - if I could have got these in yesterday the belt would be back on.

First go I tapped them into the cover and then fitted the cover - this deformed the inner lip of the seal so that didn't work. I have now fitted the covers without the seals and somehow need to tap them in - is there a generic tool to do this or do you use a big socket and a punch ?

I am getting the rocker covers and intake manifold powder coated - I know it is not the original look but cleaning the wrinkle coating was hassle especially where the oil breather pipe comes out and weeps oil. You can never properly clean it.

The little plastic pipe for the oil breather fitted to the covers.
The powder coater felt they might melt.
There are none left.
Ross advised leaving them alone and painting instead.

Where is the challenge in that !!!

They unscrew a lot of penetrating oil and some gently gently turning and they come out ok.

I seem to be taking more bits off than putting back on .....
 

voicey

Member
Messages
660
I have now fitted the covers without the seals and somehow need to tap them in - is there a generic tool to do this or do you use a big socket and a punch ?

Use the old seal against the new one and then a suitably sized socket over that. Lube it all up with a bit of oil and they'll tap right right in.
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
Thank you.

I had also discovered that a 22mm plastic pushfit end cap is also the right size and long enough to clear the end of the camshaft.

I has discovered a post of yours elsewhere praising Hymolar Blue and I am a convert !!
 

voicey

Member
Messages
660
No problem. Are you the guy with the Lambo from France? If so, big kudos to you!

BTW: Your old seals that you damaged might be able to be repaired by slipping the spring back into the inner lip.
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
No problem. Are you the guy with the Lambo from France? If so, big kudos to you!

BTW: Your old seals that you damaged might be able to be repaired by slipping the spring back into the inner lip.

Yes that was me - a risky decision that turned out to be a good one.

The ones I removed don't look good for anything but the bin now !!

Del
 

RSM Masser

Member
Messages
2,437
I have the water pump to do on my 3200, so watching your photos and write up with interest.
Annoyingly I changed the cambelt last year - the waters pump was fine then and developed a leak after I changed the starter motor in the summer!

I am not sure where you are but Aaron Radiators in Selhurst (South London, near Croydon) will do a re core for a reasonable sum
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
Aaron have a good reputation but to get to from kent is a hassle.

I have managed to get one of the cam seals on !!!

There is a small groove on the end of the camshaft and I think this catches the internal lip on the seal and pushes it inside out. Once inside out any force tears it off.

I cut a section of beer can to create a sheath, which I wrapped round the end of the cam shaft, slide the seal over this tapped it into place and then twisted and pulled out the sheath.

cam lip.JPG
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
Belt is on, but then off and back on but might night to repositioned again tonight...

I had some issues with the tensioner bearing on the water pump catching on the aux belt pulley, but playing around with the spacer washers sorted that.

Everything turns over by hand without hitting anything however when i put the belt under tension the belt no longer lined up on the right cam pulley, still turns over ok - minor adjustment needed.

I understand how the tensioner works the special tool would be nice but a pair of adjustable pliers to grab and turn the large nut and a 17mm spanner to tighten does the job.

Not a hard job, I could do in a couple of hours now, the time has been all the other jobs !

belt on.jpg
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
All tensioned up.

Following another hours cleaning... The covers are all back on, I am just waiting for the powder coater and radiator.

Next job is Manifolds...
belt on fin.jpg
tensioner.jpg
 

spacecadet

Member
Messages
378
Nice!

I see you used the Dayco belt, mine also has that. Any difference between Dayco and Contitech? Or just stick to the cheaper or to the easier obtainable one?
 

Wally

Member
Messages
244
The idler bearing next to the tensioner is not installed correctly. The "flange" of the surface-ring should face the engine instead of forward. This is necessary for keeping the timing belt aligned.
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
The idler bearing next to the tensioner is not installed correctly. The "flange" of the surface-ring should face the engine instead of forward. This is necessary for keeping the timing belt aligned.

Excellent - thank you makes sense.

Spacecadet - I just used whatever Maserati sent.
 

del mar

Junior Member
Messages
257
The tensioner bearing doesn't rub on the lower pulley anymore......

The rear cam covers were also weeping so I have removed and replaced the rubber shoelace gasket - another job where you need three small hands.

rear chain.jpg
rear cover.jpg