CAM BELT ongoing

[barry]

Still trying to find a decent garage in South Wales to change the cambelt on my 92 2.4 td auto surf
Having almost run out of options of local garages and heard of most of the reasons why they can not do it,some of which make you wonder as to the qualifications of the so called mechanics who are only happy or competent to undertake easy money earners like tyres exhausts batteries and mot repairs
Some little gems

Hmmm lots of pipes there mate it’s a fair old job
Nah! Don’t touch imports,cant get spares
Ummm should be able to do it ,have you got a handbook?
No probs matey,done one a few months ago,where,s the bonnet catch?
Yeah,sno different from a landrover really innit
URRR, Ummm,Yeees not our cup of tea go and see fred over the road there,he has got no work
Don’t do diesels sir
Lets have a look at the engine first, (spends 10 mins studying the rear bulkhead)
Of course new sprockets will be extra if worn out and they usually are
No we need special tools for that job,its not a normal jap car

Really fills you with con fidence and puts you at ease to leave your newly aquired surf with them?

Yesssss but lets just out of interest and curiosity and bloody mindedness try local Toyota main dealer!
Good morning sir can I help you
Yes I would like a quote for a replacement cambelt on my Toyota
Certainly sir is it on our computer database
Wot the cambelt or my vehicle
Your car sir
No
Could we have your registration no please
Why?
To search our database for your vehicle details ……?
But ------- oh ok then
Please have a complimentary cup of coffee while you wait sir
Thank you ,any biscuits then
Your vehicle does not appear to be on our database sir
Told you!
Could I have the vehicle details sir
Certainly it’s a Toyota Hilux Surf ssrx td auto 1992
Ohhhh, Urrrrr, so it’s a grey then
No its red actually
No I meant its an import
Yes it comes from Japan just like all the cars in your showroom do and probably built by the same team as the ones in your showroom cos they have jobs for life you know
Realy sir I shall just check with the service manager ,I wont be long >>
Well sir because the car is an import we have to remove the aircon and get rid of the R14 gas also its not a very nice job and quite long to do and will cost you approx £550 plus VAT
Can I use your toilet please >>
Can I have another coffee and think about it?
Sorry machines empty now you’ve appeared to have drunk it all
Then can I have some of those free Toyota steering wheel wipes
Sorry sir they are for customers only

Well they did keep me waiting for 45mins
CAN ANYBODY BEAT THIS QUOTE?

[Koi]

Realy sir I shall just check with the service manager ,I wont be long >>
Well sir because the car is an import we have to remove the aircon and get rid of the R14 gas also its not a very nice job and quite long to do and will cost you approx £550 plus VAT
Can I use your toilet please >>
Can I have another coffee and think about it?
Sorry machines empty now you’ve appeared to have drunk it all
Then can I have some of those free Toyota steering wheel wipes
Sorry sir they are for customers only

Well they did keep me waiting for 45mins
CAN ANYBODY BEAT THIS QUOTE?[/QUOTE]

yep I'll do it for £449 Inc VAT and i won't touch the aircon

[TonyN]

Well sir because the car is an import we have to remove the aircon and get rid of the R14 gas also its not a very nice job and quite long to do and will cost you approx £550 plus VAT

sniff, sniff??? What that smell?........................ .

Oh yeah, TOTAL BULL$HIT

Bumdasses.

[kitesurf_phil]

I've just spent 5 1/2 hours of my "quality time" trying to change my cam belt and I havent even got as far as removing the belt cover.
Getting the radiator cowling off was a nightmare, because the one bolt at the bottom has to be got at from underneath and the aircon rad is in the way. Viscious fan came off easily enough, but then one of the timeing belt cover bolts is behind the bottom pulleys. Ended up having to make a jig, out of a piece of dexion, and using my longest bar to loosen the pulley bolt. Now the only problem is that the one last bolt that needs to be undone is behind the bracket, which holds the aircon compressor and I can't remove it without letting all the gas out of the aircon unit. Tried persuading the cover off and now I've cracked it.
My best advice is keep looking for a garage and don't let anyone tell you it's a 1 1/2 hour to 2 hour job

[Koi]

I've just spent 5 1/2 hours of my "quality time" trying to change my cam belt and I havent even got as far as removing the belt cover.
Getting the radiator cowling off was a nightmare, because the one bolt at the bottom has to be got at from underneath and the aircon rad is in the way. Viscious fan came off easily enough, but then one of the timeing belt cover bolts is behind the bottom pulleys. Ended up having to make a jig, out of a piece of dexion, and using my longest bar to loosen the pulley bolt. Now the only problem is that the one last bolt that needs to be undone is behind the bracket, which holds the aircon compressor and I can't remove it without letting all the gas out of the aircon unit. Tried persuading the cover off and now I've cracked it.
My best advice is keep looking for a garage and don't let anyone tell you it's a 1 1/2 hour to 2 hour job

5 1/2 hours hells fire, took 4 1/2 hours to strip head and 7 1/2 to rebuild it.
As your not to far away i could pop over if you want a hand.

[gemini]

5 1/2 hours hells fire, took 4 1/2 hours to strip head and 7 1/2 to rebuild it.
As your not to far away i could pop over if you want a hand.

unbolt the aircon pump from the bracket dont loosen the pipes, move it to one side then unbolt the pump bracket, the cover can now be removed, the crank pulley bolt is best undone with a good fitting quality ring spanner and a sharp tap with a hammer,comes undone dead easy, it is a 2 hour job but only if you know what your doing

[kitesurf_phil]

Cheers Koi. As you have probably guessed I'm a bit of a spannerphobe. The problem is that I did not realise how many permutations of 14mm spanner that are needed. Did a little more after the last post. I think all I need now is a decent 14mm ring spanner to take the nut off the back of one of the tensioning pulleys. Its just stopping the cover coming off clean. I shall be huddled over the engine bay again tomorrow. Woe is me

[Koi]

Cheers Koi. As you have probably guessed I'm a bit of a spannerphobe. The problem is that I did not realise how many permutations of 14mm spanner that are needed. Did a little more after the last post. I think all I need now is a decent 14mm ring spanner to take the nut off the back of one of the tensioning pulleys. Its just stopping the cover coming off clean. I shall be huddled over the engine bay again tomorrow. Woe is me

Well send me a PM with directions if you want help.

[kitesurf_phil]

unbolt the aircon pump from the bracket dont loosen the pipes, move it to one side then unbolt the pump bracket, the cover can now be removed, the crank pulley bolt is best undone with a good fitting quality ring spanner and a sharp tap with a hammer,comes undone dead easy, it is a 2 hour job but only if you know what your doing

The trouble is I dont Know what I am doing.

[gemini]

The trouble is I dont Know what I am doing.

phil, you've done the hardest part anyway, straight forward now, you ought to have put a post on here last night, we could have helped you

[kitesurf_phil]

Thanks Gemini. I think I shall be OK tomorrow. MY bro is a mechanic and he was up to his eyeballs this morning and roofing his new house extension
this afternoon. I shall take pics tomorrow, at each stage, as I put things back and maybe pst for all the other spannerphobes
I need the car to get to work in the week. £33.00 Deisel or £80.00 Weekly Return................get people off the road............onto public transport.......

[gemini]

Thanks Gemini. I think I shall be OK tomorrow. MY bro is a mechanic and he was up to his eyeballs this morning and roofing his new house extension
this afternoon. I shall take pics tomorrow, at each stage, as I put things back and maybe pst for all the other spannerphobes
I need the car to get to work in the week. £33.00 Deisel or £80.00 Weekly Return................get people off the road............onto public transport.......

hope mr brown dont read that he'll be putting diesel prices up to match the busfares

[Ditch]

Try Colin at CARS in Caerphilly if it's not too far for you. He'll be doing mine and the lasses in a couple of weeks time.
His mobile is 07967 658525
He came around the garages with us to make sure we didn't buy a couple of dogs.
Nice guy but don't laugh at his stutter when he gives you directions and tells you he's near pppp...pp..ppp pp.ppp peters pies!!!
Trust me he does know what he's doing.

[gemini]

Try Colin at CARS in Caerphilly if it's not too far for you. He'll be doing mine and the lasses in a couple of weeks time.
His mobile is 07967 658525
He came around the garages with us to make sure we didn't buy a couple of dogs.
Nice guy but don't laugh at his stutter when he gives you directions and tells you he's near pppp...pp..ppp pp.ppp peters pies!!!
Trust me he does know what he's doing.

dont let him charge you the same for the 3.0 as the 2.4, they are totally different, only 20 minutes on the 3.0, theres nothing in the way