TDDi Timing Belt job ?

[aneng]

Hi.

My wife has a 2003 Connect with the 1.8 TDDi 75ps lump in it. It's coming up to 100k on the clock and I have no idea if it's ever had a new timing belt. We bought the van when it had 80-odd thousand on it. From what I can gather, there are a few different configs of wet/dry belt/chain dual/single (thanks Ford !), and I'm not certain what ours is. I think it's a two-dry-belt system, but I'm far from certain.

I've read up as much as I can find and everything points to buying a set of special tools for the job - flywheel gear locks, alignment tools, special pullers etc etc.

Can anyone give me some idea of how I can be sure which timing setup I've got and also whether I really need all the special tools ? Finally, is it realistically a job worth doing yourself or is it such a pain that it's easier to just get it done professionally ? I've done timing belts before (and rebuilt a head as a result of a snapped one !). I'm technically quite competent and have a decent set of tools, but if I'm only going to save £40 by doing it myself and have to suffer several hours of swearing and skinned-knuckles, I may not bother !

Cheers !

[Altransit]

Yours has an upper belt and a lower chain, so only the belt needs changing at your mileage

[aneng]

Cool. Thanks. Can anyone help with the other questions about the tools etc ?

[aneng]

OK, has anyone done a timing belt on a TDDi ?

[Altransit]

I've not done one myself but I did happen to see one being done, but not from start to finish.
The only special tools that I saw being used, were the timing lock pins, (which were a standard set of Ford type pins from Ebay) and a "hoist" to hold up the engine whilst the O/S mounting was removed. You could replace this with a hefty timber across the struts/inner wings


HTH

[aneng]

Thanks for that. I can't help wondering why all these over the top locking procedures ? I used to change belts with nothing more than a bottle of Tippex to mark the pulleys. OK, I get that locking the camshaft is a good idea as if you're caught mid-lobe, it could potentially move under pressure from the valve springs, but the crankshaft isn't going to move - unless you're a monumental idiot!

Also - what's the deal with the manual specifying you need to remove the camshaft pulley ? What's that all about ?

[aneng]

Yours has an upper belt and a lower chain, so only the belt needs changing at your mileage

@Altransit - Do you know what the recommended mileage is for the life of the chain please ?

[Jim Archer]

Pinning up is to ensure the pump and cam(s) are timed to the crank correctly. As the belt wears/stretches the timing drifts retarded relative to the crank position.

Jim

[aneng]

Well, I had the belt done last year. Now I can hear the chain clattering on cold starts.

It's done about 120,000 miles now.

It quietens down pretty quickly though. Does anyone know if the Gemini chains have tensioners?

[paul2012]

For simple Timing belt replacement - vid here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGoiBPVg5Bo

Same procedure for TDDI

Lower timing chain. should be replaced at 150,000 miles