Alfa 166 timing belt change: DIY?

richardsheil

Sorry to raise this one but I am looking to get some help with this decision.


Gerry of TI autos can change the belts on my twin spark 166 for around 500 Euro, with about another 200 Euro required if he changes the variator.


What I am trying to decide is whether to tackle this myself.

I am pretty competent, having rebuilt the engine and gearbox on my Traction Avant Citroen, but the advantage there is that I didn't have to finish it off quickly if you know what I mean. I have changed the belts on one or two cars but usually the cars were in the disposable category, i.e it didn't matter if they didn't work. But of course they did work.

The other thing is that for the above work I had access to my shed but the 166 is too big to get into it so I would be doing the job outdoors.

The question really is, how hard is it, what tools apart from cam locks did you need, what is access like and how long did it take?

I am aware that the timing belt and tensioners, and the aux belt and tensioners must be changed and that theoretically the cam locks are required.

If anybody has a good source for the parts and knows where I can get my hands on the cam locks that would be most appreciated.

Any and all comments gratefully received as my car is just now going into the 36k range from the last time.

thanks,

Richard,
Dublin 3

Mike2006

I am not sure about the 166, but I had a 147 and I am pretty sure that there are special 'Alfa Romeo' tools required to change the timing belt on the Alfas..

Open to correction here, but check it out.

Healyc

What year and engine is it?

Is it the 2.0 t-spark, 2.5v6 or the 3.0v6.

I can get all the info if ya let me know such as tools ya need and hour many hours it should take!!!!

alias no.9

Presuming it's a 2.0t-spark, if you're competant and confident, you might want to start by reading this guide for doing a 156 2.0t-spark timing belt, taken from here. The 166 should be very similar, and all the required tools are detailed.

Healyc

alias no.9 wrote: »

Presuming it's a 2.0t-spark, if you're competant and confident, you might want to start by reading this guide for doing a 156 2.0t-spark timing belt, taken from here. The 166 should be very similar, and all the required tools are detailed.

Great page Alias No.9!!!!

If your confident to follow this you should have no prob!

Hotwheels

More helpful information here with pictures...
Best of luck with it...

richardsheil

Thanks for the help.

Healy C it's a 2.0 tspark

Does anybody have the cam lock tools to borrow, rent, sell?

I'm in Dublin 3

thanks,

Richard

bazz26

Brave man.

I don't know if I would be confident enough to try changing a timing belt especially considering how tempermental the Alfa Romeo is with them.

Best of luck though and let us know how you get on.

richardsheil

Thanks to all for the help.
I managed to get a hold of a set of cam locks.



Probably took me about 6 hours in total but now that I understand how the tensioners work for example I think I could do it much easier the next time.


I managed to spend 3 days at the job,

1 hour in the rain on Wednesday

about 2 hours yesterday

And say 3 hours today.

Main delays were delivery of the water pump once I decided to change it and that the main belt kit had the wrong tensioner, so I had to go back to the factors today.

All in all, a pretty straightforward job. Nothing like as tricky as people would have you believe.

Like most things I believe that people like to make out that certain things are very tricky when all you have to do is apply your mind and go very slowly.

I am sure Gerry in TI would do the job in a fraction of this time.

Richard

Hotwheels

Good for you, nothing like getting stuck in and having a go