Have any of you guys tried, or know anything about, these cam lock kits that are currently available on Gumtree? If so, are they any good?
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mount-kuring-gai/miscellaneous-goods/engine-timing-tool-kit-for-fiat-alfa-romeo-lancia-210241/1117837269
I am thinking about doing the timing belts on my GT 3.2 V6 myself in future, as well as my daughter's 156 TS. I have been working on cars most of my life and do a lot of my own work on our Alfas, including the timing belts on the 12 valve 75s we own, but have always left the modern FWD ones to my mechanic.
As for doing the GT 3.2 V6 yourself, just be aware how little room you have between the guard and the cam belt covers, it is a daunting task. I even know of one or two Alfa specialists that simply prefer not to do them as they take so many man hours to do.
To do them in any reasonable amount of time that wont make a client feel like he is being taken to the cleaners special procedures and techniques need to be adopted.
Also specialist tools other than what are included in this kit are required for the job.
What are the specialist tools you need? Some of the work is straightforward stuff like removing the inlet manifolds and things that just takes time though isn't it?
You need "Counter Torque Tool" to prevent uneven tension on the belt as you torque up the Cam Pulley Bolts, and a thin Torque Wrench Extender to actually Torque the bolts as there is no room between the Pulleys and the guard to get a torque wrench & socket/crowsfoot onto the bolts.
With the mechanical background you mention you should have everything else you need. As you say, the rest is just time and patience.
(And usually a fair amount of cursing, screaming and skinned knuckles) ::)
Have fun. :)
"Ring Spanners" are not named so because of the ring on the end of them, but from the resounding sound they make when hurtled against the garage wall after they slip off a seized bolt and take an inch of skin from your knuckles! - Old mech idiom
Baz
A sprocket holding tool like this?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/311076256330
Hi , This site has all the tools you need.
http://www.totallyalfa.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.dspproductsbycategory&id=1
Quote from: ALFAAA on October 22, 2017, 07:05:13 AM
Hi , This site has all the tools you need.
http://www.totallyalfa.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.dspproductsbycategory&id=1
The word on Alfabb is that Totally Alfa is no longer trading.
http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/carburetors-fuel-injection-air-intake/195938-totally-alfa-tools-uk-still-business.html
That's a much better price. Thanks for that. I will continue looking into it and talking to guys like yourselves before I decide whether to take the plunge and tackle the job. I put off doing 12 valve timing belts for a long time and found it easier than I expected once I dived in. The first time with things like that is always the hardest of course.
Quote from: oz3litre on October 22, 2017, 02:26:59 PM
That's a much better price. Thanks for that. I will continue looking into it and talking to guys like yourselves before I decide whether to take the plunge and tackle the job. I put off doing 12 valve timing belts for a long time and found it easier than I expected once I dived in. The first time with things like that is always the hardest of course.
I haven't tackled the job yet myself but iirc from preliminary investigations, the 3.2 camshaft locks are different to the 3.0.
That kit appears to have only 3.0.
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
I originally thought that too, you can see the 4 red ones for the 2.5 & 3.0 engines in the back row in the middle, but on the right side of both rows there are 2 pair of light gold locks, I can only assume they are for the 3.2 GTA, as I to my knowledge these are the only motors that are quad cam and use cam locks like these.
I would double check with the supplier before purchasing.
Baz
It lists GT and GTA in the description.