Das Beast: My E30 track / street build

[Lugnuts]

I've only installed a couple of timing belts, and from memory it was hard work getting them on - one time a Conti, the other time a Genuine. The first time with the engine out I had to push on the tensioner with a socket extension and lock it in the fully compressed position. It didn't exactly "slip on" - required some coercing.

Here's a snap of mine with stock thickness HG. The tensioner bolt is in a similar position to yours, so maybe it's OK?

[whodwho]

belt doesnt fit into the teeth very nice

Unfortunately I have one of these, I also find the eBay/China ones are the same.

I am currently running an eBay one and will be curious when I change out the head whether it beds itself in or not... hopefully I can get the Nuke changed out before I change the head out.

[digger]

There’s a technique i use:

• lock the tension fully retracted;
• you put belt on the crank gear first making sure it is fully seated properly;
• wrap tension side around the intermediate gear;
• place non tension side over the idler;
• pull hard on tension side and get the belt on the first few mm of the cam gear around the full circumference that is engaged and then slide it over.

I’ve never had an issue doing this.

[digger]

Unfortunately I have one of these, I also find the eBay/China ones are the same.

I am currently running an eBay one and will be curious when I change out the head whether it beds itself in or not... hopefully I can get the Nuke changed out before I change the head out.

contact nuke they will send a good one (the rim portion) without question. send them a pic

[zaq123]

belt doesnt fit into the teeth very nice

didn't know they had such issues. I guess that would be the obvious one to see

[Digitalwave]

Those Nuke gears seem to have all sorts of issues.

[digger]

there's a bad batch floating around

[ForcedFirebird]

I also use Digger's method for threading the belt, except I turn the crank a couple degrees counterclockwise so that it's easy to slip the belt on the cam gear, then as I move the crank back up to TDC, I slip the belt on the tensioner. This keeps the tension on the right side of the engine (when looking at it from the front).

I believe I posted about those Nuke and Chinese cam gears many years ago on e30tech, very similar pic to Kieth's.

TBH, I don't buy into the kevlar belts anyways. We have built many m20's from stock to 500+whp and have always used stock Contitech replacements, never had an issue in the past, didn't see a need for a "fix" for a belt that had proven true for me for at least 1/4 of my lifetime, and hundreds of builds.

[zaq123]

I believe I posted about those Nuke and Chinese cam gears many years ago on e30tech, very similar pic to Kieth's.
.

was the issue obvious during the belt install with those crap gears? Belt covers about 75% of the gear at all times so it's gotta be obvious, no?

Just a little paranoid about my Nuke gear now since I never just wrapped the belt around it like whodwho did.

[ForcedFirebird]

was the issue obvious during the belt install with those crap gears? Belt covers about 75% of the gear at all times so it's gotta be obvious, no?

Just a little paranoid about my Nuke gear now since I never just wrapped the belt around it like whodwho did.

Fairly obvious. Just wrap a belt around it, and you can clearly see the tooth count go off like bad blinker rhythm. Much like trying to thread a 3/8 bolt in a 10mm nut ...

[dvallis]

I bought a conti belt. Will report this weekend

[Digitalwave]

Blue belts worth it or not, I’ve never heard of fitment issues with them.

[dvallis]

Timing Belt Extravaganza

Finally have a free day to fix this timing belt. Here's the M20 with rad and hoses out, covers off, pulleys and timing wheel removed.

Nothing out of the ordinary so far.



When I tried to take the belt off the crank gear it wasn't cooperating. Took a closer look. THIS was jammed in there. WTF?!



A frigging washer. Yeah. THAT could be shaving blue fuzzies off the Kevlar belt.



Once I had the belt off, checked the Nuke wheel. It's fine.



The Conti belt seems a bit longer than the blue Kevlar.



It went on much easier. Used Digger's method. Tensioner is moving like it should now.



Timing marks look good. Ran the crank through two rotations clockwise. Still aligned.





Put everything back together. And fired it up.



Perfect. Engine settled down 1100 RPM, 180F after I burped the cooling system. 50 PSI on oil and fuel pressure. No smoke at the tail pipe.



Calling this one a victory. We'll put the right seat in and right door on next time, cruise it around the neighborhood, break in the rings and look for any oil, water or fuel leaks.

[Nader393]

...When I tried to take the belt off the crank gear it wasn't cooperating. Took a closer look. THIS was jammed in there. WTF?!...

Your perseverance is admirable. I'd have thrown in the towel and sold the heap after the second tear-down.

[dvallis]

#determined LoL