Camshaft and camshaft carrier - removal and refitting (1116 cc and 1301 cc engines)

Engine / Camshaft and camshaft carrier - removal and refitting (1116 cc and 1301 cc engines)

1 Disconnect the battery.

2 Remove the air cleaner (see Chapter 3).

3 Disconnect the fuel filter hose from the fuel pump and tie it back, out of the way.

4 Identify and then disconnect any electrical leads which must be moved away to enable the camshaft cover to be withdrawn.

5 Identify and disconnect any vacuum gases which must be moved away to enable the camshaft cover to be withdrawn.

6 Unscrew the securing nuts and remove the camshaft cover.

7 Turn the crankshaft pulley nut until No. 4 piston is at TDC. This can be established as described in Section 28.

8 Unbolt and remove the timing belt cover.

9 Check that the timing mark on the camshaft sprocket is aligned with, and adjacent to the pointer on the timing belt cover backplate.

10 Restrain the timing belt with the hand and release but do not remove the camshaft sprocket bolt. Release the belt tensioner pulley by slackening the pulley centre nut.

Push the timing belt evenly from the sprockets, noting which way round the belt is fitted if it is to be completely removed. The lettering on the belt is normally legible from the crankshaft pulley end of the engine when the belt is as originally fitted.

11 Unbolt the camshaft carrier and lift it sufficiently from the cylinder head to break the seal of the mating faces. Note: It is important not to allow the cam followers to pull out; they must be retained in their original locations.

This can be done if the carrier is raised very slowly, until the fingers can be inserted to prise the cam followers onto their respective valve spring retainers. It is unlikely that the valve clearance adjusting shims will be displaced from their recesses in the cam followers because of the suction of the lubricating oil, but watch that this does not happen; the shims must also be retained in their originally fitted sequence.

12 Remove the previously loosened camshaft sprocket bolt and take the sprocket from the camshaft.

13 Unbolt and remove the camshaft end cover with its gasket. Withdraw the camshaft (photos).

27.13A Removing camshaft end cover

27.13B Withdrawing camshaft from carrier

14 Refitting is a reversal of the removal process, but observe the following points.

15 Use new gaskets.

16 Retain the cam followers and shims in their bores in the camshaft carrier with thick grease; they must not be allowed to drop out when the carrier is lowered onto the cylinder head.

17 If the crankshaft or camshaft have been moved from their set positions, re-align the sprocket timing mark with the pointer on the belt cover and the crankshaft pulley or flywheel with the TDC mark. This must be observed otherwise the valves may impinge upon the piston crowns when the camshaft lobes compress any of the valve springs during bolting down of the carrier.

18 Screw in the carrier bolts and tighten them to the specified torque (photo).

27.18 Tightening a camshaft carrier bolt

19 Refit and tension the timing belt as described in Section 28.

20 Refit the camshaft cover and gasket.

21 Refit the hose and air cleaner.

22 Reconnect the battery.