i asked the mechanic when i was at work to change the t belt on my new 1.7 . I got a volvo belt but he couldn't get the cover off. He suggested breaking it off and sourcing another one ..Any ideas .The bolts are those annoying flattened head non allan key ones which look rusted on . Any suggestions about getting the bolts off /sourcing another cover ? I was told i might need to remove the radiator and fan to get access ?

ian

I smashed the one off my 360-done a 100 miler road rally and plenty of road miles-why worry???????

It's just to stop likkle fingers gettin' caught and any clems that might catch belt and throw it off-unlikely.

Road bikes use exposed belts for their drive to the rear wheels - pretty exposed there, and they seem to work fine. Just avoid wearing a tie when you're messing around with the engine running....

workshopmanualman wrote:Road bikes use exposed belts for their drive to the rear wheels - pretty exposed there, and they seem to work fine. Just avoid wearing a tie when you're messing around with the engine running....

But if the chain / belt gets stuck or slips over a notch it doesn't matter..

Anyway many of the guys with Cosworth DOHC engines paint the cam gears in a funny color and drive without a cover, and it seems to work fine.

Look at the picture posted a while ago on TBricks and you'd run with a cover.... mr mouse thought it was a nice warm place to go to sleep...

My 1.7 had star (torx) bits on it, and a metal clip at the top, while they are rusted, a right angle screwdriver and the correct torx bit undid each of them for me, and I could put it back again!

I've never ever had to smash a cover off to change a belt.

You must hav eteh later 1.7 with the placstic cover and clip on top as Chris has described. The bolts will come undone using the correct tools.

The captive studs can come loose if you wind them all the way out you can then undo them properly after you have removed the cover.

To gain better acess you can undo the 3 bolts to take teh fan off but I have never needed to do this.