emwmarine
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 12:40 PM |
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Leaving cam belt cover off.
I was thinking of leaving the cam belt cover off my zetec as I quite the look of the engine like that.
Is it a bad idea? Can stones or other things hit the belts and shift the cam timing??
Building a Dax Rush.
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D Beddows
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 12:43 PM |
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Yup, bad idea really although it does look good. No doubt someone will be along to say they've done 200,000 miles on an engine without them
but......
[Edited on 10/10/12 by D Beddows]
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adithorp
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 12:46 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
Yup, bad idea really although it does look good. No doubt someone will be along to say they've done 200,000 miles on an engine without them
but......
[Edited on 10/10/12 by D Beddows]
What he said. Seen stones break a belt. Only reason to leave it off is if you don't have clearance.
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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The Black Flash
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 12:56 PM |
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I presume that manufacturers put them on for a reason, but that might well be more for safety for people putting their hands under the bonnet than
protection of the belt itself. That said I'm leaving mine off. Not least because they're broken 
I've heard from off-road racers who leave them off because otherwise things can get inside and bounce around, rather than bouncing off. I
imagine the risks are slim, but I doubt that anyone has any evidence either way.
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 12:58 PM |
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bad idea.. If it was a good idea manufactures would not fit; would save a few quid.. As above you just need a stone etc to end up in the belt and
that's the engine lunched..
Dan
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Paul Turner
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 01:05 PM |
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If there is space to leave it on leave it on, it does no harm. When I had a silvertop I left the cam belt cover on but with the blacktop it was not
possible, the huge cast front cover fouled as did the cam cover and top belt cover, had to use a silvertop cam cover to get the bonnet on. On advice I
removed the whole lot from top to bottom the reason being if you left part in place a stone could become trapped. I also put mesh in front of the
grill and made a mesh guard for under the front of the car to prevent stones getting in.
No problems so far but a cover would be nice.
[Edited on 10/10/12 by Paul Turner]
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mookaloid
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 01:30 PM |
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I got some gravel in my Pinto cam belt after going off into a gravel trap - it ruined my day as I couldn't work out why the thing wouldn't
run till I got home 
at the time I though it was cool leaving the cover off - I don't think so now.
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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snapper
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 01:36 PM |
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For a stone to get at the belt in our cars it will either have to go through the rad or bounce backwards defying the laws of physics
Of course there could be the odd one but more chance of a nut or bolt comming off first
If you want the open look run a bit of ally under the front to just past the belt
If rad is also panelled in no chance of a stone getting in
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 01:39 PM |
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While the engines running the belt is quite a hazard, fast and powerful, if you can cover it, safe yourself or someone else a needless injury
No real benefit to not doing so apart from not being able to show off your fancy cogs
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whitestu
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 01:48 PM |
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quote:
No real benefit to not doing so apart from not being able to show off your fancy cogs
The main benefit is you can easily see the state of the tensioners and belt. The main risk is getting something caught in it whilst working on a
running engine. The chances of anything getting in whilst driving are very slim.
Mine is off as it won't fit. If it had I would have probably left it on.
Stu
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pewe
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 02:03 PM |
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Read Clairetoo's current post and substitute belt for fan.
Having said that my Lancia engine has run for three years without mishap without a cover due to clearance issues but I would have preferred it
covered.
Cheers, Pewe10 
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mcerd1
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 03:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
Yup, bad idea really although it does look good. No doubt someone will be along to say they've done 200,000 miles on an engine without them
but......
......but they just haven't met the stone with there name on it yet 
your chances of finding that stone might be low - but as mookaloid found out if your pushing hard on a track its probably in one of the gravel traps
[Edited on 10/10/2012 by mcerd1]
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dhutch
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 03:43 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by snapper
For a stone to get at the belt in our cars it will either have to go through the rad or bounce backwards defying the laws of physics
Or come upwards of the front chassis member, which is behind the rad and infront of the fan...
I have admitly run for the last two years with the top half missing (cvh) and the bottom half fitted purely because having taken of the old one which
had a hold through to the verner to replace with an uncut one I lost the bolts nad hevent got around to re attaching it yet.
But I wouldnt delibaratly take it off, no.
Daniel
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FuryRebuild
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 05:04 PM |
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You also have a chance of the belt leaping off if it's toothed.
Burtons for instance sell a little bolt-on front to prevent this - £10 to prevent it eating itself alive.
When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.
www.furyrebuild.co.uk
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Werner Van Loock
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 05:44 PM |
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If you run without, just make sure it's completely off. Worst is to have only half fitted as if a stone gets in there it has only 1 way out and
that's between the belt.
Everyone running RC cars in competition know that belt driven models either are fully covered or completely open.
Worse are bolts and nuts, they will just break pulleys.
http://www.clubstylus.be
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James
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 05:50 PM |
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Found a short 13mm bolt lodged in mine between the timing pulley and the belt on my Pinto.
The cover went on after that!
Cheers,
James
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
- Muhammad Ali
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daviep
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| posted on 10/10/12 at 10:30 PM |
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The other major risk is the alternator belt, if it comes of or breaks there's a fair chance it'll end up tangled in with the timing
belt.
Never seen it on kit car yet but seen quite a few of the of the ol Di transit engines with the broken alternator belt wrapped around the timing belt
crank pulley which breaks the timing belt, mates hyundai did the same when the crank hamonic balancer failed.
Cheers
Davie
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.”
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