duskflyer

I am going to be doing the timing belt and the cost of special tools ($106 plus shipping) is cutting into my budget. Does anyone have these tools and not need them? I am willing to buy or borrow and return them. I would prefer to buy, but I will leave a deposit if someone is willing to let me borrow. The job is still a ways down the road, but I am trying to line things up now. Thanks in advance.

Jeff Oakes

borland

Jeff,

Let me know if I can borrow them after you. Assuming they are still in usuable condition.

maddox

Good point Jeff-

Over a 1,000 after market tensioning tools have been sold new, so I would have thought that there must be some available 2nd hand. Once you get hold of TB tool you would probably want to hang on to it so you can recheck the tension after 1,500 miles.

Old & New

I thought it was ~$60?

Somebody once suggested a tool "pool" (like library books), but they were met with icy glares from several parties...

SharkSkin

I can see why the "tool pool" idea wouldn't work. Most of the people willing to fork over the cash for a quality tool want to be sure it's taken care of. The only cases where I've seen this work is where it's a company-financed "tool crib" and even then tools get torn up.

duskflyer

- I can see where a tool pool might fail, but I imagine a full price deposit might fix that problem.

- Yes, the tension tool is only 60, but you also need a flywheel lock. I suppose the flywheel lock could be improvised though.

- Yes, I know I will need to re-tension the belt after 1500 miles which is why I prefer to purchase one, but if someone has completed the job 5,000 10,000 miles ago, they will not be needing it for quite awhile anyhow.

SharkSkin

The flywheel lock, the steering rack centering bolt, and the headlight washer adjusting tool all together cost me less than $60 shipped from http://www.baumtools.com, IIRC. That was this year.

heinrich

do not improvise a flywheel lock. trust me on this

UKKid35

You can get away without a flywheel lock with a manual, don't think you can with an auto.

You can get away without a Kempf tool if you trust the belt plucking method described by JagEng, it worked great for me (however I had the reassurance of the Kempf tool to double check).

Now the most expensive part of the operation becomes the waterpump, although that is much cheaper in the US than here in the UK.

UKKid35

Also don't forget to note the condition of the sprockets and replace if neccessary, otherwise you will severely shorten your new belt's life (guess how I know!)

JE928Sx4.

A timing belt tension tool is not something you should think of as something you want to borrow now and again, it should be the first tool you buy after you get a 928. The aftermarket TB tool available for $59.00 gives you a lot of bang (or no bad bang if you use it and maintain your TB properly) for the buck. Also after you do a TB job, you NEED to retension the TB within the first couple thousand miles.

Checking the tension on a TB is no more difficult or time consuming than changing your oil.

Bernie

Not to shock anyone but I just used a big-*** 3 foot long prybar to wedge the flywheel while I reefed on the crankbolt with a breaker bar. Not easy without a lift (which I had) but absolutely no problem. Just be sure you have a good wedge on the flywheel so you don't grind anything up.
No flywheel lock tool required
And that was on an auto........