[Johnmrp]

Hi, I’ve just got my 1991 Rover 216 GSi with the Honda engine. It’s got 31,804 miles on the clock. I can’t ascertain whether the timing belt has ever been changed. Is it a difficult job to do? Is it expensive? Where’s the best place to buy parts?
Thanks in anticipation.

[rover416]

Not a hard job,however getting the crankshaft pulley bolt to undo can be interesting you may need a impact gun to remove.Belt can be got from motor factors or your friendly Honda dealer. If indoubt of old belt CHANGE IT.

[RoverRevival]

When in doubt, swap it out.

[carfixmobile]

Just done mine on my 1990 216Gsi. Got my timing belt from my local motor factors. it was made by Gates.

As previously said, removing the crankshaft pulley is the hardest part of the job. It is very tight (160Nm). Tried my trusty powered impact gun but no joy..... You need to hold the crankshaft pulley some way.

I made a holding tool for the pulley as detailed by Quentin Howell in the Winter 2016 Viking news letter. It also refers to a similar item in the Haynes manual. You have to source some steel bar, some round bar for the pins and then fabricate it.

I also used a 3/4" long breaker bar and a 17mm 3/4" impact socket. You do need to swing on the end of the breaker bar. Possibly over-kill but it worked for me. I did have to remove quite a few of the engines ancillaries from the timing belt side of the engine bay to get space to get enough room to swing the breaker bar.

Having talked to another member they suggested locking the flywheel via the starter motor aperture. You can get the flywheel locking tool via ebay etc etc.

As I was later retro-fitting power steering I had to remove the crankshaft pulley again. This time I used the flywheel locking tool method and I found this much easier.

[Johnmrp]

Many thanks for your advice.

[Stevie soft top]

1998 216 1.6 petrol is timing belt hard to do on the rover engine.

[JEASPEKE]

Hi, I did my 216GTi belt, With the Honda DOHC D16A9 engine, not sure if yours is the same but this is the new belt I used, please check carefully ref your specific fitting if Honda SOHC.

As previously said, the crankshaft pulley bolt is s nightmare to get out. I too constructed a holding fixture made of solid-steel plate and screwed rods.
I now also own a 3/4 inch breaker bar about 4 feet long, do use a socket designed for air guns, they are usually black, my chrome vanadium socket just split in two. I also broke a 1/2 short extension, get everything in 3/4 inch drive mode.

While in that space I would also suggest a new belt tensioner is fitted and maybe a new water pump too. Cheap enough around £20 from any good motor factors.

Make sure you know how to set TDC, lock the camshafts and how to check that the timing is all correct afterward. Turn over by hand for several rotations (disconnect plug leads and take plugs out)
When TD and all the datum points on camshafts stay aligned after a couple of rotations and the belt stays tight on the tensioner and pulleys you can be sure that pistons and valves will not meet each other, then you can go for engine start up.
if not sure then please get someone more experienced to help you. Also do not lose the metal key that drives the crankshaft, take picture of the crank pulley and spacers arrangement before removal and refit the same way.

[Stevie soft top]

Thank you for advice.

[richard moss]

To echo what everyone else has said (because that is what happens on every car forum in the world....) the only real issue that I had last time I did the job was getting that damned crank pulley bolt off. I'm sure that the whole job was easier than on a K series.

You know, I LOVE timing CHAINS

[Plodder]

Having got the crank pulley off what sort of torque wrench did people use when they refit the bolt?
The biggest one I’ve got goes up to 100Nm. They seem to get a bit pricey when you get to the 160Nm range.