Replacing the timing belt with a Renault Duster with your own hands

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

When the engine is running, many systems and mechanisms are involved. One of the most critical nodes is gas distribution. It is he who controls the operation of the intake and exhaust valves. It is driven by a chain or belt. On the "Duster" the second option is used. Like any other element in the engine, the belt needs to be changed periodically. What is the timeframe for replacing it? Can it be installed by hand? Read about all this and more further in our article. It is worth noting that the timing belt in the timing mechanism is needed not only to supply the fuel-air mixture to the engine cylinders. Thanks to this element, the pump also rotates, which participates in the cooling of the power unit, circulating fluid through the system. The belt itself is toothed and tensioned with a roller. The element is driven by the crankshaft.

Replacement interval

What is the timing for replacing the timing belt on the Renault Duster? The manufacturer allocates a clear replacement schedule, which is 60 thousand kilometers. In order to avoid unpleasant consequences, it is recommended to periodically inspect the condition of the belt mechanism.

The element must not be cracked or loosely tightened.

About whatconsequences in question?

The fact is that the "Duster" (regardless of the installed motor) uses a 16-valve timing system. This means that when the belt breaks, the valve mechanism comes into contact with the piston as the crankshaft rotates. As a result, the destruction of the piston engine, as well as the intake and exhaust valves. The cost of repairing such a power plant can reach several thousand dollars. If the car is bought on the secondary market, be sure to ask the seller when he last replaced the belt mechanism. Ideally, it is better to immediately replace it with a new one with all the proper parts.

Please note: on 2-liter engines there are no marks for setting the valve timing. The dealer changes the belt when using special tools. With them, the craftsmen fix the distribution and crankshaft. But if the timing belt is replaced on the Renault Duster with your own hands, these marks will have to be done manually. How exactly, we will find out a little later.

Tools and materials

To successfully replace the timing belt on Renault Duster 1.6 and 2.0, we need:

• A set of keys (in particular, sockets for 8, 13, 16 and 18).
• Set of hexagons.
• Jack, balloon wrench.
• Screwdrivers.
• Torque wrench.

We also note that the manufacturer recommends installing a new tensioner along with the belt. In total, the operation to replace the timing belt on the Renault Duster 2.0 will take about three hours.

Getting Started

So, we install the car on a flat area, put the jack and unscrew the wheel. Since the engine is mounted transversely on the Duster, the front right wheel must be removed for easy access to the belt.

Next we do work under the hood. It is necessary to unscrew the bolts of the upper cover of the gas distribution mechanism using a 13 head. There are three in total. You should also unscrew the two nuts on it. After that, you can safely remove the cover. Then we move to the area of the right wheel. Turn the crankshaft clockwise with a key of 18. Finding the bolt is easy - it's on the pulley at the bottom.

How is the timing belt replaced on the Renault Duster? The next step is to remove the accessory drive belt and pulley. Make sure that the crankshaft does not turn. How to fix it? This can be done with an assistant. The latter will press the brake pedal in fifth gear. At this point, unscrew the bolt 18 counterclockwise. If the shaft still rotates, you can lock it as follows. To do this, remove the piston securing the wiring harness holder to the clutch housing. A minus screwdriver is installed through the window in the crankcase. You need to insert it so that it gets between the teeth of the engine flywheel ring. After that, the shaft will be locked and the pulley can be unscrewed without problems.

After unscrewing the bolts securing the lower cover of the gas distribution mechanism. Themonly five, and they are unscrewed with a key of 8. Next, the cover is removed outward. Before removing the belt itself, you should set the camshaft and crankshaft to the position of the top dead center of the first cylinder. To make them rotate, we put a spacer (for example, a set of washers) between the bolt and the end of the camshaft. To facilitate the process, we unscrew the candle on the first cylinder and install a screwdriver in the hole. You need to catch the moment when she takes the highest position. It will be the very TDC of the compression stroke. It is important that the screwdriver is clean.

After that, replacing the timing belt on the Renault Duster 2.0 is accompanied by removing the plugs from the camshafts. The grooves of the latter should be parallel to the cylinder head and the plane of the cover connector. We install a 70 mm rod in the cylinder block. A drill shank can be used. It should fit into a rectangular groove on the cheek of the crankshaft. So we block it and prevent it from scrolling spontaneously. Then, with a 10 key, loosen the tension roller. At this point, the old belt can be removed.

What's next?

Having removed the drive belt, you need to prepare at the same time a new support and tension roller. Using a 16 key, we unscrew the bolt that secures the support roller to the engine block. We also dismantle its mounting sleeve. Then we put a new roller and tighten it with a force of 50 Nm (the same force must be made if the timing belt is replaced on a diesel Renault Duster).

To fix the tension roller, bend its end andinstall a screwdriver in the hole, and also make a nut. Now you can mount the belt on the toothed pulleys. Please note that there is an arrow on it - in this direction it should rotate. You need to start the belt from the upper pulleys (responsible for the camshafts) and then to the water pump pulley, and then the crankshaft.

How to tighten the belt?

When you remove the screwdriver from the hole, you should hear a click, indicating that the belt is automatically tensioned. But there are situations when this stretch does not correspond to the norm. Ideally, the fixed pointer should align with the recess in the movable one on the idler. If the last pointer is offset counterclockwise, this indicates insufficient tension. How to tighten the repair in this case? Using a 10 spanner wrench, loosen the tension roller nut. Then we turn it clockwise with a hexagon by 6 until the pointers are aligned. After that, hold the roller in a predetermined position and tighten the fixing nut. To check the accuracy of the coincidence of the marks, you need to re-turn the crankshaft two turns. Repeat the adjustment procedure if necessary.

Pay attention

The accessory drive pulley bolt is tightened with a force of 40 Nm. After that, it needs to be screwed 110 degrees.

Further assembly is done in reverse order. It remains only to tighten the decorative cover and put the wheel in place. Now you know how the timing belt is replaced on the Renault Duster. But it should also be notedone moment. More on that below.

Tags

As we mentioned above, there are no alignment marks on the pulleys on the two-liter Duster engines. This greatly complicates the installation of the drive belt. For the procedure to be successful, these labels have to be done independently. How to do it? It is necessary to focus on the position of the diamonds (Renault signs). At the same time, the piston should be fixed at top dead center. Next, we apply marks with red or white paint that determine the mutual location of the camshaft pulleys. You should also mark the flywheel. To do this, we make our way into the window of the clutch housing and put a designation there. You can use a marker instead of paint. The brighter its color, the easier it will be for us to navigate in the future.

Please note: this procedure must be done before removing the old belt. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to set labels from scratch. Timing parts are no longer connected to each other and can move at a small angle. Therefore, we first make marks, and then remove the old one and install a new belt without turning the crankshaft. And to make sure that the marks match exactly, you should manually scroll this shaft by 110 degrees.

Conclusion

So, we found out how the timing belt is replaced on the Renault Duster. As you can see, the procedure can be done by hand. But the work is very painstaking and requires high precision. This is especially true for the marks on the toothed pulleys. If they do not match, problems with the operation of the powerunit.