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MG MGF Technical - How to look at the cambelt?

Sorry to insist but was unlucky with other thread and got no real advise. I need to have a look at the cambelt and meassure the wide in order to get the parts for a replacement. My car is a 97 MPI. Any easy way to actually see the cambelt without removing any part of the engine?
Brian White

Unscrewing the top section of the plastic cover is AFAIK the easiest way, it's not actually too tricky - with the right tools (a variety of spanners, ratchets & sockets) it can be done in a few minutes.

You shouldn't need to go by measurement - any X-Part retailer would be able to identify the correct belt from your chassis number.
Mike Hankin

The engine number may a bit more reliable, taken from the engine not the V5, unless you are certain the engine hasn't been changed. It's stamped on the front(exhaust manifold side) of the block at the gearbox end. You still have to take the engine cover off to see it. It can be seen from underneath with mirror and a bright light but it's NOT easy.
As Mike says removing the top cambelt cover is fairly easy, loosen one bolt and remove five others, after you've removed the engine cover that is.
Ken Waring

You may well find it advantageous to buy yourself an MGR Repair Information Manual on CD. This includes an Engine Manual with not only how to do it but also the Engine Serial Numbers for the Introduction of the Automatic Tensioner.
Geoff F.
G. Farthing

IIRC the belts differ in length as well as width, you are better off looking the engine number up.

"a few minutes" LOL

yes, taking the plastic cover part off, enough to measure the belt is an easy job with a ratchet spanner or socket set (8mm spanner), _but_ you have to add another 4x that time to remove the engine cover.

The VIN number is probably good enough, not a lot of engines get changed.
Will Munns

Manual 23mm 143 Teeth.
Automatic 26mm 145 Teeth.
Geoff F.
G. Farthing

that is manual/automatic tensioner, not manual/automatic transmission
Will Munns

A buzzing resonant cambelt cover around 2300 rpm persuaded me to do the job today. Engine cover less than 10 minutes, using an air ratchet. Cambelt cover a bit longer, nearer 15 minutes. I find it easier to remove the rear wheel to loosen the lower bolt.
Anyway the buzz has reduced but not been cured. Is this a common problem, has anyone got a fix for this problem?
Ken Waring

To remove the cam belt cover in order to know what belt and tensioner your car needs sounds quite an excess. There should be an engine serial list somewhere that would allow to know how every engine was assembled -Dieter?-. Otherwise MGR had some kind of krazy lottery deciding automatic for this, manual for the next. Difficult to believe even for MGR.
Grant Kelly

>engine serial list
It is, but it's more secure to having a quick look at what kind of tensioner you have.

Dieter

<Otherwise MGR had some kind of crazy lottery deciding automatic for this, manual for the next. Difficult to believe even for MGR>
Crazy lottery?... that sounds quite like MG Rover to me!
James Dickson

This thread was discussed between 31/01/2007 and 06/02/2007

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