Just to update a couple of momentous things that I have done to the old beast just recently. I did the cambelt a couple of weeks ago, If this is something that people have been putting off for some time because of it's complexity, then don't. Our Townie has only done 80,000 kilometers, the belt is due at 100,000 Km, so why change? they also say every 5 years, which ever is sooner, ours is 10 years, so doubly overdue, indeed the old belt was starting to crack between the teeth, so unless you have documentary evidence to prove the job has been done, I would say do it on the time as well as the mileage. To change it means taking the driver's floor out, all the drive belts & the fan off then all the pulleys off, then the 3 parts of the cambelt cover, then you can line all the timing marks up & remove the old belt, when fitting the new one, the writing on it should face the back of the engine (correct direction of rotation) then turn over the engine a couple of times & reset the tensioner on the spring. Rifitting all the parts is the reversal of removal. Set a whole day aside to do the job. For those who remember the oil leak problems we had, we found this to be a damaged front crank shaft oil seal, so whilst doing the above job, we removed the bottom cambelt pulley & replaced the oil seal (OS344 purchased from Camberley Auto Factors, on the shelf, couple of quid) now she doesn't leak a drop, so improved her reliability again. So as to try to avoid the dreaded head gasket problem I didn't bother to refit the viscous coupling & fan assembly, just bolted the pulley back on the engine. I have now made a bracket which bolts to the original mountings on the radiator for the huge cowling (also now junked) onto this bracket I have now fitted a large cooling fan from a Rover 216, this is controlled by a Kenlowe fan switch (£34 from kenlowe www.kenlowe.com) which goes into the top hose & detects when the engine gets a bit hot & switches in the fan, I have deliberately set it a bit sensitive for the summer, but the switch is variable as to when it kicks in the fan. I hope this will stabilise the temperature & make her less prone to the head gasket problem, I have made it so the fan will carry on running after switch off, thus preventing the possible 'static boil'. If you speak to the Land Rover enthusiasts, they reckon that removing the viscous fans on them gains around 8Hp on their Turbo Diesel and inproves fuel economy by 8.5%, I have already noticed the improvement in acceleration, and am looking forward to seeing better fuel economy. A worthwhile conversion I think. Regards Rob.

- (#3009) Rob Drinkwater, 19 May 02

Sorry I forgot to mention, the info on replacing the canbelt is readily available from any timing belt book that has the 2CT engine in it, as this engine is found in the Carina, Liteace, and even the Avensis. And removal of the floor is covered on Dave's site via the link above.

- (#3010) Rob Drinkwater, 19 May 02

Way to go, Rob! If you want, you can remove the fan pulley completely and use shorter belts directly to the alternator.

- (#3023) david miller, 20 May 02

Dave, I thought that as well, as you know the fan pulley is just that, with the water pump being driven off the back of the timing belt, it serves no other purpose. I looked at the set up & decided that the shorter belt run might be a problem when adjusting for the alternator. I also wasn't too sure whether the lekky fan would do the job well enough, so wanted to leave myself with the easy option of just four nuts to reinstate the fan/viscous coupling if needs be, thanks anyway, regards Rob.

- (#3030) Rob Drinkwater, 20 May 02