Gas distribution mechanism drive belt (Renault Espace III)

Note. To check the timing belt tension, use the Tronic 105.6 instrument.

Removal

Place the vehicle on a two-post lift and raise the front wheels off the ground.

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal.

Remove:

• right front wheel;
• right lower engine compartment shield:
• protective liner of the front right wheel arch;
• the intake pipe of the exhaust gas system.

Set the piston of the first cylinder to TDC. Turn the engine crankshaft with a key for the central bolt of the pulley fastening to the crankshaft in the direction of its normal rotation. You can also turn the crankshaft with the front wheel raised and 4th or 5th gear engaged. Use Locking Tool Mot. 1054 to fix the piston of the 1st cylinder at TDC.





Use a wooden support to support the engine from below on the right side.

Remove:

• pendulum suspension bracket and travel limiter;
• cover of the timing belt of the gas distribution mechanism.
• crankshaft pulley;
• lower cover of the timing belt;
• accessory drive belt.

Loosen the nut and bolt securing the tension roller and loosen the tension of the timing belt.

Disconnect the pendulum suspension bracket (3, Fig. 1.20) from the cylinder head.



Remove the bolts and timing belt covers.



Release the tension roller (T, Fig. 1.21) timing belt. If the tension roller mounting nut is loosened more than one turn, the tension roller may come off the axle.



Remove the timing belt. When removing the timing belt without replacing it, make sure that the belt has marks indicating its direction of rotation. If the marks are worn off, make marks before the camshaft and crankshaft pulley marks.

Note: The timing belt cannot be removed without first removing the pendulum suspension bracket.

Installation

Attention: When replacing the timing belt, it is advisable to replace the tension roller.

• Do not turn the engine crankshaft in the direction opposite to the operating direction.
• Make sure that the TDC locking pin Mot. 1054 is in place.
• Install the timing belt and the pendulum suspension bracket on the cylinder head, aligning the marks on the belt and pulleys. Pre-tighten the timing belt by turning the M6x45 bolt on the rear cover of the timing belt drive.
• Install tool Mot. 1505.
• Tighten the timing belt.
• Using special tool Mot. 1543-02 with intermediate shaft and Mot. 1543-03 without intermediate shaft and a torque wrench set to a tightening torque of 11 Nm, apply a preliminary force to the section of the belt whose tension is adjustable.
• Bring the Tronic 105.6 reading head close and take a measurement, then adjust the tension by turning the tensioner bolt until the pre-tension value T1 is reached.
• Tighten the tensioner.
• Turn the crankshaft four revolutions and set the timing belt back to the top dead center position.
• Using a special tool and a torque wrench set to a tightening torque of 11 Nm, apply a preliminary force to the section of the belt whose tension is adjustable
• Bring the Tronic 105.6 reading head close and take a measurement, then adjust the tension by turning the tensioner bolt until the pre-tension value T2 is reached.
• Remove the tension sensor.
• Belt tension setting, units SEEM 29
• Minimum allowable operating tension, SEEM 27 units

Setting belt tension Hz:

• T1 83±3
• T2 77±5

Note: Be sure to replace the crankshaft pulley mounting bolt with a new one, tighten it to a torque of 20 N·m, then turn it further by an angle of 115±15°.

• Finally install the pendulum suspension bracket.
• Using the centering fork Mot. 1289-02, center the pendulum suspension travel limiter.
• Further installation is carried out in the reverse order of removal.