Caution! If the timing belt breaks while the engine is running, serious damage may result. Replace the belt at the intervals specified in Specifications to the Chapter Maintenance, or earlier if you have any doubts about its condition.
Removal
1. Disconnect the ground cable from the battery (refer to Chapter Engine electrical equipment)
Warning: If the car radio in your car is coded, make sure you know the code before disconnecting the battery.
2. Set the handbrake, then jack up the front right side of the car and support it on axle stands. Remove the right wheel. Where applicable, remove the engine compartment undershield.
3. Remove the right wheel arch liners.
4. Remove the power steering drive belt, then the alternator drive belt.
5. Set piston No.1 of the engine to the TDC position as described in Section Location of top dead center (TDC) of piston No.1.
6a. To hold the crankshaft while loosening the pulley bolt, have an assistant engage the highest gear and press the brake pedal. Another way to lock the crankshaft is to unscrew the crankshaft speed/position sensor from the top of the transmission and insert a screwdriver through the sensor hole in the clutch housing between the teeth of the flywheel ring gear.
6b. Loosen the crankshaft pulley bolt.
6c. Then remove the pulley and hub; note the key on the end of the crankshaft (refer to the illustrations).
7a. Unscrew the nut of the lower drive cover fastening.
7b. Remove the timing belt cover (refer to the illustrations).
8. Make sure the TDC mark on the camshaft gear points up and aligns with the mark on the valve cover. On some models, the mark on the oil seal housing should align with the mark on the crankshaft gear located at 6 o'clock, opposite the Woodruff keyway. On later models, mark the housing location to facilitate subsequent installation (refer to the accompanying illustration).
9. Loosen the nut on the timing belt tensioner, turn the tensioner pulley counterclockwise to decrease the tension, then tighten the nut to fix the pulley.
10a. Check that the belt has arrows indicating the direction of rotation; if necessary, make them yourself.
10b. Remove the belt from the camshaft, water pump and crankshaft sprockets. If the belt is to be used again, contrary to Renault's instructions, do not twist or kink it when removing it (refer to the illustrations).
11. Clean the gears and tensioner mechanism. Also clean the side of the cylinder head and block where the toothed drive belt is installed.
Inspection
Note: Renault recommends replacing the toothed drive belt each time it is removed. If the belt tension is checked using the special tool, it will only be suitable for further use if the tension is within the limits specified in Specifications permissible deviations. If the tension is in the lower range of permissible values, the belt cannot be tensioned further and must be replaced.
Carefully inspect the toothed drive belt along its entire length, especially at the base of the teeth. Replace the belt if it is contaminated with oil or grease. Replace any leaking seals. The belt should be replaced when the maximum mileage has been reached. Also inspect the gears and tensioner mechanism as described in the next Section Removal, inspection and installation of the drive belt toothed wheel and tensioner mechanism.
Installation
1a. Install the new belt on the crankshaft sprocket so that one of the alignment strips on it aligns with the marks on the pulley (at the 6 o'clock position, opposite the slot for the segment key) and on the oil seal housing.
1b. The other strip should be aligned with the marks on the camshaft gear and on the valve cover.
1c. After placing the belt on the crankshaft gear and holding the tension, place it further on the water pump pulley and on the camshaft gear, then place it on the tensioner pulley (refer to the illustrations).
2. With the belt positioned on the pulleys, loosen the tensioner nut and tighten the belt, then tighten the nut again (refer to the accompanying illustration). The tensioning mechanism is not spring loaded, so to tighten the belt it must be turned manually; a screwdriver inserted between the bolts in the holes in the tensioner hub can be used as a lever. Make sure that the timing marks remain aligned.
3. Now it is necessary to adjust the belt tension, this can only be done accurately using the Renault Mot. 1273 tool (SEEM C. Tronic 105.6). If this equipment is not available, adjust the belt tension as far as possible using the method described below and then contact a Renault service centre as soon as possible to have the tension checked. Do not drive long distances or at high speed until the toothed belt tension has been checked.
4. If the adjustment is incorrect, the tensioner will need to be repositioned. The tensioner nut must be tightened to the torque specified in the Specifications.
5. Install the crankshaft pulley and bolt. Rotate the crankshaft two full revolutions in the normal direction of rotation, then recheck the belt tension and make sure the timing marks are properly aligned. The timing marks on the gears should only align every two revolutions, but the stripes on the toothed drive belt will only align after several engine revolutions. Tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to the torque specified in the Specifications (and turn it to the specified angle for the K7M engine), holding the crankshaft as described earlier in this Section (refer to the accompanying illustration).
6. Install the timing belt cover and tighten the mounting bolts.
7. Install the alternator drive belt, then the power steering drive belt, and tighten them.
8. Install the right wheel arch liners, then install the wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground.
9. Connect the ground cable to the battery.