Clutch

[Spider2]

The clutch release bearing was very noisy in my S2 Appia so I set about changing it this week. I used a friend's garage pit which made the task of removing the gear box marginally easier than lying on my back but a lift and proper transmission jack would have been lovely.
I made several cockups which luckily did not prove terminal, so if anyone is contemplating this task please give me a call and I can point out the do's and don'ts, the main being the gear box will not go back in unless the back of the engine is tilted down by about 15mm. (A bottle jack underneath the pulley did the trick).
Next job: the very noisy timing chain. Any tips on this task?

[lancianut666]

I would check the tensioner is working first as it uses oil pressure and if the car was stood possibly gummed up and is not doing the do. After that you will be into new timing chains and sprockets.
Clarkey

[Spider2]

Presumably "ungumming" the tensioner is just a matter of taking the front cover off and accessing the timing chain and spraying some WD40 around the tensioner and exercising it up and down. Or is it a bit more "professional" than that?

[lancianut666]

That would be a start...I think somewhere in the manual it will give some hint at the length the chain should be after that you are into worn sprockets and retiming the engine.

[Spider2]

Yes, I have read up in the manual the section about changing the chain and sprockets. I really do not want the hassle of retiming the engine. Surely if the camshafts and crankshaft are not moved whilst the sprockets are removed then re-timing is not necessary. Is there a way of locking them? If not marking them with tipex before anything is disassembled maybe?

[lancianut666]

It is fun and games all the way with the timing probably worse with the engine in the car. Possibly slackening all the valve clearances off so there is no tension on the camshaft lobes. As a rule when you move the camshaft sprocket to time the exhaust side the friction on the inlet causes the sprocket to move the inlet camshaft usually taking up the clearance you have just set. If you are lucky it might just be a sticky tensioner.
Clarkey

[simonandjuliet]

Agree with Jim, the camshafts move and can be a pain to retime. I did mine on the bench and found a way of blocking the camshaft so it didn't move .... can't remember exactly how i did it but I think I showed photos on the "everyday appia" thread

[Spider2]

mmm.... I suspected timing the Appia would not be straightforward so lets hope its just a case of "ungumming" the tensioner or the "stretcher" as the manual calls it. It that does not work then I think the little car needs a couple of days vacation in rural Norfolk. I could do with a weekend on the Broads