The peculiarity of the Opel Astra H model is that it was supplied to our country with different power units, in which the arrangement of the generator, air conditioner and pump belt rollers is slightly, but slightly different. Moreover, differences in belt length also depend on the vehicle's equipment, so the procedure for removing it, although not difficult, will differ depending on the factors listed above.
Tools and accessories
Since this is an Opel, in addition to regular keys, we will also need Torx sockets, but they have long been in every tool kit. We will also make a clamp for variable valve timing clutches from an eight bolt and two washers. If this method seems unreliable to someone, you can buy clamps in any online store for only 950 rubles. Let’s make a reservation right away that if the car is equipped with a manual transmission, then there will be no difficulties, but if it’s a robot, then you will have to either make a crankshaft clamp or use a pneumatic impact wrench. We do not change the pump since it is driven by the alternator belt. It took an hour and a half and one mug of tea to replace the timing belt.
Actually, the patient himself.
Under the hood is a 1.6-liter engine called Z16XER.
Timing for replacing the drive belt
According to the maintenance regulations, on the Opel Astra h 1 6 the drive belt must be replaced every 30 thousand hours of operation. The service life of these parts is measured in hours, not kilometers. For example, while sitting in a traffic jam. However, in practice, the service life of the part will greatly depend on weather conditions, load on electrical appliances and driving style. Experienced car owners are advised to prepare for replacement after 15-20 thousand hours or after two years.
Naturally, you should not forget about routine diagnostics of the tension belt. The main symptom of a malfunction is a whistle associated with belt slipping. However, the whistle may be due to liquid getting on the system components. You should not sound the alarm if you hear a whistle, say, after rain or driving into a puddle. If the whistle appears when the car’s electronic systems are under load, you should urgently check its condition.
Small horizontal cracks are an acceptable wear defect. If there are no ribs on the surface and long vertical cracks appear, the belt must be urgently replaced. Unacceptable defects include areas that are polished to a shine and frayed ends from which threads come out. In addition to the belt, it is also worth inspecting the tensioner pulley. It must be parallel to the thrust plates. If it is adjacent to them, it should be replaced.
Failure to replace the belt in a timely manner can lead to breakage. Its breakage is not comparable to the breakage of a timing belt, but it is still quite an unpleasant phenomenon. First, your car's air conditioning will turn off. And if without it you can still get to the service center, then without power steering it will be much more difficult to do this. However, the most serious danger is engine overheating. This is due to the fact that without torque, the water pump stops supplying coolant to the engine. Therefore, on the way to the service center, carefully monitor the engine temperature sensor.
Step-by-step instruction
First, disconnect the air filter with pipes from the throttle valve.
We remove the front right wheel, the side plastic protection and jack up the engine through a plank. We remove the generator belt, using a nineteen key, using a special protrusion, turn the tension roller, thereby loosening the belt. In the photo it has already been removed.
Remove the engine mount.
We dismantle the support.
Remove the upper protective cover of the timing belt.
Remove the middle part of the plastic protection.
Set the top dead center
We turn the crankshaft by the bolt, always clockwise, until the marks on the crankshaft pulley and the lower protection coincide.
It's not very visible, but it won't be difficult to find them.
The marks on the top of the camshaft couplings should also match.
Unscrew the crankshaft pulley bolt. If the transmission is manual, then this procedure will not pose any special problems. We place stops under the wheels, turn on the fifth wheel, insert a specially trained screwdriver into the brake disc under the caliper and, with a slight movement of the hand, unscrew the bolt. But if the robot is like in our case, then a wrench helps us, but if there is no current one, we make a crankshaft pulley clamp. In the corner we drill two holes by eight and insert two bolts there, tightening them with nuts; we eventually insert these bolts into the holes in the pulley. You will get the dimensions yourself by measuring the distance between the holes. In the photo, the lock is shown schematically with a red rectangle; any holes can be used.
Remove the pulley and lower timing belt protection. On the left we see a tension roller, on the right a bypass roller.
We check the camshaft marks and, if they are gone, we bring them down. The marks on the crankshaft sprockets, in turn, should also match.
We install our Russian clamp on the camshafts and mark the old belt, just in case.
You can purchase special clamps; you can find them on Ali or on Vseinstruments.ru.
It will turn out like this.
Using a hexagon, we turn the timing belt tension roller counterclockwise, thereby loosening the belt and removing the belt and rollers.
Replacing the Opel Astra alternator belt - consider in order
Replacing the timing belt on an Opel Astra H with your own hands: summary, photos, videos
Opel Astra timing belt is one of the important components of a car engine. We reveal the features of its operation, the preconditions for drive failure, its consequences and the method of replacement.
The Astra H timing gear drive is a toothed ring made of rubber, the main part of the gas distribution mechanism. Replacing the front brake discs and pads of the Opel Astra and brake fluid. In addition to its main function, the belt drives the oil pump and, on some Astras, also the pump. It is important to replace the belt in a timely manner, since the consequences of a break are disastrous for the Astra.
According to Opel regulations, replacing the timing drive on an Opel Astra H must be done every 90,000 km, or 6 years of operation. But, it is recommended not to wait until the deadline, and certainly not to over-roll, but to make replacements at intervals of 75,000 - 80,000 km, or 5 years.
Installing a new timing belt
We put the new rollers in place, and the tension roller has a protrusion on the body that should fit into the groove during installation.
Here in this groove.
We check all the marks again and install a new timing belt, first on the crankshaft sprocket, idler pulley, camshafts and pulling the tension roller onto it. Do not forget about the direction of rotation indicated on the belt. We remove our clamp.
We check the marks and, having replaced the lower protective cover and the crankshaft pulley, turn the engine two turns and check all the marks again. If everything matches, install all the remaining parts in the reverse order of removal. In principle, there is nothing complicated here, the main thing is to be attentive.
Generator malfunctions on Opels and features of its repair
The generator is the main electrical component of the vehicle, the purpose of which is to power all electrical equipment while driving. Like any component, generator elements can wear out. And first of all, we are talking about such an element as the alternator belt of the Opel Astra H car.
Common generator “diseases” and ways to eliminate them
Let's start with the most common faults typical for generators in Opel Omega A, Astra G, Vectra B and many other models:
- Strap slipping while driving. First of all, you need to make sure that the bearings are intact, after which you can tighten the strap.
- If the brushes of the device are stuck, it is necessary to clean the brush holder, as well as the brushes, from dust and dirt. After this, you can check the force of the brush springs.
- The contact rings are burnt - in this case, you need to clean them, and if necessary, sharpen them.
- There has been a break in the excitation circuit; the only way out is to eliminate the break.
- A fairly common malfunction of the Opel Vectra generator is the rotor sticking to the poles of the stator element. It is necessary to diagnose the condition of the bearings, as well as their installation location. If you find faulty elements, they must be replaced.
- Poor contact or complete absence of the generator unit with the ground of the voltage regulator. It is necessary to check the integrity of the wiring, as well as the quality of the contact connections.
- If the brushes are worn out, they will have to be replaced in any case.
- If the slip rings become oily and dirty, they should be wiped with a rag soaked in kerosene or gasoline.
- The voltage regulator has failed - you should check it, and if it fails, replace it with a new one.
- Another common problem is a turn short circuit or open circuit in the winding. You will have to completely disassemble the assembly to diagnose the stator winding for short circuits or breaks. If the problem lies in the stator or winding, then the failed elements must be replaced.
- If bearing elements are worn or damaged, these components must be replaced. And if the problem is wear of the seat for the bearing devices, then the mechanism cover will have to be replaced.
- One of the most serious problems is pulley failure. If you notice that the teeth on the pulley have begun to wear out, the pulley will have to be completely replaced.
- Belt wear. If the strap shows signs of wear, damage, or delamination, then it is necessary to replace it (the author of the video about replacing the tensioner roller of the device is the zverdiman channel).
The most common faults are belt wear and humming bearings.
