fbekholden.com

Hi All,

We took the old girl for a family day out on the weekend and you guessed it, we broke down. As we are complete mechanical novices and rely on mechanics I thought we would pick your brains for some advice.

We have been told that the single cam gear has disintergrated and that it will be $500 to replace the single cam gear including labor. However, he is advising we replace the timing gear set to ensure the cam gear is not synthetic and will be steel/alloy. This should last longer, be better and will cost another $200.

Is this right, how's the cost and does anyone know where we can source these parts at a cheaper price?

Thanks.

Lucas and Naomi.

pm reidy think he had some steel ones

G'day Lucas and Naomi,

My guess is that you have shat the timing gear. This is a fibre (synthetic) gear that lives on the end of the camshaft, and can be a weakness is Holden grey motors. The document below gives some simple checks you can do to confirm what is wrong, and describes (in plain english) how to change one out. Even if you don't do the work yourself, it's not a bad read just to understand what the mechanic is talking about:

http://www.fbekholden.com/forum/viewtop ... 25&t=13931

If this is the problem, you will need to install a new timing gear - a new steel gear is reccomended. You're looking at around $200 in parts (rough) by the time you buy the gear, gaskets and fiddly bits. $300 in labour is probably correct, and if it was me I'd be happy with the $500 total (just my opinion though).

It sounds like your mechanic is reccomending also replacing the crankshaft gear - this is the timing gear's partner. They are steel from the factory. There is normally no reason to change this gear out (i.e. you change only the timing gear, not the timing gear + crankshaft gear). The crankshaft gear is an additional $100 in parts, and probably $100 in labour. If it was mine, I'd leave the crankshaft gear alone. A word of warning though - I'm second guessing your mechanic without having seen the car (... though if he is suggesting replacing the crankshaft gear without having the car in pieces, I'm guessing I'm right).

Cheers,
Harv (deputy apprentice timing gear fiddler).

Thanks for your help guys, very much appreciated:)

Naomi