Timing belt/service for a 200 Astra

[New boy]

Hi there, I've just bought a 2000 Astra for my girlfriend and wanted to have a fresh start and do a decent service, including the timing belt. The car is just coming up to 100,000kms, and while I realise the ecotech engines get done every 60,oookms I didn't want to take the chance so i wanted to do it regardless. Is it standard to just do the belt and tensioner or are there idlers that need doing also? I'll also change all the fluids, spark plugs and engine and air filters. Is there anything else that would be worth doing i.e. water pump? Thanks guys

[SLE355]

I'd be replacing the idlers as well, you can get the whole lot as a kit from Holden. Very common for the water pump to fail as well, either leaking or bearing failure so give it a check over and check for signs of coolant residue, if in doubt throw it out. Water pump is alot cheaper than repairing a head with bent valves or even worse if it breaks a valve and takes out the bottom end with it, seen that twice in the last month.

[necromantia]

just on the topic of water pumps (sorry to hijack) whats one worth for an LS1 ? roughly ?

Iv got two astras at home and both have had the 60k timing belt done by holden... was quiet a few hundred dollars from memory.

Never had a drama with the water pump. One is a 01 model, other is 04.

Good luck.

[vessontheway]

a;so be carefull with the tensioner as you need to turn the adjuster in the centre of it with an allan key but it will tension 2 ways only one way will keep the belt tensioned. once you line up the marks on top of the tensioner the adjuster should point down towards the bottom of the front bumper not down towards the brake pedal as both ways as i said will tension it to the right tension but if pointing towards the brake pedal the belt will come loose. i think what i said will be more clear one you are actuallyt doing it. also as said above get the full kit from holden it not worth the risk of not replacing the idlers

[Marco]

Do you have a reason to think that it wasn't done at 60k (no books etc)? Otherwise with the next one due at 120k you may as well wait for that one IMHO.

[SLE355]

a;so be carefull with the tensioner as you need to turn the adjuster in the centre of it with an allan key but it will tension 2 ways only one way will keep the belt tensioned. once you line up the marks on top of the tensioner the adjuster should point down towards the bottom of the front bumper not down towards the brake pedal as both ways as i said will tension it to the right tension but if pointing towards the brake pedal the belt will come loose. i think what i said will be more clear one you are actuallyt doing it. also as said above get the full kit from holden it not worth the risk of not replacing the idlers

I think what your trying to say is, you have to turn the tensioner using the allen key anti-clock wise, which is correct.

[vessontheway]

ha much simpler wording would have saved me a bit of typing

[RAWKUS]

Need to do this also. Any other special tricks or other things to look out for?
Do the camshafts move on their own once the tension is off them?
Whats the going rate for the kit from Holden?

[SLE355]

The cams may want to move, there is a tool to hold them in place. Of course you want all the slack on the tensioner side when fitting the belt, i then set the tensioner pointer to spec and lock it not to tight, spin the engine twice to re-check timing marks then reset the tensioner to spec again and lock it tight. The new tensioner bolt has a torx head which is very shallow so i dont lock it too tight the first time as there easy to round off.

Not sure on the price of the kits.