I have to replace the gasket on my camshaft cover and replace my rad hoses. As part of this I was thinking about replacing my timing belt. '81 Spider has 76,000 miles and I don't know the history. But I took off the timing belt cover and the belt looks great.







Is there anyway to determine if it needs replacing? I hate to do all that work when it may have just been done.

if you dont know the age of the belt...but some cheap insurance....get a new one.

azruss wrote:if you dont know the age of the belt...but some cheap insurance....get a new one.

Yep. I know. Gotta do it!

that belt has some time on it, you can see the teeth pattern on the back side. this is a sign of an old belt, you have to look also at the condition of the teeth, see if they are begining to round or narrow. if it was me and i was unsure of the age, Replace it

Now that all the parts are out (including radiator) I think replacing shouldn't be too bad.

BEEK wrote:that belt has some time on it, you can see the teeth pattern on the back side. this is a sign of an old belt, you have to look also at the condition of the teeth, see if they are begining to round or narrow. if it was me and i was unsure of the age, Replace it

Thanks. I'll do it for sure. Parts are only $88 for everything from Autoricambi.

To remove the camshaft cover do I just hit the thing with a rubber mallet or do I need to pry it up? Also do I need to remove the distributor? I think it's separate so I think if I remove it in an upwards motion (towards the middle of the engine) I should be ok.

A rubber mallet works. Even a small ball-peen works if you go very lightly. The dist. can stay in place. If the cover has been on a while, you likely will have to replace the gaskets. Probably a good thing to do to reduce the chance of "oozing" when it is all back together.

narfire wrote:A rubber mallet works. Even a small ball-peen works if you go very lightly. The dist. can stay in place. If the cover has been on a while, you likely will have to replace the gaskets. Probably a good thing to do to reduce the chance of "oozing" when it is all back together.

Thanks. I tried the rubber mallet. No luck. Tried a small sledge hammer (lightly). No luck. I was able to get a putty knife to push into the gasket about 1/2". I was thinking about prying that area up with something but I don't want to damage the cover or head surface. Any other neat tricks I can try that are safer?

Why not tap with a screw driver in between it, gotta come up
Put some effort in it
It just a cover,it not gold
Get a plastic shim

> Any other neat tricks I can try that are safer

The cam covers have 4 little edges (one at each corner) made to put a prybar under them, works every time.

You have already resolved to replace your belt, but I'd just like to add a quick bit of advice. Over the years, I have had two let go. The first one, more than thirty years ago, was entirely my fault and neglect. The second one came apart well before the recommended mileage interval (but beyond the time spec).
My current project is as bad as I have ever seen. (DPO broke the belt, replaced the belt and TRIED TO PULL START the car when the motor was apparently "STUCK!!" Parts and shrapnel went bouncing all over the place!) Who knows how long they dragged the poor thing around while it was digesting itself from the inside out?

If you do not know exactly when the belt was last changed out, replace it.
If you are anywhere near the recommended mileage interval, replace it.
If you are anywhere close to the time interval, replace it.
Max interval is measured in miles and in time. Whichever comes first, replace it. (Can you hear the theme developing?)

A 20 dollar belt (I just bought one for 15 plus shipping.) is heaps cheaper than a grand or more for a replacement engine, and they seem to be getting scarcer and more expensive all the time.
Search around a little bit, you will find pictures of the carnage that is experienced far too often. If you don't find any, pm me, I have a current set - broken valve, head beat all to heck and beyond repair, hole in piston, even a hole in the cylinder wall! I can only imagine the damage down below, bent con rod, bits and shavings of valve, head and piston distributed at random throughout...

I've got to agree with BwBrown

Change the tensioner bearing as well....

at the same time, i would also replace the front seals, they are as well accesable at this time, and will save you grief down the road

From reading his post
Hell you might as well over haul the engine lol
Seems one thing leads to another as in what you should do