The gas distribution mechanism in modern passenger cars is driven from the crankshaft using a chain or belt drive.
Korean Kia Spectra cars are equipped with a timing belt, which must be changed at certain intervals. Also, other parts should be replaced in the timing belt, but first we will talk about the Kia Spectra car and look at how the mechanism itself works.
Kia Spectra
The Kia Spectra was introduced in 2000, replacing the previous Kia Sephia brand. In Korea, the model was produced under the Mentor brand in the 1999-2000s, and until 2004 it was produced in America. It should be noted that for the American market the car was supplied in two bodies:
- five-door hatchback;
- four-door sedan.
The Korean brand Kia Spectra was produced at the Izhevsk Automobile Plant from 2005 to 2011, and only in a sedan body. In 2009, the production of Spectra in Izhevsk ceased, but in order to fulfill all its obligations to the Korean company, it was forced to release a small batch of cars in the summer of 2011.
Timing belt Kia Spectra 1.6
The Izhevsk Kia Spectra was equipped with only one type of engine – a 1.6 liter petrol power unit (S6D). This engine is a four-cylinder, in-line, 16-valve (4 valves per cylinder), with a power of 101 hp. With.
The Kia Spectra 1.6 timing belt includes:
- two camshafts, they are located in the cylinder head;
- 16 valves;
- intermediate roller;
- tension roller;
- belt;
- two timing gears;
- crankshaft gear.
In addition to the camshafts, the timing belt also drives the water pump.
When to change timing belt
The timing belt has its own resource; according to the manufacturer’s recommendation, it should be changed every 45 thousand kilometers (TO-3). Most likely, the Izhevsk plant played it safe, but it is better not to delay the replacement, and the belt should be changed approximately every 60 thousand km.
At each maintenance, it is necessary to check the condition of the timing belt and also inspect the tension rollers. Car owners should take into account that if the belt breaks or it jumps several teeth, the valves in the cylinder head will most likely bend. Therefore, the question of when to change the timing belt always remains open - if you think that the belt is already worn out, it is better to get the job done without delaying the matter.
How long to change, signs of need for replacement
On the very first Kia Spectra models, the manufacturer recommended replacing the timing belt every 60 thousand kilometers. On later models this figure was adjusted to 45 thousand km. Service center specialists recommend changing belts even earlier - every 40 thousand km, since they are not highly wear-resistant. Here are the most common signs of timing belt wear:
- While the engine is running, a characteristic quiet howl of the tension rollers is heard.
- The engine is unstable, not only while driving, but also at idle.
- The engine began to get very hot, this is observed even in cold weather, and overheating can be accompanied by high consumption of both engine oil and antifreeze.
- The operation of the engine is accompanied by soft pops, after which clouds of black smoke fly out of the exhaust pipe.
- It has become very difficult to start the engine, and starting is difficult, even if the engine is hot.
How to check the condition of the timing belt
The condition of the gas distribution mechanism parts is checked during maintenance. The car owner can check the degree of wear of parts at any time; this work is not difficult to do. An unscheduled inspection of the timing belt should be carried out when a suspicious whistle or hum appears in the area of the timing belt.
We perform the inspection as follows:
- turn off the engine and raise the hood;
- unscrew the fastenings (4 bolts) of the upper timing case;
- After removing the casing, we do a visual inspection of the belt.
There should be no cracks, burrs or abrasions on the timing belt cord. You should also look at the condition of the teeth - they should be intact, without any damage. To inspect the entire belt in a circle, rotate the crankshaft.
The tension is checked by pressing your finger on the belt between the camshafts - according to the instructions, under a pressure of 10 kg the belt deflection should be 10 mm. In this case, it will not be possible to determine the condition of the timing rollers, but you can start the engine with the upper casing removed. If the rollers make noise during operation, they need to be replaced. It is recommended to change the entire set at once, that is, both rollers (tensioner and parasitic) and the belt itself.
You can also check the timing belt tension in the following way:
- remove the top casing;
- start the engine;
- manually adjust the throttle valve.
As the speed increases, you should observe the behavior of the belt. If, when releasing the gas, it begins to vibrate, it means that its tension is weak. If the belt whistles when adjusting the gas, most likely it is overtightened and should be loosened.
You should be aware that a timing belt that is too loose can jump on the teeth, and this will lead, at a minimum, to interruptions in engine operation, and in the worst case, the belt may break. Therefore, the tension should be checked periodically to avoid serious problems with the motor.
Replacement process
So, we take out our working tools, take out the transmission kit purchased in advance and begin the procedure for replacing the belt. Open the hood and remove the cover from the timing mechanism. To do this you will have to unscrew several bolts.
Loosen the pump and remove the belt of additional units. Remove the crankcase protection and the right front wheel. Now loosen the fastening of the power unit cushion and unscrew the cushion. The dipstick used to measure the oil level will interfere with us. We also remove it together with the mounting bracket. We dismantle the upper and lower timing covers, having previously unscrewed the crankshaft pulley. To do this, you will need to press the brake hard in fifth gear. This is where you will need an assistant. Now you need to remove the pulley from the engine. After this, the lower protection is dismantled.
Loosen the tension roller and remove it. This way we loosen the transmission tension, after which the belt can be removed. Now you need to set the marks. Take this procedure seriously as the correct position of the alignment marks is of great importance. To make it convenient to place marks, you need to lift the right side of the car using a jack. The marks on the pulley must align with the marks on the mechanism body. Remove the old belt. Look at the photo below. This is how the marks should be placed.
Now we combine the mark placed on the protrusion near the pulley of additional units with the mark on the pulley itself. Now you can start tensioning the new belt. Make sure that the pulleys do not rotate. We adjust the alignment of the teeth by changing the position of the crankshaft. Now we adjust the gear tension. To do this, the crankshaft must be turned 2 turns to the right. After this, the belt will be tensioned by the lower spring.
Check again that the marks match correctly. The belt will have to be installed again if they do not match. Now tighten the tensioner all the way. After this, all other removed parts should be installed in reverse order.
That's it, now let's start the car and listen to how it works. If extraneous noise is detected, the procedure will have to be repeated, since the noise of the operating mechanism must be smooth, without grinding or whistling.
Why can the timing belt break?
The timing belt is not always changed strictly according to the regulations; in some cases, it breaks prematurely. There are reasons why the timing belt fails ahead of time:
- oil has entered the gas distribution mechanism; this can happen if engine oil leaks from the front crankshaft oil seal or from the valve cover;
- a non-original belt was installed, the quality of which does not meet the necessary standards;
- the belt may fail prematurely if it is over-tightened during installation;
- if the belt is loose, it begins to “walk” and breaks off;
- the water pump is jammed or has difficulty rotating, causing the belt to jump on the teeth and then break;
- somehow a foreign object got under the timing belt casing, for example, the bolt securing the inner casing came loose;
- one of the two camshafts is jammed;
- One of the two tension rollers is jammed.
Preparation for replacement and necessary tools
When replacing the Kia Spectra timing rollers, you need to remove the keys from the ignition and remove the negative contact of the battery. Next, you should install the car in the garage, place wheel chocks under the wheels and let it cool. Under no circumstances should you carry out replacement on a hot or even warm engine. Not only can you suffer a serious burn, but there is also the potential for serious damage to the system. On a hot engine, it is impossible to correctly set the belt tension. And the wrong one is the most common cause of premature wear or breakdown of the gas distribution system.
To replace you will need:
Instructions for changing timing rollers
On a Kia Spectra, replacing the pump and timing belt with rollers looks like this:
Note that when installing a new belt, it is important to set the correct tension. Most of the breakdowns are associated with an overtightened or, conversely, weakened belt. With the correct tension, the plane of the belt can be rotated ninety degrees without applying any serious effort. Another important detail is that the bolts on the tension roller must be tightened with a force of 25 Nm, and on the parasitic ones with a force of 50 Nm. Do not neglect this detail, as incorrectly tightened bolts can cause serious problems in the future.
Timing kits
The timing belt with tension rollers for the Kia Spectra is produced by various companies, the most well-known manufacturers are:
- ASHUKI;
- NIPPARTS;
- NPS;
- SKF;
- BANDO;
- DAYCO;
- Gates;
- BOSCH;
According to reviews, the most reliable products are those from BANDO (Japan), and Gates has also proven itself well. Contitech and DAYCO belts are considered somewhat inferior in quality.
The S6D 1.6 liter engine was also installed on other Kia and Hyundai car models, so the timing kit will also fit on Kia Carens/ Sephia /Shuma/Rio, Hyundai Accent.
The price of spare parts may vary, but you should not buy too cheap parts - the likelihood that they will last long is low. Quite often, the timing kit also includes a water pump - it is also recommended to change it when replacing the rollers and belt. Considering that the pump is driven by the timing belt, if it jams, the belt will break, which will lead to expensive repairs.
Purpose and design of the pump
The pump (water pump) provides forced circulation of coolant (coolant). Its functions are similar to those of a gasoline pump that supplies fuel.
It's structured quite simply. The housing contains an impeller (blades) and a shaft rotating on bearings. The shaft receives torque from the engine through the belt - therefore, a malfunction of the pump leads to rapid overheating of the motor.
The pump is based on an impeller and a shaft with bearings
Symptoms of device malfunction are as follows:
- noise or whistling of an extraneous nature;
- the arrow on the engine temperature scale (to the right of the speedometer on the dashboard) is in the red zone;
- traces of coolant are visible under the car and on the pump itself;
- there is a smell of coolant in the cabin;
- a sharp decrease in the level of antifreeze in the coolant tank;
- play in the pulley that rotates the pump.
The main manufacturers of original pumps for the KIA Spectra:
- SKF (Switzerland);
- Graf (Italy);
- Airtex (Spain);
- Ruville and LUK (Germany).
When purchasing a new pump, you should always pay attention to the presence of a sealing gasket in the kit. If it is not there, the product is not original.
When replacing a water pump, always install a new gasket
