Alternative oil pump for GTE

[G-MANS]

Hi all,

Have just repaired my car after my timing belt failed and damaged all 8 valves on head. Car is running perfectly again (was recommended to run in for 500 miles - does that sound about right?

Anyway my main question: - "is there an alternative oil pump I can fit to my GTE (1988)?" - Mechanic thinks that an oil pump with a roller bearing tensioner would be better then the one currently on. My timing belt was under 1 year old (only 4000 miles on it) when it failed - By failed I mean one section of the teeth (4") had completely worn away. My mechanic thinks this is because of the design of the existing oil pump.

Did a GSI have a different oil pump than the GTE?

As usual any information is much appreciated!

By the way am running Blydenstein B+ head,a Kent cam (nvo 61) - (maybe because of the slightly higher reving the kent cam gives me more strain is put on the belt/ oil pump. (or is that bull ****)
George

[mowgli]

I don't think your mechanic has done much on vauxhalls.
1. the oil pump is bolted onto the front of the engine block & works directly off the crankshaft.
2. the waterpump is also the cambelt tensioner. the roller bearing tensioner is on much later 16v engines & is not going to be easy to interchange.
3. the water pump is quite cheap to swap & will last for years.
4. the gte cambelt is not much money & with the upgrades you have, fitting a new one every service will be a good insurance.

[craig green]

IMO the design isnt flawed. These engines were rallied etc & look at how Dans went at Llandow etc? You were just a bit unlucky G-Mans, maybe it was a cheap belt at the last service. By the sounds of it the belt couldve been on the shelf a long time if a section of teeth all came off. I always insist on Gates timing belts & kits as its good stuff used by GM & VW.

Purely bad luck I reckon & your engine builder is a tad under educated when it comes to tuning Vauxhalls.

[G-MANS]

Thanks to all who replied.

Just like to clarify: all new parts on my car are original gm parts. The timinig belt was a gm part only fitted last year. The water pump was replaced 2 years ago - but changed it again now for another new one just to be on the safe side.

My mechanic is my uncle and has worked all his entire working life as a mechanic (now 67 years old) - he worked nearly 20 years for vauxhall. He knows alot about novas in particular as his son has owned 6 of them over a 9 year period and he insisted on his dad rebuilding them all from scratch (had no problems with any of them!.

He doesn't like me modifying my car but he always carries out the work for me regardless of what he thinks. He believes the kent cam may have caused my timing belt to fail (high reving stress).

im pretty clueless about mechanics myself but he pointed out to me that the cambelts teeth on the point of contact with the oil pump are very minimal (maybe 3 or 4 teeth round oil pump cog) He then said to me vauxhall then changed there oil pump design to include the roller bearing tensioner design in order to make more contact points for the teeth (wrapping round oil pump cog more) and that the tensioner design is more reliable. He the suggested changing my oil pump to the roller bearing tensioner type just to make sure the timing belt doesnt fail again just as it has done now.

Thanks again for any thought and info on the above

George

[Adam]

Your on the standard gte injection, which is rev limited to sensible revs.
Other 1600 8v's(dan,jim's, nick's etc), running the same oil pump/cambelt setup are fine at higher revs.
Afaik all nova ohc 8v oil pump designs are the same, its just some have a extra thread hole for a cambelt tensioner on later models.

What was the old waterpump like? Did its sprocket turn nice and freely?
Had you got an oil leak anywhere in the cambelt area, which could of dripped oil onto the belt weakening it?
How was the old belt tension set?

[craig green]

My old GSi used to have the extra tensioner. So I know what you mean.....
but I've never heard of the issues he has suggested & bear in mind all the 1.3's & 1.4's that get revved way higher on twin 40's etc, not to mention the fact that the Grp-A 1600's were based on the GTE engine & them selves made 150bhp at silly revs.

I really think it was bad luck George. If the belt was at fault maybe it had been on the shelf for a long time & had hardened or as LOTNSR's says a little oil contamination. Extreme cases though.

KENT do offer 'uprated' cam belts, though generally they are seen as not necessary.

Seems like you need peace of mind now!