Timing Belt Clinic
Hyundai’s ‘Tiburon’ Coupé offers inexpensive but stylish motoring; Rob Marshall discovers that its timing belt replacement procedure is just as accessible for the budget-orientated DIYER.
A 2005 Hyundai Coupé 2.0 gets a fresh cambelt.
While marketed under several different names worldwide, Hyundai’s Coupé was an essential model that played a role in the South Korean company being taken seriously by its more established rivals. Several generations of the Coupé were sold in the UK, each one being an improvement over its predecessor, until production ended in 2007, when the quirky but less popular Veloster took over from 2011.
Due to the very low market values, we bought a 2005 Coupé for our July 2019 special on budget cars, which is also being used here as our timing belt demonstration vehicle. Equipped with a 2.0-litre version of Hyundai’s venerable ‘Beta’ engine, which was fitted to other models, including in 1.8-litre guise for the Elantra/lantra, it features variable valve timing from 2004 onwards, using an actuation motor that is located on the nearside front section of the engine. The inlet camshaft is driven by the exhaust camshaft, via a separate chain drive within the rocker cover. Only a solid exhaust camshaft pulley is driven by the timing belt.
No special tools needed
According to Ross Heath, Hyundai specialist at Tiburon Automotive of Birmingham, West Midlands, these technical features make a timing belt change more of a DIY proposition, especially as the replacement interval is a lowly 50,000 miles, or five years, whichever is sooner. The water pump is also driven by the auxiliary belts and no special tools are required to lock camshafts/crankshaft. Yet, severe engine damage will result should the belt break, strip teeth, or fall off the pulleys. He advises also that replacing the belt may be beyond a complete novice’s ability, not only because of the tensioning procedure, which tends to rely on experience, but also because of how easy it is to move the crank and camshaft pulleys by accident, before the new belt is installed. However, at least access is fairly good, even though a number of ancillary components need removing, first.
As usual, safety should be the priority. Apply the handbrake, chock the rear wheels, work on a level surface and employ a decent jack. Two sturdy axle stands will be needed; one to support the body on the offside jacking point and the other will need placing beneath the engine. Note that a block of wood will be necessary to protect the delicate aluminium sump.