Berlingo 2001 1.9D Fitting the timing belt a little easier ?

[Thom]

Berlingo 2001 1.9D, 1868cc DW8 series.
Trying my best to follow the Haynes manual, I found it tricky and for various reasons, had the belt on and off a few times, playing with the "slotted sprockets." (Sounds like an illness, felt like one too !)
Finally, I found by following instructions starting at the crank shaft, round the forward facing idler/roller, over the pump sprocket (set with slots hard clockwise against the bolts, which I 'd nipped up gently.) over the camshaft sprocket and had to make a small anti-clockwise adjustment to seat the belt on it. To stop it comming away or moving when I moved on to the "mechanical" tensioner, I put a very small clamp with a sliver of wood under it, onto the sprocket and belt. Peace of mind !
Then I took the tensioner off completely.
Worked the belt over the bare "spigot" and round the water pump.
Because all the slack was on that side, it was EASY to slip the tensioner back on the spigot and slap the bolt in ! That's "easy" in as much as the space allowed.
I wish I'd known that before I'd started the job !

[CitroJim]

That's a good tip Thom and like you, one I found out the hard way...

Well done and thanks for posting this

[Thom]

Another thing I found this morning; that big fat coolant hose at the bottom of the engine with one of them god-awfull clips with the two "ears" sticking out.
(On the timing belt side.) I could not compress it down enough to ease it over the hose when it was pushed on fully. So hard, I was sizing up a jubilee clip and thought to leave the original dangling as a "spare." As a last gasp effort, I thought "what if I push this original clamp just over the start of the "swollen" bit of hose, then push all of it on as far as it will go ?"
To my delight, that fat bit was just enough to shorten the distance between the "ears" so I could get enough squeeze on it with me water pump pliers and push it over the rest !
Great Joy !
Again, no room to get tools in. I expect there is a correct tool for doing it ?

[CitroJim]

I know so well the fight with those clips but they're worth preserving with as they're far better than any Jubilee Clip...