Symptoms
Due on the service interval, belt edge wear, or debris inside the timing cover; early-type kits can let the belt track off.
The fix, step by step
- Lock the cam and crank with the timing tool, remove the front cover, fit the revised kit (flanged crank pulley, idler with integral spacer, tensioner, gasket).
- On early-type engines, remove the separate spacer washer because the new idler includes it.
- Land Rover later reduced the torque used to tension the belt (applied to the tensioner before its bolt is tightened) to 11 Nm, according to both Glencoyne and an AULRO member, and earlier manuals may not include the change: Glencoyne gives the old figure as 15 Nm, the AULRO member as 14 Nm.
- This is the belt-tension setting, not the bolt's clamping torque.
Tools & part numbers
- Timing tool DA3140, torque wrench
- STC4096L modified timing belt kit
Where to buy the parts
300Tdi timing belt kit and front cover gasketRovers North ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Land Rover 90 / 110 / Defender parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.