Refit Vauxhall Petrol Timing chain after failure with timing locking kit. How to?

I guess you are reading this because you have had a total timing failure on your 1.0 1.2 or 1.4 petrol vauxhall engine. And wondering how to rebuild and time up correctly. Here is a guide how easily rebuild timing.

With your new timing kit lay everything out to familiarise yourself with all the parts. Using a vauxhall Timing chain locking kit ensure the camshafts are timed up using flat bar access back of cylinder head.

Then ensure crank is at top dead centre by placing locking tool through crank case just below air conditioning pump. You will need to remove the cover plug.

Now the engine is locked and trimmed up. Ensure front of engine is clean then replace the front large gasket.

Now fit cam pulleys but don’t tighten them fully yet.

 Fit timing chain then the guides. Followed by the tensioner. Once all this is done it should look like this.

Replace front cover. It is very important to push the cover up as far as possible then fit the crank pulley oil guide and tighten bolt slowly whilst trying to manipulate the cover on to the two guides as pictured.

 You will need to use a little force whilst doing this, I use pry bars to move into position whilst tapping cover with a copper Hyde hammer. It’s good idea to loosely fit bolts in the guide holes to aid centralising it more. Patience is required. Start tightening all the bolts fitted a little at a time whilst knocking the cover on. This is without doubt the hardest part of the job.


Once fitted with all cover bolts tightened you should now fit camshaft cam sensor sprocket lock tool. Tightening the bolts on both camshafts and crank pulley to correct tightening torques.

I now recommend removing all vauxhall timing locking kit tools and turning crankshaft two complete revolutions and refit lock tools to ensure correct fitment of Timing chain. Now simply rebuild the remaining parts to complete the job.

This guide is the same for most 1.0 1.2 and 1.4 petrol engines.