Legality of exposed cam gears - NSW

[oldcorollas]

NSW = yearly inspections, and RTA roadside checks + narky cops... and probably engineering cert (or are we ignoring that too )

thats said, the only timing belt failure i've had was due to failure of a pin within the covered area, getting munched between belt and pulley

[charade_16v]

idiot
yeah, you tell the cops reading this to... hmmm

I was just kidding bout the cops, I got all respect for NSW finest.
Car will definitely be engineered, and pink-slip won't be a problem...
It's the "RTA roadside checks + narky cops" that I was concerned with, wanted to know if it was illegal by the letter...

[litldv8]

It's the "RTA roadside checks + narky cops" that I was concerned with, wanted to know if it was illegal by the letter...

yes!!!
neil

[oldcorollas]

I was just kidding bout the cops, I got all respect for NSW finest.
Car will definitely be engineered, and pink-slip won't be a problem...
It's the "RTA roadside checks + narky cops" that I was concerned with, wanted to know if it was illegal by the letter...

fair enough
the illegal part is mainly so that if someone absentmindedly, say, if they are talking to someone, puts their hand down on the spinning bits while engine is running (not necessarily you... could be someone you are showing the motor to ) and their hand gets munched.
and.. not all mechanics (even if they will never touch your car) are the brightest candles... "fool proof" comes to mind

the clear covers look good, and yu could get a clear backing plate made up out of polycarbonate if you wanted to clear that too.

[2004lowlux]

lol! makes me think of randy from that show my name is earl and how he randomly touches stuff.
if your that concerned leave it off if you want to but keep the top cover in the boot or something so if you do get defected they might let you off if you refit the part there and then

[LeeRoy]

Simply because thats how the manufacturer made it, and how the regulatory bodies accepted it at the time...

This makes sense.

fair enough
the illegal part is mainly so that if someone absentmindedly, say, if they are talking to someone, puts their hand down on the spinning bits while engine is running (not necessarily you... could be someone you are showing the motor to ) and their hand gets munched.

This seems illogical, and if it were the case then all belts would be covered.

Alternators often have those spinning fan type pulleys on them, and they would be just as dangerous as the exposed belt.

[Silly Rabbit]

Look at the exposed belts on this commonwhore......i'd say this would be more of a worry

[dangdang]

I know two mechanics that have put their hand through a serpentine belt on a commonwhore!

Cam belts and such are covered I guess as engineers see them as critical for the cars running, and once in place are not even touched until 80-100 thousand kay, such long intervals means they want to keep that area as debris free as possible.

Where as serpentine belts etc are supposed to be checked for condition and tension at each service interval.

I think guarding them from peoples hands is actually second place to just keeping general debris out.

But as said, if it had a cover from factory then I guess for legalities it needs to have one.

But then again would most cops or RTA type's even be able to tell.......

[oldcorollas]

This seems illogical, and if it were the case then all belts would be covered.

Alternators often have those spinning fan type pulleys on them, and they would be just as dangerous as the exposed belt.

although ti seems illogically, that was the reasoning that has been explained to me by a few RTA and enginer kiddies...

re belts.. here are a couple of commo engine bays..
there IS a cover for the alternator belt..


and here, nothing visible


and again, VS


the main issue is that the exposed rotating parts are at the TOP of th engine... and if you put your hand don, you WILL contact them.
a belt further down (water pump, normal alternator position for inline motor) is much less likely to have contact unless you really try

[charade_16v]

ok, so:
- It's illegal & dangerous
- If I choose, I can run the risk, and risk getting defected or hand munched off or crap in belt OR all three...

hmmm decisions...HAHAHA

[oldcorollas]

just lock the bonnet closed

[pandaah]

anyone noted that a 5sfe alternator has an external fan with no cover FROM factory?... and they munch your finger hard, let me tell ya!

[beerhead]

I heard the reason why they have them is because of a swede nudist mechanic that leant over engine bay to check the timing, don't think too much about it

[litldv8]

And caught his thumb?
neil

[litldv8]

Look at the exposed belts on this commonwhore......i'd say this would be more of a worry

and the top cover has been removed which covers the belts!
neil