So I decided before the big trip next week to replace the timing belt in the old vitara, not knowing how old it was I thought best do it now instead of 500kms away on the side of the road.
Anyway before we start Im a much better chef than mechanic, so feel free to add corrections to any thing I got wrong ........(Jester assisted me with fitting the belt - much appreciated as I have never done anything like this before)
Now before I started I made sure I had a few things -
10,11,12 and 13 mm ring and openend spanners
8,9,10,11,12,13 and 17mm sockets and ratchet both small and big
8mm allen key, and 8mm allen socket
Razor blades
Gasket maker
ICE COFFEE (Optional - but I started it at 730am)
Rags for cleaning
Big flat screwdriver
Coolant
Timing Belt -New
Water pump and Gasket - New
Radiator hoses and Clamps - New
Swear Jar and a ashtray.
Started of by opening the bonnet
Then I removed the clutch fan, pulley and belt 10 and 12mm spanner was used
After I had the fan out I took the radiator and shroud out - Various bolts and sizes, seems the previous mechanic just used what ever was on hand.
Once the radiator and belts and pulley were out, I undid the timing belt cover - thinking I could take it straight off, didn't realize the the bottom pulley needed to be removed, after a half hour of screwing around I found the allen key headed bolts inside the bottom pulley, undid the 5 8mm allen bolts and took bottom pulley off
The timing belt cover basically fell off once the bottom pulley was removed, timing cover had about 8 or so 10mm bolts holding it on
Once the cover was off, I was confronted with this..........
I located the notch on the top gear(Cam gear - Jester told me when he arrived)
and marked it with some blue texta - made sure it lined up with the notch in the top of the timing cover backing plate, and I marked that with texta too......
( I was using a large socket set with a 17mm socket on the crank bolt to turn the motor over......did not bother removing spark plugs or disconnecting battery, but did remove lead from coil to distributor)
After lining up the top I checked to see if the bottom crank gear had lined up - I used the key thing and the pointy bit as a mark, I marked it with texta too....... Again when Jester arrived he showed me the little divot in the crank gear that is supposed to line up with the point on the block. I luckily had managed to line up the right spot.
After it was all lined up Jester informed me that it was time to remove the tension-er and little spring that holds it in place.
the timing belt slipped off and Jester had a look at it, seems as it did need replacing , probably lucky that I did it this weekend
I then unbolted the water pump, cleaned the block with a razor blade and chux cloth, got it nice and clean.
Put the gasket on the new water pump, with gasket maker both sides of the gasket, Bolted the shinny new water pump onto the block
Once the water pump was on put the tension-er back in place, using the old spring - Slipped the NEW belt back on making sure that the side opposite to the tension-er was tight
Took my large socket spanner and 17mm socket and turnt the motor over twice to make sure both previously marked spots lined up.
Once we were happy that everything lined up, did the tension-er up tight and double checked the water pump was tight, rechecked all the other bolts under the timing cover to ensure they were done up enough.
then I started the Put it back together process - Pull it apart process in revers basically
Timing belt cover and water pump pulley back on fan on , crank pulleys on
Just as a Third check - reconnected the distributor and coil turn the key to see if the motor would fire - started straight away.
So I celebrated the success with a SMOKE.........
Put new alternator and compressor belt back on, slipped fan shroud over the fan and installed radiator.
Reconnected the cooling hoses.
filled the radiator with coolant and it ran smoothly when I fired it up.
When the engine was warm topped up with coolant again let idle for 20 minutes to get hot - checked for leaks.
Had some more ICE COFFEE
Went for a drive round the block . just to check it was all good..........
Came home and cleaned up..
Job done. Tools away.............
Hopefully this will help someone else out replacing a timming belt, I was a bit hesitant to do it as I thought it would be to hard but with a bit of guidance from a fellow AUSZOOKER ....... Jester .. It turned out to be an easy job..........
Told ya you could do it!!!!! 
