2012 1.5DCI Timing Belt Change

[Mawbs]

Hi everyone, new on here but an actual Engineering technician by trade so I have lots of experience on working on cars as well as machinery.
Sorry to bore you all with that but my question is for someone having Qashqai experience.
Changing cam belt and water pump on my 1.5DCI, and access is very poor, and I have even helped by cutting 2 holes with hole saw, in side of engine bay, to get at bolts in aluminium casting that is bolted to top of engine end and the actual top engine mounting bolts into this.
I have released it now but cannot remove it as there is no clearance between end of engine and bulkhead.
I have listed a photo to show it ,and wondering if I have missed something, or if it cannot be removed without removing engine or removing belt, and then see if it will come free.
Have looked at youtube videos, and they all seem to have miles more clearance than I have, and there casting comes straight out.
I would be very glad for someone to put me right, or even tell me I am right and it does not come out.
Thanks for any help,
Mawbs.

[lewisbryant]

It does come out on the J10 it is a tight squeeze on the j11 it's really easy to get out

On yours it's best to get underneath and just undo the lower stabilizer mount from the gearbox this will give you movement to pull the engine forward and jack the engine up as high as you can.. just be careful not to go to high and dont make anything go crunch haha and it will come out.

Another tip for you when you get to the water pump the lower left bolt goes straight into the water jacket so that specific bolt has to go back in that hole as it has sealant on it. I never put new sealant on the bolt and I've never had a problem and I've done 100s of these.

As soon as you get the belt off, remove the tensioner then remove the cam pulley by removing the 3x 8mm bolts holding it on. The pulley has 3 elongated holes on it as it used to help tension the belt. Then you can remove the black plastic that covers the water pump with ease.

The water pump gasket will be joined with the gasket for the oil pump housing so once you've involved the water pump and made a mess then just move it in and out and it will break off that gasket.

The new waterpump should have a orange gasket with it if it hasnt then i wouldnt use it. Genuine nissan gaskets have orange sealant on them so if your using aftermarket I would always like to see a like for like gasket.

Any other questions feel free to ask plenty of lads on here that will answer you.

[Mawbs]

Lewisbryant - thanks very much for your reply, I was beginning to think that no-one here ever worked on cars, I think I was up to 87 views and Not One reply.
I just needed to know if it was removable as I had seen a post listing on another site, where someone had been quoted £1400 for a 2 day job at a main dealership, and I wondered if they had quoted with engine removal for that sort of money?
In general I could not see any manufacturer, making a cam belt change, as an engine removal job.
I will look for the stabiliser mount and get clearance for removing the casting.
Thanks again for your reply,
Mawbs...

[Spuriousfish]

If your capable of doing it then well done you. I got mine changed (J10 2012) at our local garage. About £600 including a service and done in one day or less.

[Mawbs]

Spuriousfish - thanks for the message, Lewisbryant was spot on, had to nearly jack the motor up out of the engine bay to remove the casting, and all timing locked now to remove belt etc, and now to find supplier has sent a different water pump, so will have to wait for replacement to come, but not the end of the world I suppose !
Mawbs...