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It should be so easy because it is important to check the timing belt from time to time. I just bought a year 2000, 1.4s and need to see what state the timing belt is in. I undid the two bolts on the top timing belt cover, then realised it is also locked in place by the rocker cover (what a pain). Having removed that, it still wouldn't come off. Seems like there's a piece of plastic attached to the top cover at the bottom rhs that stops the right hand side pulling out by more than about 1 cm and the left side will only pull out a little due the the plastic bit that surrounds the dipstick fouling against the power-steering bracket.

What is the need for that piece of plastic on the rhs; it is bolted up there anyway? Should I just cut it off and see if I can wiggle the cover out ? (its right up against a power steering hose but should come out if I could only free the rhs). Much easier on my Hyundai, 4 easy bolts and cover is off!

 
Rep Power: 518

We don't have 1.4 engine here (North America)... You must be in the UK?
I can't picture what you describe as I have not seen a 1.4.
Got pictures you can post?

Some upper covers have 2 bolts, some use 3.
Some wiggling can be involved to get it loose too, like a puzzle.

 
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Thanks for the reply. Yes I am in the UK.

I found out from the garage that had been servicing it that the timing belt was last changed 8 years ago so it needs doing anyway.

 
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Most of the time you go off mileage intervals. Here in the U.S most honda manuals say every 60,000 miles for a timing belt replacement. I dont know about in the UK.

 
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For the SOHC it's 60,000 miles or 5 years whichever comes sooner. It makes sense because the belt will deteriorate with age too. Gates say the shelf-life of their belts is 8 years (after which the belt should be thrown away although annoyingly they don't date-stamp the packaging and the belt is coded so only they can work out when it was made). Dayco say shelf-life is 5 years and they do mark the belts with a readable code (first two digits is year and second two the week in the year) but again don't mark the packaging.