2G Loose timing belt... Possessed dsm! I need a priest

[Bojangles465]

I'm stumped and I've never run into this problem. My cars a 1990 fwd turbo plymouth laser, and it has a hydrolic auto tensioner(not manual), which I just replaced and did a timing job on it(the 3rd one in a weeks time), but after running the engine, the timing belts super loose, but doesn't jump time, but if I hand crank the engine to top dead center, it regains tension. I'm afraid to run it any more than I have to in case my timing jumps and I kill my valves. All timing marks meet up perfectly, but for some reason it looses all tension and I can walk the belt off of the cam gears easily after I run the engine. It's done this with 2 different tensioner a and 2 different belts, but has never jumped a tooth or anything. Thanks!

 

[volcomsnow245]

As the belt turns your belt does loosen and regain tension but only a very small amount. I assume all of the slack was on the tensioner side when you put the belt on?

 

[basshead]

Is this on a OEM timing belt or aftermarket belt?

From my personal experience OEM belts tend to be slacker than performance aftermarket ones.

And aftermarket belts tend to harder to twist.

If you shut of the engine and put your thumb right in the middle of the cam gears, how much does the belt flex downwards if you press firmly on it? Don't lay your body weight on it...

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

I'm gonna guess you aren't setting the tensioner pulley properly.

 

[SrKegler]

Sounds like either the belt isn't tensioned properly to start or the concentric pulley is loosening up on you.

 

[Greedy Pimp]

Did you properly put tention on the tensioner pulley before you pulled the grenade pin out of the hydraulac tentioner?

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

^ Idler pulley is on the right and you don't set tension on it. You're thinking tensioner pulley on the left that resides on the arm that the hydraulic tensioner contacts.

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If you pull the grenade pin out of the hydraulic tensioner and rotate the engine by hand you should be able to put it right back in. If you can't, you didn't do it right.

 

[Bojangles465]

I'll take a video showing the tightness. It's at tdc right now so it's tight. I'll have to try to reproduce the issue

My concentric pulleys holes are at 10 and 11 o'clock should ther be like the pic above?

 

[Ghost_92TSi]

I have the little tool that plugs into those holes with a 8mm hex on it. I use a torque wrench to apply 24 inch Lbs of pressure in the clockwise motion , and tighten the middle bolt (26 ft lbs). It should have tension before pulling the grenade pin out of the hydraulic tensioner.

 

[BogusSVO]

What brand of Hyd tensioner did you use? OE from the mitsu dealer? Or a parts store one?

 

[Bojangles465]

What brand of Hyd tensioner did you use? OE from the mitsu dealer? Or a parts store one?

Advance auto(I know bad choice but the times are tough ) but it's deffinately pushing hard enough, I just put it on 2 days ago

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

Holes need to be at roughly 10 and 2 as pictured. The test is to pull the pin, rotate engine several times, put the pin back in. If you can't put the pin back in, it wasn't tensioned properly.

 

[fourgsixthree33]

Look man. I know you don't want to hear this but take the damn Auto Parts tensioner back and get an OEM one from Extreme PSI. Last winter, I made the same mistake. Literally went through 3 auto tensioners.

First one, bought at Advance Auto, ended up like you. A lot of slack on the belt. Took the tensioner off, got a new one at Advance. It literally broke when compressing the rod. 3rd one, OEM from Extreme PSI. Much more expensive, but it is an absolute MUST HAVE on these cars.

I really hope you take my advice. I am trying to save you from destroying your engine....if you install an OEM tensioner and it doesn't work, post back and I will literally pay you for the tensioner.

 

[basshead]

There is a area just where the hydraulic tensioner rod pushes that can become dented inwards.
It's really hard to spot, but if you run you fingers over it you can right away tell if the lever arm is worn.

Red area in the pic, follow the blue arrow:

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Credits to RvlutionMtrsprt for the picture. Just tell me if i need to use one of my own instead.
.

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

Yes, that area can become worn, similarly to how the clutch fork wears. No worries on the pic. I just hope the OP gets the belt tensioned properly before blaming a bad hydraulic tensioner. As stated though, I use only OEM parts on the timing side.

 

[issac712tsi]

When installing my timing belt, it was the same way, its been running good so far.

 

[BogusSVO]

+3 for the OE tensioner, That is all I use and install.

Return the one you have, put about another $40-50 on top and get an OE.

Why risk $200 for a used head to $400 + to have your head fixed, plus gaskets, oil and time over $100

 

[Bojangles465]

When I have the money I'll deffinately get an oem but for right now the autozone junk will have to work. I think it's deffinately the tensioner pulley, it's far away from the way the pulleys are above. If that is correct, the holes should be pointing up and down, where as mine is off to the left about 45 degrees

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

Not pointing up and down, side to side at 10 and 2. Tension as pictured, rotate by hand, pull pin, rotate again, re-insert pin to verify tension has been done properly. If you need to compress the hydraulic tensioner (as I'm sure you will) it needs to be done VERY slowly, like 30min slowly. I only go about 1/4 turn at a time then let it sit, then another 1/4 turn.

 

[mitsubishikid]

The main point is, you need the right tools to install the timing belt before you throw blame on aftermarket or oem parts, both of them will fail if they are not properly adjusted. my advice to you is [if don't already have them] get the tools to do a timing belt job, weather you are using after-market or oem parts, they need to be on and adjusted right.

tools in links below should be a good starting point.
STM: 4G63 SPANNER WRENCH | 98700
STM: AMS 4G63 TIMING BELT TENSIONER TOOL | 90-99 DSM | EVO VIII-IX
STM: AMS 4G63 CAM GEAR ALIGNMENT TOOL | EVO VIII-IX | 90-99 DSM
I strongly recommend you get [at least the equivalent] of these tools,in order to do the job right the first time.

I don't recommend using after-market t belt components, but if you are oem tolerances are even more necessary if they are made of weaker parts.
"Ding Ding Ding"[taps champagne glass] lets have a toast, heres to hoping the parts you install will live long enough to get the good stuff from one of our fine vendors... or a Mitsubishi stealership.

 

[fourgsixthree33]

OEM Auto Tensioner VS. Parts Store Auto Tensioner

 

[linksys42]

When I have the money I'll deffinately get an oem but for right now the autozone junk will have to work.

Its going to get a lot more expensive than $95 after that time jumps.

 

[fourgsixthree33]

Its going to get a lot more expensive than $95 after that time jumps.

This is what I am trying to explain. It's not a matter of if the timing will jump. It's WHEN. If you must use a parts store tensioner, hopefully you change it out before your timing jumps. Could be 5 mins, could be a month.

 

[Bojangles465]

I think I fixed it, I repositioned the tensioner pulley, and it's a lot tighter. I'll need to start the engine to make sure, if it still happens I'll just get an oem tensioner(I will by next month anyways but until then this will need to work.) thanks for the help guys!

 

[pauleyman]

Damn it why is this so hard. No matter what you do there is ONE thing that MUST be right. Once you tighten the pulley the procedure is to rotate the motor six revolutions. Why? Six revolutions brings all the timing marks back in line so you can double check but more importantly all slack is removed from the idle side and then you MUST CHECK the protrusion of the tensioner. It is 100%bjective and MUST be within factory specs. I really dont get it. It is difficult if not impossible to get it wrong if you follow what the factory manual tells you to do.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/new...-timing-belt-you-shouldnt-after-you-read.html

I have several more threads on this topic.