Stretched Kevlar Timing Belt - New Engine

[CorrupTTalon]

So I just found out my kevlar belt is flapping in the wind, literally. I just built this engine, so the tensioner is new, however I recompressed it at least once if not twice because i redid the timing.

Anyone have experience with kevlar belts and stretching? Either they stretch or my tensioner is failing - which i doubt. Its from the dealer and I recompressed slow.

I attached a few pics. Any info is appreciated!

This is the belt

GReddy Timing Belt Kits - Slowboy Racing Inc. - The performance experts for factory turbocharged vehicles.

I am guessing the tensioner stretched the belt - heat and too much tension. I am going to play it safe and get a new tensioner and redo it. How do i ensure the tension setting is correct given I can alter the pully right by the tensioner?

 

[96eclipzGsT]

Your tensioner is all the way out. You need to loosen the bolt on the pulley to the right and swing it up. You need to get the proper tool to adjust it or learn how to do it with a pry bar, don't pry too much or you will bend that pulley.

 

[CorrupTTalon]

thanks for your help, i think i know what youre talking about, i remember there being a hole on the pully - i just dont want to reset the timing and re-tighten everything and have to worry about it happening again.

well regardless of where it was, the belt was good and snug all the way around on full rotation. so something happened. i am just trying to confirm with input from others who know or have experienced the same thing with this belt.

 

[96eclipzGsT]

Its not the belt. If you put it in the car like that, the tensioner is going to make a horrible noise and you risk it jumping time. The bolt on the pulley tensioner is offset, so when you break the bolt loose you can move it up or down. (tighten or loosen). You do this before ever putting the tensioner on or pulling the grenade pin. The picture shows your pulley all the way down making it all the way loose.

 

[CorrupTTalon]

Ok I totally agree. However the tensioner should give constant pressure as it has a range of expansion. So even if the belt was stretching, the tensioner should be making up for the extra slack. That is definitely not the case here because the belt is loose.


My guess is that the pin is all the way out, and by what you say, the pully tensioner is in the wrong position. The pin should not be all the way out as it should have a range of constant pressure to make up for belt slack.

I am going to assume the tensioner is junk as it has been sitting in an out position for a while now. What do you think?

I am going to replace the tensioner. and make sure the pully is in the UP position??

Please confirm where the pully should be please! and thanks so much for your input!

 

[96eclipzGsT]

The tensioner is fine. Pull the tensioner back off, compress it and put the grenade pin back in. Put a pry bar between the arm that sits on the tensioner and the pulley that is connected to the arm, break the bolt loose on the pulley, pry the pulley up until the belt is snug, tighten bolt back down, put tensioner back on. When you pull the grenade pin, the tensioner shouldn't even move hardly.

The pulley right beside the water pump with the blue center ring.

 

[CorrupTTalon]

ok let me just be super clear. the pully should be 180 from where its at now? meaning the offset, longer extended portion should be pointing upwards instead of downwards? also what is snug, because where it was at in that pic was very snug - everything seems perfect. and you suggest taking off the tensioner why? i cant swing the pully around with the tensioner on? only reason i make that a big deal is because i dont have a vice to compress it! im stuck in tampa fl atm! haha

i am also picky about leaving it offset to make up for when the tensioner expands and pulls the belt, but from what you say, its not going to move much? how much offset do you leave it when you do the timing?

 

[gsxtasy]

You have to pull the tensioner and compress it. Put it back on, then use an allen wrench or the proper tool and rotate the tensioner pully around until the pin in the tensioner becomes free. Tighten the pully down there and pull the pin, make sure it looks right, then rotate the whole assembly around at least 6 times and check the clearance on the tensioner.(don't remember what it is supposed to be off the top of my head)

 

[toofast82]

The two pins on the tensioner pulley will typically face upward on the pulley when properly tensioned as said. Yours appear to be on the bottom. Also as mentioned, your hydraulic tensioner is all the way out. Do it over and do it right or you're asking for trouble. You don't need to buy any new parts, your tensioners should be fine.

 

[Rob10_99]

You can pick up the long bolt and compress it on the car. You should read the tech article on how to set timing. When you tighten the eccentric pully, you should have the grenade pin in. The tensioner should be almost all the way in(thats where the holes line up for the allen wrench to be inserted).
Then most of your tension should come from the eccentric on the pully.
Get the tools you need now, because its a pain in the ass to redo when its in the car!

Timing Belt VFAQ (Timing Belt TSB - ENHANCED)

 

[CorrupTTalon]

i really appreciate the input guys

can i gain a little more detail on the turning of the tensioner and the pins?

"rotate the tensioner pully around until the pin in the tensioner becomes free"

how does it become free exactly? provide as much detail please! i need to know what im doing before i attempt it as i will have limited time in a parking lot to accomplish this!

 

[gsxtasy]

You rotate the pulley(against the timing belt) until you can wiggle the tensioner pin in/out. So there is no pressure on the pin. What happened to the good ol' days of using a vfaq?

Timing Belt VFAQ

 

[96eclipzGsT]

In a parking lot? Is the motor in the car? Your going to have to pull the tensioner off, put it in a vise and compress the end down to line up the holes in the end of the pin and housing of the tensioner. You will then have to insert a paper clip or something threw the end of the housing and pins to hold it down. Then loosen the pulley bolt and put a pry bar under the pulley, pry up a little to snug the belt, then tighten the bolt back up. Now put on the tensioner and pull the paper clip out. The tensioner pin should not move hardly at all if it has the right tension on it. If you can't get it with a pry bar get the timing belt kit. I don't know how to be much clearer. Please read my other posts in this thread.

 

[CorrupTTalon]

haha i am not a complete nub, i mean i built the engine and have accomplished the timing a handful of times on the car, but it seems i have left out a minor detail on the tensioner pully. i appreciate the help on the pin, i definitely get that process, i am more concerned with the position on the pully. i never paid any attention to it, no more than it being nice and snug and then pull the pin regardless of how easy it is to "wiggle" it out. so i am looking for these fine details. i want to get it right. its been a while since ive crawled this site so the vfaq is new but is nice!

i appreciate your attention guys! esp 96eclipzGsT and gsxtasy for keeping up with the replies on this entirely trivial issue! hah! and everyone else, thank you - i will get this right thanks to your help

 

[gsxtasy]

In a parking lot? Is the motor in the car? Your going to have to pull the tensioner off, put it in a vise and compress the end down to line up the holes in the end of the pin and housing of the tensioner. You will then have to insert a paper clip or something threw the end of the housing and pins to hold it down. Then loosen the pulley bolt and put a pry bar under the pulley, pry up a little to snug the belt, then tighten the bolt back up. Now put on the tensioner and pull the paper clip out. The tensioner pin should not move hardly at all if it has the right tension on it. If you can't get it with a pry bar get the timing belt kit. I don't know how to be much clearer. Please read my other posts in this thread.

A pry bar? WTF Seems to me timing belt jobs and pry bars shouldn't go together, but I guess that's just me. Oh and a paper clip will bend/break with the pressure from the tensioner.

 

[96eclipzGsT]

Hey man, when you are impatient and can't wait on the right tools you have to improvise! I know its not the best way, but it works. I always used those small metal stake flags that they put in the ground to mark pipes, cables, properties. I just walked down the road until I found one.

 

[CorrupTTalon]

haha i use cotter pins but my current situation? i will be using sticks off the ground!

 

[Rob10_99]

I would use an allen wrench, you need something that won't bend yet is small enough for the hole.

 

[94nonturboGS]

your auto tensioner is good, you need to rotate the tensioner pulley around and do what other people have said on here, also read the vfaq on it

 

[RoasT BeeF]

I just want to make it clear that you should always start with the tensioner pulley holes facing DOWN and rotate the pulley COUNTER CLOCKWISE until the belt is taught. This would place the holes around the 4-5 'oclock position while the center bolt is finger tight only, and back at 6 o'clock when all is said and done after setting tension accordingly via the hydraulic tensioner and torquing the center bolt. At no time should the holes be facing UP.

 

[gsxtasy]

Actually it varies from 1g to 2g. 2g you rotate the tension pulley counter-clockwise, 1g is clockwise, thus putting the holes closer to facing up. Just an FYI.

 

[Spoolin18]

I just want to make it clear that you should always start with the tensioner pulley holes facing DOWN and rotate the pulley COUNTER CLOCKWISE until the belt is taught. This would place the holes around the 4-5 'oclock position while the center bolt is finger tight only, and back at 6 o'clock when all is said and done after setting tension accordingly via the hydraulic tensioner and torquing the center bolt. At no time should the holes be facing UP.

The pulley on a 1g is clockwise, the 2 holes should be roughly be around the 9-10 o' clock possition.

 

[RoasT BeeF]

The OP does not have a 1g.

The OP was advised to rotate the tensioner pulley from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock in this thread. This is incorrect for his engine, so I just wanted to clarify.

 

[CorrupTTalon]

I just want to make it clear that you should always start with the tensioner pulley holes facing DOWN and rotate the pulley COUNTER CLOCKWISE until the belt is taught. This would place the holes around the 4-5 'oclock position while the center bolt is finger tight only, and back at 6 o'clock when all is said and done after setting tension accordingly via the hydraulic tensioner and torquing the center bolt. At no time should the holes be facing UP.

Actually it varies from 1g to 2g. 2g you rotate the tension pulley counter-clockwise, 1g is clockwise, thus putting the holes closer to facing up. Just an FYI.

The pulley on a 1g is clockwise, the 2 holes should be roughly be around the 9-10 o' clock possition.

This is the kind of info that i have been looking for - thanks again

 

[Spoolin18]

the info I gave is for a 6 bolt 1g. I thought you had a 6 bolt.