Timing belt not staying on Cam Gears...

[SnoopySLR]

I got my motor all finished up and found something very interesting. For some weird reason my timing belt wants to travel towards the valve cover. It'll get about half of the belt off the gear, and I'm not about to see if it goes farther.

I took all of my timing belt covers off, but those are only to keep dirt out...not keep the belt in place.

I'm just wondering what it could be. As far as I could see all the idle pulleys were not bent. Its a brand new Goodyear GatorBack belt.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[selmerguy]

did you put the correct tension on the tensioner pulley before you tightened the the tensioner? it's 22 lbs. good luck

 

[SnoopySLR]

I was thinking it might have too much tension. When you say "before you tightened the tensioner" you mean pulled the pin out of the tensioner right?

 

[rowlex]

I tightened mine REAL tight....probably past 22 lbs and it rides fine.

 

[steve]

It's uneven pressure across the belt that causes it to walk. Make sure all the pulleys are square to the block and that you haven't worn out the pivot on the tensioner arm.

Steve

 

[selmerguy]

it takes 3 hands to tighten the belt. once the belt is on and 22 lbs is put on the tension pulley. you slide the tensioner up flush with the tension arm and tighten the 2 bolts. u should be able to put the pin in and out of the tensioner when it is done right.

 

[rowlex]

it takes 3 hands to tighten the belt. once the belt is on and 22 lbs is put on the tension pulley. you slide the tensioner up flush with the tension arm and tighten the 2 bolts. u should be able to put the pin in and out of the tensioner when it is done right.

that sounds like a PITA. I lined up all the marks on mine, slid the tensioner in, put a few 1/2" socket extensions together and jammed that between the ground and the bottom of the auto tensioner, lowered the engine a bit and then bolted it in.

 

[SnoopySLR]

It's uneven pressure across the belt that causes it to walk. Make sure all the pulleys are square to the block and that you haven't worn out the pivot on the tensioner arm.

Steve

That makes sense. I'll have to rip it apart again and check that tomorrow. I was wondering if there is a chance I put the belt on backwards if it could cause it to walk also? I'm 99% sure I put it on with the arrows going to right way, but I need to check it. It sucks having my car 20 mins away... I can't just go look...

 

[opie1]

make sure the idler pulley is torqued to spec. just a question. did you mess with the pivot arm bolt on the tensioner. if so i would replace the whole bracket. i've had customers do that and the were breaking the belts anywhere from 2 to 500 miles and having the heads valves all the good stuff done again. if not have a friend hold the torque wrench at 22lbs. then go from there.

 

[rowlex]

just for reference... I torqued nothing to spec on my car. Way to hard for me to get a torque wrench in there. I just tightened it damn tight. I dont believe you can put the belt on backwards. Ive got some 600 miles on the car since then.

 

[SnoopySLR]

It was my tensioner. I got a new one, and it works fine. Thanks again for your help