Timing Belt Tension

[Harriz801]

Well i am in the process of replacing my timing belt right now and ive got it all on and was starting to tighten down the tensioner and i cant get it tight enough to where the belt doesnt have much play. Each time i try the belt still has at least 3/4 of an inch of play!... is there some special tool that goes in those 2 holes on that tensioner to put more pressure on it to get it tighter? Also what are the spec's on how tight to get the belt! ive tried searching but im not finding much

 

[Harriz801]

Okay well maybe the part im talking about isnt the tensioner. its a small circular part that bolts right where the timing belt runs... The timing belt raps on the back side of it and hole in the part is off centerd for adjustment in the timing belt tension. there is 2 little holes in this part. is there some specail tool that tighten's this?

 

[wret]

Have you read this?
http://vfaq.com/mods/timingbelt-2G.html

...and yes, there is a special tool.

 

[dave99gst]

Yes there is a tool that fits in there - FYI that part is called the t-belt tentioner pulley.

 

[Harriz801]

Okay well another question. The timing marks on the cam gears are supposed to be facing each other right? And also how much tension should this belt have?

 

[wret]

Okay well another question. The timing marks on the cam gears are supposed to be facing each other right? And also how much tension should this belt have?

Did you read the tech write up in VFAQ.com that I posted above?

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[Harriz801]

Yeah i read that but i didnt come across any tension on it... but that helped me out a lot better than the one in the tech guide tho. Thanks for that. Ill run back through that and see if it does... Thanks for all the help!

 

[blackGSX2g]

If you don't have the tensioner tool, I use an allen wrench and put it over the top of the tensioner pulley bolt and pull down. Works beautifully.

Does the slack go away when you crank the motor? A small bit of play in the belt is normal after it has been sitting and the cams settle into a 'rest' position. That is why alot of timing belt failures occur during a cold startup.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126376&highlight=timing+belt+slack

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

A small bit of play in the belt is normal after it has been sitting and the cams settle into a 'rest' position. That is why alot of timing belt failures occur during a cold startup.

Well the small "normal amount" won't cause it to skip...otherwise all of our cars would have done it.


I am curious if anyone uses a tool to measure the amount of tension on the belts, and what they would use.

Most people say that if you can move the grenade pin in and out easily, that is the correct setting.

 

[wret]

That's the correct setting for a 420a not a 4g63. Use a drill bit to measure the gap.

 

[dave99gst]

the manual refers to the ammout of deflection the belt has (the ammount you can move it )when its properly installed, i dont recall the #'s tho'

 

[leet]

If you do not have the special tool to do this, you can also use a piece of 1/4" tubing. You will need an extra set of hands though.

Hence why I'm stuck waiting for my co-worker to show up. Damn water pumps

 

[realitytb]

"If you don't have the tensioner tool, I use an allen wrench and put it over the top of the tensioner pulley bolt and pull down. Works beautifully."

Indeed it does work great. you dont need any special stupid tool, as just pry on it with a bar. and the marks... yes they must face each other. Another thing, do you have the hydraulic tensioner set right? to get all of this right, you need to take it off, SLOWLY push down the hydraulic part, and the put in a small allen wrench in the hole to keep it down. Then after you have the belt in place, and everything tightened up (the belt will still be slack) bolt back on the hydraulic tensnioner, and pull the small allen wrench out of the hole, them the hydraulics will spring up, and the belt will be tight. hope this made sense... but just remember, when doing anything, use common sense and LOOK CAREFULLY at things before you do it, and figure it out in your mind before hand.

oh, also the pic in a post above calls the hydraulic tensioner an "auto tensioner"

 

[Harriz801]

Well when i did my timing belt (i still have my car apart) i never took the auto tensioner off? Is this a bad thing or is it okay that i didnt take it off and re compress it and put it back in?

 

[yukondoit]

"If you don't have the tensioner tool, I use an allen wrench and put it over the top of the tensioner pulley bolt and pull down. Works beautifully."

Indeed it does work great. you dont need any special stupid tool, as just pry on it with a bar. and the marks... yes they must face each other. Another thing, do you have the hydraulic tensioner set right? to get all of this right, you need to take it off, SLOWLY push down the hydraulic part, and the put in a small allen wrench in the hole to keep it down. Then after you have the belt in place, and everything tightened up (the belt will still be slack) bolt back on the hydraulic tensnioner, and pull the small allen wrench out of the hole, them the hydraulics will spring up, and the belt will be tight. hope this made sense... but just remember, when doing anything, use common sense and LOOK CAREFULLY at things before you do it, and figure it out in your mind before hand.

oh, also the pic in a post above calls the hydraulic tensioner an "auto tensioner"

what he said, i slowly crush it down in a vise. also just pull it off when removing the old belt and you dont need a special tool.

 

[91gvr4]

Well when i did my timing belt (i still have my car apart) i never took the auto tensioner off? Is this a bad thing or is it okay that i didnt take it off and re compress it and put it back in?

Is it really worth not putting in a new tensioner? I mean what cost more, Valves and machine work, or a auto tensioner?

 

[realitytb]

Well when i did my timing belt (i still have my car apart) i never took the auto tensioner off? Is this a bad thing or is it okay that i didnt take it off and re compress it and put it back in?

well, it is OK if you didnt do it... but generally you CANT do it if you dont. But if you already have thins squared away, then i wouldnt worry about it. But if you still have slack, then start over, and take it off and compress it with a vise SLOWLY. if you break it, its about $75. the auto tensioner is actually the final peice that takes the slack out of the belt, thats why its "auto" becuase you can tighten everything else, put the auto tensioner on, then pull out the pin, and it springs into place and puts the proper amount of tension.

msg me if you dont understand... i might be able to clarify.

 

[Harriz801]

Does anyone have any pictures as of how exactally the Crank is supposed to allign when you are putting the timing belt on?

 

[steve]

Does anyone have any pictures as of how exactally the Crank is supposed to allign when you are putting the timing belt on?

What is it about this diagram that you don't understand?

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Steve

 

[babell2]

The rule of thumb that I learned from a Mitsu tech (even though he screwed up my clutch install) Concider the pin in the tensioner a handgrenade pin. " If you pull it out and can't put it back in It will blow up" I have changed my belt 5 times for diferent reasons and have never had one blow up due to instalation problems.

 

[realitytb]

just like the picture. there are (white?) marks on the crank and oil pump, that align with plastic arrow type things pointing down in their direction. just keep the marks aligned with the arrow thing (dont know how else to describe them) and you will be fine. But do make sure ALL marks are aligned properly!!!! Never just assume that it stayed aligned. (that stunt cost me a rebuilt head. ) Also, i would replace the balance shaft belt as well. (the belt behind the timing belt)

 

[ZachM31]

is the crankshaft timing mark on the sprocket or on the backplate? the backplate on mine his a notch, and then an arrow, and my sprocket has a little white mark on it, i just want to make sure before i try and align it and find i didnt time it right. as for the tensioner pulley, do you put the allen wrench into one of the holes, and then over the bolt, and pull on it and spin it counterclockwise? i quit for the night now, fricken mosquitoes found a fresh meal laying on the ground ... i hope i made sense.

 

[steve]

I believe it's on the backplate, it was on my 1G and the 2G VFAQ shows it that way.

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Something like you described for the tensioner pulley. I made up a tool that fit in both holes to do mine.

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Steve

 

[realitytb]

yes it is on the backplate. align the "arrow" with the white mark, and your ok. As for the pulley, yes spin it counter clockwise to put tension on the belt, then when you have as much as you can possibly can, have a friend reach in and tigheten the bolt. After your done with that, pull the small allen wrench out of the auto tensioner, and BAM your belt should be tightened.

 

[Harriz801]

Well shoot... put the car back together today... took it for a test drive... it runs perfect.. but thanks for all the help on everything guys it was def. needed! Just thought i would let everyone kno that im done with it now