Timing Belt Tools...

[91TSiChick]

I have searched for the past few hours and know about the 2 tools needed to replace the timing belt tensioner. I know I can make my own timing belt threaded tool but there is also the tool for the tensioner pulley. Some people say you need both, some say you need none and others say you need one or the other.

Well, I am going to be replacing my tensioner pulley and the timing belt auto tensioner as well so needing to see if both tools are absolutly needed.

If so, where is a good place to buy these tools?

Alot of the links to stores that had them no longer work or have changed from the threads I found.

I know about the vfaqs page on how to do this job. This is mainly about the 2 tools mentioned above.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[vinnybean]

i was having the same problem....both the screw in tool and tensioner pulley tool can be found on ebay. As for the "tool" to check if the tensioner is within spec you can simply use a drill bit.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140099900978&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RCRX_Pr4_PcY_BIN_IT&refitem=140094890132&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140098486367&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RCRX_Pr4_PcY_BID_IT&refitem=140094890132&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

 

[VanIsleDSM]

the screw in tool can be made very simply with some m6 ready rod for less then $3

you don't need the tensioner pully tool, you can use a drillbit as suggested above.. you can also line up the hole where the pin goes through the tensioner, you should be able to slide that pin into the hole still after everything's all tightetened up, you spin the crank 6 times by hand, wait 15min and then check it.... just look at the tech section on here.. someone has something in there with some good t-belt tips.

the other tool that's very useful to have on this job is the crank holding tool used to take off the crank sprocket. (for 1g or 2g replacing front main seal)

 

[Calan]

the other tool that's very useful to have on this job is the crank holding tool used to take off the crank sprocket. (for 1g or 2g replacing front main seal)

Will this lock down the crank for torquing flywheel bolts? Any sources for this?

thanks

 

[silver eclipse]

Will this lock down the crank for torquing flywheel bolts? Any sources for this?

thanks

If you can get your hands on a good impact wrench you dont really need that.
Matco sells a tool for the tensioner pully. Its listed under a galant 4g63 tool or something of that sort.
-Chad

 

[VanIsleDSM]

I dunno.. I made my tool, same as this one, http://www.vfaq.com/mods/cranktool.html

you could use it to hold the crank still while you torqued flywheel bolts but you'd have to take off the accessory belts, the crank pully, and the a/c tensioner bracket so you could bolt it on though..

 

[steve]

I can't believe someone paid $47 for the tensioner pulley tool. You can buy them brand new from Miller for half that price.

The VFAQ and more people recommend replacing the auto-tensioner each time you do the belt so the threaded tool isn't reallt needed. The new auto-tensioner will come with the retaining pin installed so there is no need to use the rod to push the pin back in on the old one.

Steve

 

[koho2731]

I've never used the auto tensioner tool. I just unbolt it and use a 5" "c" clamp and a allen key, but you should replace the auto tensioner every time. Just mace sure you ziptie or put the clips on the cam gears.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

I replaced my tensioner, it's still much easier to use the tool, which is so ridiculously easy to make with the crap you need so accessable... you can buy ready rod any hardware store.

What if you don't get the tension right the first time? how do you loosen the belt to reset the pully? use the C-clamp and have to take the tensioner off to squish it back down nad put in the pin so you can try again.. that'd be annoying.. I suppose if you've done a few timing jobs and you can nail the tension pretty quick you'd be ok.. but if you're new to timing jobs you're gonna want the tool.

 

[steve]

What if you don't get the tension right the first time? how do you loosen the belt to reset the pully?

Why would you need to loosen the belt? You just back off the tensioner pulley bolt and either apply more pressure or less, lock it down again, turn the engine over till the marks all line up again and let it sit. Check in 15 mins and repeat as needed.

Steve

 

[91TSiChick]

Oh ok, so if I have a brand new auto tensioner with the pin already in it I can just unbolt the old auto tensioner and replace it with the new one?

If that is so then I don't need the auto tensioner tool correct?

So is the tensioner pulley tool a must as well or is that able to be done without the special tool? If so then I am good to go and can start working on it.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[steve]

Yes you can unbolt the old auto tensioner and while it will expand it will just come off.
Crack loose the tensioner pulley bolt and you can remove the old timing belt.

You don't need the threaded rod. Like Koho was saying you don't need the tensioner pulley tool. I did my first one without it but having wither the factory special tool or one of the aftermarket ones that look like handles makes the job so much easier.

A couple of big binder clips save lots of cussing. They let you clip the belt to the cam sprockets in the correct allignment so you can worry about getting all the slack out of the belt as you go around the oil pump and crank sprocket. I pull the belt a tight as I can without pulling it off or moving the cams and back the other sprockets back a little (half a tooth) to get the belt on the sprocket and then turn it forward to make sure the timing marks align at each step and the belt doesn't have any slack.

Don't forget to check the phasing of the oil pump if you still have balance shafts. The timing mark aligns two different ways due to the reduction gearing to the lower balance shaft.

Good luck,

Steve

 

[VanIsleDSM]

Still can't say I understand how you would reset your tension without the tool Steve, if you've taken the pin out of your tensioner and let your belt sit for 15min and it's needs to be adjusted you can't just crack the tensioner pully loose and push the belt tighter without the tensioner compressed by the tool (this is what I was talking about when I said loosening the belt)

If there's no slack in the belt by taking it off with the tensioner tool I don't know how you'd set the tensioner pully.. you have to do it before you unleash the pressure of the tensioner onto the arm and pully... I just don't quite understand what you're saying is all.. and I'd like to.

 

[steve]

Still can't say I understand how you would reset your tension without the tool Steve, if you've taken the pin out of your tensioner and let your belt sit for 15min and it's needs to be adjusted you can't just crack the tensioner pully loose and push the belt tighter without the tensioner compressed by the tool (this is what I was talking about when I said loosening the belt)

Sure you can. The threaded rod is doing exactly the same thing except it's pushing directly on the tensioner arm and your moving the arm via the pulley.

You don't pull the pin until your sure the preload is correct. How do you know? When it's correct the pin is loose and can be moved freely. If you have pulled the pin you can still rotate the tensioner pulley with the tool. Your just applying more or less pressure than the auto-tensioner is on the belt. Worst case you pull the auto-tensioner off and recompress it in a vise like the manual says.

Does than make sense? Motors like the 6G72 don't use the threaded rod at all but have the same specs for the auto-tensioner.

Steve

 

[MarkAngelo05]

Hey.. I've got a FULLY threaded bolt about 4 inches long(had my buddy spend an hour using a die set..).. is that long enough to get the tensioner loosened? I'm getting ready to install my BC 272's when they finally get in.. When I changed my head and did my timing belt/water pump, etc, I just pulled the hydraulic tensioner out and slowly squashed the pin back down with a vise, like stated in the other posts. It worked well, but it can be a pain in the butt if you gotta keep having to reset it..

SOMEONE PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW LONG EXACTLY THE BOLT HAS TO REACH TILL IT STARTS TO LOOSEN THE TENSION..

THANKS SO MUCH!

Mark

 

[VanIsleDSM]

I really doubt 4 inches will be enough... why would you spend an hour doing that?

I've already said how easy it is to make the tool.. all you need is some m6 ready rody, you know that crap that you buy in like 3 ft. lengths for $3 and it's just a big threaded rod? -so easy.. you just put a couple nuts on it and sinch them together with some jbweld so you have something to grab onto and turn it with, (or weld a nut on) cut down to 10 inches or so and you're set.

Steve, I didn't know you were talking about using the tensioning tool that slips into the 2 holes on the tensioner pully and would give you a lot more torque.. I suppose then you could crank it on harder or let it off after the tenioner was de-pinned.

I was going on the premiss that most people used the hand tightening technique to preload the pully before pulling the pin.. I see what you're saying though that you can just leave the pin in and just keep trying until the pin is slack in the whole after 6 turns and 15min, then you're all set.

For the amount those things are going on ebay I should buy up some ready rod and make a few, hah..

 

[monger]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...RK:MESE:IT&viewitem=&item=140107747232&rd=1,1

 

[eboy0]

Or...
http://www.jayracing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=37
Best 12$ I've spent, I hope...

 

[monger]

that's cheap. miller makes them too, but pricey.

 

[synthetek]

Its not M6 its M8 threaded rod, I just made one this week, I cut a 10" piece and jammed 2 nuts together on one end, it took about 5 min to make and is much faster than removing / reinstalling the tensioner every time. I also made a tool to tension the pulley, I took a pice of steel about 2" wide and 1/8 thick and 7" long, got 2 bolts that fit in the holes on the tensioner pulley, drilled 2 holes in the steel bar the same width apart as the holes in the pulley and put the 2 bolts through and put nuts on the other side. cost about $5 dollars at the hardware store to buy the material to make both.

 

[Zmann42087]

Here you go... AMS timing belt tensioner tool

 

[monger]

everyone keeps posting links to the threaded rod tool, have yet to see a complete kit or just the pully tensioner tool. you can hack together whatever tool you like to do your timing belt, but the fact of the matter is that good mechanics buy good tools for a reason. Good set of timing tools will make the job go much smoother and you can reuse those tools over and over.

 

[eboy0]

everyone keeps posting links to the threaded rod tool, have yet to see a complete kit or just the pully tensioner tool. you can hack together whatever tool you like to do your timing belt, but the fact of the matter is that good mechanics buy good tools for a reason. Good set of timing tools will make the job go much smoother and you can reuse those tools over and over.

Well that's because thats basically the only thing you need, the threaded rod and a drill bit.

 

[monger]

so how do you set the pully tensioner? just wing it with a screwdriver? IMO, the most important part is getting the mechanical tensioner right without damaging it. when it comes to the threaded rod with two nuts....that's hack. if I tried something like that on a customer's car I'd get laughed at. And as far as I'm concerned, drill bits should be used for only one thing....drilling. feeler gauges can be bought cheaper than a drill bit. with all the time you spend trying to rig up the tools to do the job, I would be finished and moving on to the next one. Time is money. That is my opinion, and worth exactly what you paid for it