Timing belt (unsure)

[Blackreign]

I recently got my 95 Tsi and wanted to do some maintenance before I put it on the street. I changed the water pump/ balance shaft belt/ timing belt. The auto tensioner and the tensioner pulley/idler pulley all looked good.

The timing belt looked new but seemed a little bit loose between the cam gears.

I didnt have any trouble aligning everything and installing the new belt but "to me" it still seems too loose between the cam gears. I used a .152 drill bit to set the gap between the auto tensioner body and the tensioner arm.

The local dsm'ers have me confused. One of them is telling me that I should be able to turn the belt verticle between the cam gears and another one is telling me the belt should be tight and have a little deflection up and down.

After I tensioned the belt it seemed good and tight. I rotated it a few times clockwise with a ratchet and it still seemed good. I started the car and let it idle for a little while and all still seemed alright. After it sits a while after it has been running the belt loosens up and will move up and down pretty easily about 1/2 an inch either direction.

What has me spooked is I turned the crank pulley counter clockwise and the timing belt got real loose between the cam gears. ????Is this normal???? I then turned it clockwise and everything seems cool.

If someone can give me an accurate answer to the question of how should the belt be between the cam gears it would really ease my mind.

I figured if i had the auto tensioner gap within spec this job would be easy money. Maybe I am just paranoid or maybe there is a problem.

The timing belt/ balance shaft belt and the pulleys all had less than 12,000 miles on them but this car seen 23 psi all the time from the previous owner. I thought it would be a good idea to avoid a problem. I should have waited another 48,000 miles huh.

 

[styx]

this is the best for paranoid people. you don't want to be able to sit there and play notes like a quitar on it, but you don't want it floppy either. if you are bogging from a stop then the belt is to loose. it is normal for the tension of the belt to vary as you state. sometimes loose sometimes tight. temperature of the belt has a lot to do with that to.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

styx is right, the hotter the belt gets, the looser it will become. Naturally, it will be its tightest when first started, and it will become a little looser after some driving.

Now to answer your question about the tension, it is a belt that usually remains fairly taught. I'd say about 1/2" of rotational play is normal, but if it were much more than that, I would consider a new tensioner. The belt tensioner is usually a good idea to replace when the timing belt is replaced anyway. I know, the price can be a little steep when considering the cost of most maintenance procedures. However, when you factor in the frequency of timing belt replacements, and the high risk of engine damage should there be a timing belt failure, I think you'll be much more apt to replace everything next time you change the belt.

 

[GILZTSIAWD]

You are not supposed to check the amount of slack in the timing belt between the cam gears. Checking the slack in this spot will give false readings because when the engine stops in certain places the cams may roll one way or another causing more slack or tension in the belt. The proper way to check the slack in the belt requires removal of the timing belt cover. The belt being loose between the cam gears means nothing.

good thread about same topic..
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126376&highlight=loose+timing+belt

 

[Defiant]

It's foolhardy to get into the front of the engine without doing a complete job.

As the link above shows, this has come up many times before.

 

[TotalEclipse112]

Accordin to All Data the timing belt defelection should be between 1/4"- 1/2 measured from the idler pully above the oil pump to the intake cam sproket. Also if the tension of the belt varies that is a good thing that means the the automatic tensioner is doing its job. As long as the timing marks are money and the cars runs ok you should be alright, according to the specs that you gave for the tensioner. Also FYI almost all motors turn clockwise, excpt for Honda they had to be special, that being said NEVER TURN YOUR MOTOR COUNTER CLOCKWISE. That is a geat wat to make your timing belt jump.