Tensioner WTH????

[135sohc]

This one has me scratching my head :confused2:

8v 2.2/CB (yes the tensioner is the correct one). In normal operation the timing belt is riding towards the extreme outside edge of the sprockets, its riding close enough to the edge of the tensioner that the belt edge is getting shredded like being passed over a cheese grater :eek:

Towards the outside is too tight or not tight enough ? Cannot remember the difference right now.

Thanks... :o

[speedfreek500]

When you shut the car off.... if the belt rides to the outside edge its too tight.

[135sohc]

Guess I'll go back to using my better judgement and just do the twist.

[turbovanman²]

I think outer edge is too tight. Are you setting it so you can just twist the belt 90 deg?

[4 l-bodies]

Craig,
Make sure crank sprocket is pressed on all the way. A good friend of mine had same belt shredding symptom on his GLHS. Turned out crank sprocket needed about another 1/8" to go yet. I have found some of those crank sprockets have a lot more press fit than others.
To tight and belt will run towards outside. It also seems to groan a bit when to tight. I always check my timing belts at ambient and when hot temps. Much tighter when hot.
Todd

[135sohc]

I'll check it over but I am pretty sure its pressed on as fully as its ever been since new (I have the miller spx tools for both removing and installing the crankshaft sprocket the right way). It started making a chirp-chirp-chirp ect... sound shortly after being put back together last fall and its come and gone since then. I condemmed the tensioner as being junk at the time and just ignored it. Kinda the bad thing about having a non interference engine and knowing it, put off fixing cause you know if/when it decides to go snap! its not gonna hurt anything besides your ego :D

Funny thing cause a few years ago now I had this exact issue, except for the lack of noise by chance one day I removed the upper t-belt cover and found the belt shredded in much the same way as this time, except much more advanced. Tension was dead on perfect, changed the belt and it ran 100% until last spring when I blew the piston rings to pieces.

[Orangetona]

I want to say the INSIDE actually means its too tight. Could be wrong though.

[pauly_no_van]

belt tends to go further away from the motor as it gets tighter.
A tensioner sometimes does not sit far eough away from the block and will shred the timing belt.
I actually have a timing belt tensioner that does that, i put a washer between it and the block, all better.
I also set my belts loose enough to be able to turn the tensioner pulley by hand when engine cold/not running.
They ride closer to the motor edge of the cam pulley.
/.02

[135sohc]

everything checked out fine. tension is dead on perfect, checked the tensioner against another one that is supposedly oem and there both the same height. The belt is rubbing against the edge of the crankshaft sprocket, almost like its pushed on too far :confused:

Going to try one more thing then I'm out of ideas besides swapping parts around.

[135sohc]

Totally backed off the tensioner, let the factory tool fall where it wanted to and then backed it off just a touch more... dead nutz centered on the drives :cool: I guess different brands of belts act differently. Current belt is a Gates from the UK, in the past its always been the italian made dayco's. I guess the bad teeth and meatballs didnt get along this time :lol:

[black86glhs]

Lol!!!

[zin]

I wish the factory has just given a torque spec and required either a dial style/beam wrench or the use of "special tool xyz", at least then you could make your own tool... or how about an automatic tensioner?, and the means to adjust without messing with a bunch of covers, etc in order to get to what you need to get to!

Mike

[shadow88]

Special tool xyz is better known as Kd tools #3282 or OTC tool number 7695 :)

Right at the bottom http://www.allpar.com/eek/timingbelt.html

[zin]

Special tool xyz is better known as Kd tools #3282 or OTC tool number 7695 :)

Right at the bottom http://www.allpar.com/eek/timingbelt.html

Yeah, I know, I should just buy one and be done with it, I just prefer to have the "actionable intel" as it were... If I know how much tension is supposed to be be there I can figure out my own way, or make a better tool for the job...

Having said that, anyone have the specs on the special tool? As in X weight at Y length? or just how much force the tool exerts when hanging on the adjuster?

Mike

[pauly_no_van]

u dont need a tool if you bust a cam or two.
that will make you an expert!
:D

[RoadWarrior222]

Having said that, anyone have the specs on the special tool? As in X weight at Y length? or just how much force the tool exerts when hanging on the adjuster?Well if it's right now, calibrate your thumb against the belt... so you know, it's like "that much".

[zin]

Yeah, I guess I'm just a little "particular" sometimes, the 1/2 way twist is probably fine.

Mike

[135sohc]

Call this one a mystery never meant to be solved. Never could get the belt to maintain center and not rub on the sides of the tensioner pulley, still running towards the outside edge. So today a new belt & tensioner was installed... went for a drive with the DRB checking other isssues. Maintained perfect center and no noise/rubbing on anything.