Tungsten Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 (edited) After looking through the manual and the forum I still couldn't find the answers I wanted so I came up with my own way to put on and tension the timing belt. This method may be slightly controversial but it works. The advantage to this method is that you can put the timing belt on really quickly without fiddling to get it in. The engine turns over just fine but I haven't started it yet to test it out fully. There is up to a max of 15 mm of belt deflection with 10 kg (22 lbs) of pressure so I think the results should be good. Note: Timing belts are actually Gilmer belts. Gilmer belts do not need much tension if any at all to properly function so it is better to stay on the looser side of the belt than on the tighter side. The only reason to tension these belts is to prevent the teeth from hopping during start-up when the belt goes from 0 RPM to 1500 RPM in about a second. The only thing to keep in mind is the square tooth belts are much more sensitive to tension than round tooth belts. Too much tension on the square tooth style belt can cause the sprockets to eat away the teeth. Step 1: With the engine at TDC, install the timing belt with the tensioner removed. Don't forget to count the teeth between the sprocket punch marks. Always remember to put the timing belt on with the arrow facing you. Step 2: Slide the tensioner in. Install the two washers and hand tighten the nut. The spring anchor should lean against the oil pump housing. Step 3: Using a 5 mm Allen key, turn the tensioner one full revolution clockwise. You will hear it snap into place and the spring anchor will be now pressing against the stud. Step 4: Slightly tension the belt by turning the tensioner clockwise by about 100 degrees. Step 5: Temporarily tighten the nut and temporarily install the harmonic balancer then turn the engine over at least twice to get it back to TDC. This will allow the timing belt to get comfortable with the sprockets. The marks are no longer going to line up if you only turn the engine over twice. This is normal. Step 6: Loosen the tensioner nut again and turn the tensioner counterclockwise to about the 5 o'clock position to set the tension. After the desired tension has been set, tighten the nut again. Step 7: Torque down the tensioner nut to about 50 Nm (or 36.9 ft lbs). Always remember the crankshaft sprocket washers for the belt. Edited October 18, 2012 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostNcrRanger Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 ERMAHGERD DIS IS SO WERNG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Man, the more you guys post photo's of your TB chambers I realize just how mucked up mine is. Not cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 This method may be slightly controversial but it works. The engine turns over just fine but I haven't started it yet to test it out fully. Honestly? That's just dumb. Don't do a write up for something "that hasn't fully been tested" for such a critical part of a motor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Whats even more dumb is people have done the twist the belt between the cams to 90 degrees method probably over a thousand times and it is proven. And the tensioner should be around 5 o'clock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 (edited) The FSM specifically mentions to NOT twist the timing belt. 11 works better for me than 5 honestly. Who says the tensioner should be at 5 anyway? I think it makes more sense to tension clockwise with the spring than going against it in counterclockwise. Edited June 30, 2012 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 The FSM specifically mentions to NOT twist the timing belt. 11 works better for me than 5 honestly. Who says the tensioner should be at 5 anyway? I think it makes more sense to tension clockwise with the spring than going against it in counterclockwise. +1 This was the method I went with .. so far, the Pathy is still climbing the rocks and fighting traffic just fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Of course this should be followed up with test results of both Short and long term.. All in all you really couldn't ask for a more descriptive write-up. Now we just need to know how well this is going to work and how long.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 It's pretty easy to get something that weighs 22LBS, a wooden dowel, and a measuring tape. At the proper tension the belt twists almost exactly 90 degrees. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 (edited) That really depends on how strong your hand is to twist it and the sensitivity you do it with. I tensioned mine to twist just a hair under 90 to account for the belt being stretched over time. I decided to turn the tensioner back the other way today after doing some more research. Theoretically it doesn't matter as long as the belt is tensioned but having it at 5 o' clock rather than 11 o' clock does not make the spring try to back the tensioner off. Also the 5 o' clock position seems to engage the crank sprocket teeth better. However near 11 o' clock is better for letting the timing belt settle into the grooves. I blame the FSM for making this procedure seem impossible. They tell you to turn the tensioner clockwise and then all of a sudden you put the belt on. Then they tell you to magically apply 96 N while trying to tension the belt... Feeler gauge? Seriously? Then they advise against twisting the belt but all the techs recommend doing that. The FSM timing belt procedure makes no sense what so ever. I tried to combine any understanding of it that I had with some of my own experience and the write ups on the forum and it worked out really nicely. The belt goes to about 45 degrees with ease then starts resisting a little bit but will not twist over 90. The teeth engage really well. Edited June 30, 2012 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 If it works for you, great. I'll follow the the tech's advice and method though. Why? No need to change what works just fine and is proven. Who is the girl holding the wrench? B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 It's hard to take a photo and hold the wrench at the same time in that tight space. If you want to follow what has already been done before that's fine with me. If you want a much faster and easier way to set the belt, this is it. I find it too sketchy to put the belt inside with the tensioner in place. You have to stretch it almost to get it where you want and then you run into the risk of turning one of those camshafts by accident. If you insert the tensioner after putting on the belt, you will see how much easier it is. The only thing is you have to hold on to the belt while inserting the tensioner so that the tooth count does not go off but you would usually have marks for this anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I just tension it to what seems good and hang a 10 kg bag of water off the belt and measure the deflection to check (after rotating the engine a couple times). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo94 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 On a different engine I installed the belt without one of the idler pulleys. Putting the pulley on after or in this case the tensioner seems to make it more easier to install the belt. For holding the belt on the camgear I just use a binder clip, It helps it skipping a tooth or so whilst its loose. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 That would work perfectly so you don't have to hold on to the belt. I just put manual tension on it with my hand and did a recount of the teeth after putting the tensioner in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 Results: Turned it on today, works great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msavides Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 A handheld fisherman's scale works good for weight measurment . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 I was thinking of one of those. I forgot what it was called. Thanks for the tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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