Too much timing belt travel...

[SVXMAN2001]

I was hoping the end of a frustrating day would be me finally identifying what the problem with the T-Belt install. Unfortunately that isn't/wasn't the case. Got home and measured the belt and sure enough it's 34mm or 1.34 in on the nose. So the belt is fine, the pulleys are fine. The last and only idea I have is to replace the camshaft sprockets. I have two spare from a prior known working engine. If that doesn't work, I give up. I'll put everything back together and hope for the best

[Hocrest]

You have identified the problem area. Why are you looking for something else??????

[SVXMAN2001]

Hocrest, with all due respect do you not understand that the tensioner is NOT my issue. The brand new OEM part, did the same thing earlier today. Are you suggesting that I have come across two brand new, faulty tensioners?

[michael]

Did you get a new tensioner or tensioner pulley? If you got a new pulley how much tension were you getting with the current tensioner.

[SVXMAN2001]

Michael, got a new tensioner pulley today. I try to use the same terminology as the manual. By tensioner I assume you are referring to the hydraulic tensioner, right? The hydraulic tensioner is original.

As for tension....how would you go about actually measuring that?

[michael]

Someone else might have a better answer? I use my thumb and IIRC it is fairly tight much more than an accessory belt. Just for clarification too, can you compare the old belt to the new? Is there anything odd about the new belt? Does it lie flat when you put it on a level surface on it's side?

[kwren]

Originally Posted by SVXMAN2001

Hocrest, with all due respect do you not understand that the tensioner is NOT my issue. The brand new OEM part, did the same thing earlier today. Are you suggesting that I have come across two brand new, faulty tensioners?

Please! Just take the Cam shaft sprockets off and look at them and the cam shafts carefully for damage. Not that big a job... I hate to beg but-

Keith

[SVXMAN2001]

Yeah I mean it feels plenty tight, i do notice that the hydraulic tensioner's piston doesn't extend half as much as it did before, but that's expected considering it's a new belt.

The belt doesn't look defective in any way. WHen I lay it down it does seem to loosly mimic what it looked like when installed on all pulleys and yes it lays flat. Maybe worth mentioning that the T-Belt sat in the box for close to 2 years before install. Could being bunched up in the box have warped it in some way?

I made a big mistake by throwing out all the pulleys and old timing belt when I installed everything. I am so pissed i threw it all out so quickly.

[1986nate]

Originally Posted by Hocrest

You have identified the problem area. Why are you looking for something else??????

Originally Posted by SVXMAN2001

Hocrest, with all due respect do you not understand that the tensioner is NOT my issue. The brand new OEM part, did the same thing earlier today. Are you suggesting that I have come across two brand new, faulty tensioners?

Originally Posted by Hocrest

I don't care if the belt is 1/4" wide or 4" wide, that will not cause the tensioner pulley to move like that.

He is not talking about the tensioner. The tensioner PULLEY should not have any movement like shown in the video and is a result of something improper, either the bolt, or something else. But it is not right, and likely the cause of your problem.

[kwren]

Originally Posted by SVXMAN2001

I made a big mistake by throwing out all the pulleys and old timing belt when I installed everything. I am so pissed i threw it all out so quickly.

You replaced all the pulleys too? Is it possible that you cross-threaded one of the bolts that holds a pulley on?? That would cause the belt not to run true.

The timing belt tension is not a consideration. The tensioner can handle a little variation in the belt length... N/A

[SVXMAN2001]

I've been referring to the tensioner pulley all along. The new tensioner (the one i picked up from the dealer today) had the same movement/play as the pulley shown in the video.

From what I can tell the pulley needs some play in order to swing on it's axis as the belt ages. Otherwise, removing that play (by using a washer) the bolt presses directly against the pulley and permanently fixes it into one position.

Keith, yes I replaced all pulleys. All pulley bolts were hand tightened, if there were some crossthreading I would have felt it. The bolts went in without incident.

[1986nate]

There is a "sleeve" with a washer on the end of it that goes in the pulley, and allows the pulley to swivel with the bolt torqued down. You must be missing this piece and that is the problem.

[kwren]

Originally Posted by kwren

Please! Just take the Cam shaft sprockets off and look at them and the cam shafts carefully for damage. Not that big a job... I hate to beg but-

Keith

OK! you have nothing left, might as well... Just take the Cam shaft sprockets off and look at them and the cam shafts carefully for damage.

Keith

I was just thinking... I will be 82 years old this june and you are my biggest project... In my lifetime!

[kwren]

The best two people on this form have also suggested this! SVXFILES and Harvey... The 2 best people here!

Keith

[SVXMAN2001]

Nate, I have this piece. I posted a pic of it...see post 46. It is this sleeve that allows the pulley some play. The front of the pulley protrudes out slighly past the pulley preventing the bolt from coming into direct contact with the pulley.