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x-rad
Verde
Verde
Posts: 1223
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Canton, Ohio, USA

Timing Belt Tensioner: New way to rebuild?

Post by x-rad »

Thought I would try something different. Instead of changing to a new style spring tensioner or the manual set tensioner type, I decided to try this: All oil holes to and from tensioner are plugged. New timing belt. Solid threaded stud placed for center tensioner locking nut. Removed two allen screws and aluminum cap from tensioner piston. Placed a twenty pound (approximately: went to the hardware store and just looked at their spring selection until I found one I thought would apply enough force and still fit cylinder diamenter) compression spring into cylinder, load with grease, cut just about three turns longer than bore length with piston extended fully. This makes for very firm piston nearly impossible to compress by hand. I put the tensioner back on, left off the spring behind the tensioner plate, but did use the 'balance?' spring which hooks on to the two pins. With the piston about 50-60% compressed(by using a screwdriver in the set pin hole on the pulley arm) I swung the tensioner about 40-50% of its travel and tightened the set nut and the center locking nut. The pulley was fairly firmly pressing upon the belt, and then I pulled the screwdriver from the set hole. The spring extended the plunger approx 4-5 mm, and the belt was tight, but not too tight.
With much downward pressure by hand, I was able to slightly compress the pulley. However, there is enough piston left in the cylinder to take up slack in the future. The geometry allows an advantage to the piston over the belt tension, but without much travel. So, the initial setup has to fairly tight. I would have used a constantly extending gas piston like in the 91 eclipse 2L, but that is an iron block without much expansion.
I have yet to install the engine(rebuilt 3.0 verde, 85 gvt6) and run this setup. But, it seems fairly dependible. At least the slack will be taken up. It is better than what was originally on the engine(only the 'balance?' spring, and the tensioner manually set with no ability to compensate for wear). The whole deal cost about 8$ plus timing belt.
User avatar
x-rad
Verde
Verde
Posts: 1223
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:21 pm
Location: Canton, Ohio, USA

Post by x-rad »

Apparently there was supposed to be an approximately 20 lb spring in the tensioner cylinder to begin with! I found a weak, maybe 3 lb, sping in the cylinder(someone else's rebuild?). At least there is more tension now.
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