timing belt tension

[Euan]

my job for today is to tension my timing belt, cus when i run the car the belt starts to move off the camshaft sproket. just wonderin whats involved here, can i just move the water pump or do i have to set all the timing up again.

where abouts are the "3 water pump retaining bolts"

cheers

[whitey]

LOL dont let it fall off! OR OUCH!!! It wont come off anyway with the black plastic crap over it!

You should really buy a new one if its oldish! Saves any disasters later on and isnt reallt that expensive!

If you aint too sure what u are doin then get someone who is to do it and show you!

[Euan]

so if i put the cover on you reckon it wont come off. when i was doin the gasket i didnt slacken the belt just pulled it off.

dont think it needs changed to be honest. its just temp the now anyway i want to run the car with the new gasket for a while.

[Aragorn]

um, depending on the engine age will depend how u tension it

engines from june 1990 had auto adjusters and u can spot this by looking at the top of the belt oover

if its a flat topped cover its a auto adjusting tensioner

if its round topped u need to tension by undoing the water pump bolts

[Chris LR]

Should get half a turn out of it on the longest side....

If you didn't slacken the belt and 'pulled it off' you should replace it, you muppet.

[brian]

If you didn't slacken the belt and 'pulled it off' you should replace it,
definately cos you probably streched/damaged it. did you not think it was insane tight when you were taking it off?? :roll:

[Chris LR]

you forgot to add
you muppet

[brian]

True! :lol:

[fearless]

:|

[fearless]

u say the belt moves off the cam sprocket when the engine in running - this is caused by a pully out of allignment and not running true with the other pullies - nothing to do with belt tension !!!

Is the cam sprocket butted up flat against the camshaft - is there excessive play in the water pump bearings -

Relying on the cover to keep the belt on is not a good thing - eventually the belt will wear through the cover if it doesn't wear itself out first!!!!

Hope this is some help !!!

[Chris LR]

The cover is only designed to keep fingers out, not belts in/on.

[Euan]

k i'll buy a new belt and try it out then.

how can i tell if the sproket is out of alignment? and why would it be?

and how can i fix this??

havnt adjusted anythin and when removing the belt it wasnt that tight on. it slid off using to the side using a very small amount of force.

[brian]

when you say the belt was comin off the cam pulley was actually out over the edge or just moving towards the edge to where it might want to stay :?

[mikeoxford]

take the belt off, and turn the top chamshaft around with a 17mm - or is it 19mm - think its 17mm socket, see if the sprocket goes in and out at one point like its bent or anything

REMEMBER TO RE ALIGN THE TIMING MARKS AFTERWARDS

after tightening the blet you should be able to twist the belt (JUST) 90 degrees at the longest point with your fingers.

[Euan]

dont know if it was just gonna come to a rest. need to check that. just shat it when seen it movin!