Solid tensioner from jnz

[Steve885]

Has anyone used this? If so how do u set belt tension properly
click

 

[transparentdsm]

Im not sure but if anyone has anything good to say i might have to buy 2

 

[Steve885]

I know, I reset my timing marks got the car back together drove it around the block and now the belt is squishy between the cam gears..

 

[EHmotorsports]

I made my own but the pre tennsion should be 1/4" on the tennsioner side.

However I would recommend changing or inspecting the belt and checking tennsion every 6 months to a year.

 

[prove_it]

That is the downside. You WILL need to constantly check the tension on the belt. I don't recommend these guys for the street at all. Too much risk for the gain. Track cars can benefit from them. I swapped a manual chain tensioner onto my r6. Loved it at first, but every month I'd have to adjust it, then it lost the appeal.

From what I've read and heard, tensioner failures happen due to old age and weaker non oem parts. I've never heard of a failure from a new one.

 

[turbowop]

Quoting Steve001:
I know, I reset my timing marks got the car back together drove it around the block and now the belt is squishy between the cam gears..



The tension between the cam sprockets is not an indication of belt tension overall. Depending on where the motor stops when shut off, it could feel loose or tight depending on where the cams come to rest as the motor stops rotating. In other words, don't worry about it if it feels loose between the sprockets.

 

[MellowVR4]

^+1 On WOP explanation.

 

[CutlassJim]

Also +1 on prove_it's explanation. This is just like the lifter on a Honda vs a DSM. It's mechanical so it has no automatic adjustment so you need to check and adjust it manually every couple months. As the belt stretches you need to "tighten" up the tensioner. PITA!

 

[DSSA]

I wouldn't really recommend these unless you're planning on being in there a lot to check/adjust tension as was stated.

 

[Wizardawd]

I wouldn't say it's that the belt stretches, they really don't. A new belt to a 100k mile belt you will probably see only a 0.5mm difference in length. The issue is that as the motor revs and decels, the belt tension changes. And to avoid the belt snapping (too tight) or slipping/skipping teeth (too loose), the factory utilized a hydraulic 'adjuster' to maintain the proper tension on the belt during these load changes. Most failures of the hydraulic tensioner are from 2 reasons, (1) Old age...it happens, even I'm feeling it or (2) Some asshat decides the proper way to compress the adjuster is to ram it home full speed in a vise.

A solid adjuster is going to have to be set at a certain point that is in between the extreme points, but you risk both during the rev range. AKA, when you shut the engine down or decel quickly like pushing in the clutch pedal, the tension may not be enough to prevent the belt skipping. Or, at say 10k rpm, the belt may be too tight and will snap. Either causes engine damage.

Wiz