Timing belt auto tensioner good or bad?

[bmod530]

EDITED...

I have a newer looking timing belt TENSIONER, and last night I got the tension set right with .15in gap in between the tensioner. This morning when I went to go check on it the belt was very very loose and you could even spin the idler pulley. The tensioner gap still looked right though, and it only seemed to be loose just past the exh. cam gear i.e. there was slack between the cam pulleys. After spinning the engine over a bit it returned to its correct tension. So where did I go wrong? Is the tensioner bad, and how could I verify the tensioner bad? I don't see what else it could be. I'm using a Gates Racing T belt if that matters. Engine is out of the car

Thanks for inquiring.

 

[Barnes]

This is normal. You will find the belt is always slack after sitting a while. Just as long as it tightens back up after you start the engine up you are good.

 

[boostedinaz]

The cams end up being pring loaded in a way because of the valve springs putting pressure on the lobes in certain directions. Depending on how the motor stopped turning that pressure may rotate the cams towards each other (causing the belt to have slack between the gears) or rotating away from each other (causing the belt to be tight between the gears). This also carries over to other pullies between the cam and crank pulley.

Short answer is it's fine as long as the tensioner is set correctly.

 

[bmod530]

I'm just afraid that I might have tightened the tensioner to fast, which I did, causing some issue. Any of you guys have a choice method to set tension thats has been proven over and over? Ive read multiple instructions on how to, but just wondering your methods. Note the engine is out of the car, and this is my first 4g63 timing belt. I just don't wana spend 150 bucks for a new OEM tensioner if I don't have to.

 

[Barnes]

This might be a pain but, how hard is it to compress the tensioner? I think if it is still good it will still be very hard to compress.

 

there isnt a test persay unless you have some device to measure the force that thing outputs..... which would be ridiculous.

but really +1 on the above. The best way to "check" it is to see if you can compress it yourself. My tensioner old tensioner, I could put all my weight on and it wouldn't budge......

 

[vapid]

Quoting bmod530:
I'm just afraid that I might have tightened the tensioner to fast, which I did, causing some issue.



It will leak fluid out of the bottom if you compressed the tensioner too fast. If it doesn't, you should be fine.