1983 Turbo Timing Belt

[davidbradley]

Does anyone have a knack for getting the belt over all the pulleys at once?

The tensioner is fully off & locked in place with a pin.

I can get the belt over the crank & cam pulleys, but it's all but impossible to get over & on the distributor pulley.

Last time I did it by lossening the auxilliary housing so it could tip, fitted the belt & put it back.

In truth the belt when on is perfectly slack & tightens up nicely when tensioned, but it just wont pass over the pulley when all you've got is a minute gap to thread your fingers through & work in.

My "method" of loosening the aux housing works, but there's a risk of damaging the gasket, which is why I'm at it again (oil leak).

Is there a DIY method of tensioning the belt without a Burroughs Gauge?

All advice appreciated

Thanks

[USAndretti42]

I had the same problem the first time I replaced my timing belt. In the end, I took off the pulley for the distributor, put the belt on and then refitted the distributer pulley, pulling it on with the screw. When I changed the belt again recently (its 2 years were up) it slid on failry easily. Had to get the teeth on the belt aligned with the grooves in the pulleys and get it on the edge of each pulley, then slid it on. Of course, I did get the head skimmed between these two events but I don't think they took that much off.

[sandwer]

Is there a DIY method of tensioning the belt without a Burroughs Gauge?

All advice appreciated

Thanks

I'm about to do mine - I don't have a burroughs gauge or a krikit but there is a program you can run on a laptop in conjunction with a microphone that will allow you to set the belt tension by 'twanging' it and recording the resulting frequency of the belt vibration. Similar to an electric guitar tuner, by all accounts.

ISTR that if the belt can successfully be turned through 90degrees on the long straight, then thats the correct tension.

EDIT : 90degrees is complete b*****cks - I should be shot for that. Its 45degrees as per Pauls' excellent links in the next post.

Edited June 26, 2007 by RichardS3

[Paul Coleman]

There's an article here...

http://www.belchamber.org/techtiming.html

which describes the frequency measurement method. A Krikit device would be easier and they don't cost very much but I have yet to find a source in the UK :crybaby: Maybe one of our American cousins could help source some?

Paul.

[molemot]

I find the best way is not to get the belt all the way on any one pulley, but move it gradually on to all of them at once. Once it's engaged all the pulleys, it goes on fairly easily, but does need a bit of a push. The rule of thumb 45 deg twist works quite well, but 45 deg is the MOST you should be able to twist it..having just set mine with a Burroughs type gauge, it really is quite tight at the recommended 90 to 95 lbs. cold. It's a jolly sight easier with the motor on a stand!!

[sandwer]

Does anyone have a knack for getting the belt over all the pulleys at once?

The tensioner is fully off & locked in place with a pin.

Bit of lateral thinking - try warming it up a bit beforehand - stick it in a watertight bag, and then stick the bag into boiling water for a bit. That should make it a little more pliable? You'll have to let it cool to room temperature again before you set the tension though.

[cly_mitchell]

There's an article here...

http://www.belchamber.org/techtiming.html

which describes the frequency measurement method. A Krikit device would be easier and they don't cost very much but I have yet to find a source in the UK :crybaby: Maybe one of our American cousins could help source some?

Paul.

Paul,

I will send you all you can stand. They cost about $14 at NAPA. If somebody will take orders for you guys. I will send a box full, that they can distribute from over there. I am always available to help the good of the cause.

Cheers

Clay

[Paul Coleman]

Paul,

I will send you all you can stand. They cost about $14 at NAPA. If somebody will take orders for you guys. I will send a box full, that they can distribute from over there. I am always available to help the good of the cause.

Cheers

Clay

Excellent thanks for the offer Clay I believe the KR1 is the correct one. I'll have to find out if anybody else would like one but I certainly would. Do you have a PayPal account?

Regards, Paul.

Edited June 27, 2007 by Paul Coleman

[cly_mitchell]

Excellent thanks for the offer Clay I believe the KR1 is the correct one. I'll have to find out if anybody else would like one but I certainly would. Do you have a PayPal account?

Regards, Paul.

Paul,

Yes, I have one. It would be great to send a several, because they are small and light. If you would be willing to recieve and distribute them, you could do a general post to the group and get a count. I will then send them to you and everybody will be kriketed.

[Splashout]

I would certainly have one I have personally relied on the judgment of my old man who is verry experienced with all things car and my bro who is a mercades trained mechanic who now works on Lotus!

So far havent had any issues but would be great to have a gauge that can be used to set it 100% correct.

I'd suggest a new post in general asking who wants one and even possible getting bibs to do an email telling people.

Only thing with a bulk pack from the states is how will customs clobber it for duty and VAT??

Glyn

[davidbradley]

Hi

If it helps, I now have my belt on, and I have a knack/tip.

I found that if I only fitted the tensioner assembly by hand through the central stud, and for the moment left the bolt out, I coul dthen pivot the tensioner well out of the way.

If you make sure the belt isn,'t snagging on the tensioner body/pulley and is actually on the pulley face, the belt then slipped onto the timing sprocket very easily.

I then expected to struggle to get the bolt in but, as everything is by then sitting true, it was no problem at all.

Hope that helps some other poor so & so

Off to post my next topic.................still having problems!Cheers