I'm going to resurrect an old thread here .. or try to
ok I resurrected the thread that I got the info about resetting the tensioner throughout the timing belt's service life..

but this probably needs it's own thread as a new question.

Q:
I realized i'm way over the 50,000 mi timing belt change interval for the old '89 B230F
and I'm about to go on a bit of a road trip for a week.

So I decided, as had been suggested in this thread, to 'reset' the timing belt tensioner and put new tension on the belt in case it had stretched over the last 4-5 years, to try to minimize the chance that the teeth will jump rungs on the camshaft sprockets. the belt looks good not even any little cracks or anything, it was just a bit loose

trouble is that when I released the 17mm bolt on the tensioner nothing happened .. it was jammed or stuck, no travel along the spring loaded bar, unless I pushed or pried it one way or another. I pushed on the belt and that made even more slack. so I had to pry it tight again before I could get any amount of tension back into the timing belt.

Now when I drive I hear a slight belt noise, as if the belt is making noise against the pulley.
not sure if I put too much tension in there by prying more than the action of the spring would have done. Any tips ? should I live with the slight belt noise and see if it calms down or goes away in a bit of time ? or should I slacken it up a bit.

How tight should an old re-tensioned timing belt be ?
Does anyone have any practical experience with this sort of thing ?

The proper way to do it is loosen the nut on the tensioner, put a socket and ratchet on the crankshaft and turn it clockwise several turns. Once the crank is turned the belt and tensioner will find their own equilibrium, then tighten the nut on the tensioner. This can all be done through the access hole in the timing belt cover.
--
Bruce S. near D.C.

On flat belts with groves or clogs on them, I always judge the tightness if the tension has a manual adjustment by twisting the belt at 90 Degrees. Twisting the belt at the longest place between pulleys , it should just start to resist about 45Degree into the twist and feel like it want to spring back at 90 Degrees. Hope you can understand this technique. Too much tightness and the Cam bearing and other related pulleys will fail due to side ways pressure excerted on them. On all other belts(V-Belts), I twist them 130 Degrees,

On flat belts with groves or clogs on them, I always judge the tightness if the tension has a manual adjustment by twisting the belt at 90 Degrees. Twisting the belt at the longest place between pulleys , it should just start to resist about 45Degree into the twist and feel like it want to spring back at 90 Degrees. Hope you can understand this technique. Too much tightness and the Cam bearing and other related pulleys will fail due to side ways pressure excerted on them. On all other belts(V-Belts), I twist them 130 Degrees,

Make sure the slack is on that portion of the belt that the tensioner can take up. Snug up the tensioner bolt and turn the crank pulley clockwise. That will serve to tighten the belt between the cam, intermediate shaft and crank pulley. It will also place any slack in the belt between the crank pulley and the cam where the tensioner can take it up.

At that point I would loosen the tensioner and tighten it back up and call it done. I would not try to second guess the tensioner by forcing it to pull tighter than the spring will on its own.

Randy

"when I released the 17mm bolt on the tensioner nothing happened .. it was jammed or stuck, no travel along the spring loaded bar,"
The spring should be operational in order to take up the slack before tightening the 17mm nut.

I'd try lubing the spring-shaft and pushing the tensioner in-out to get the springiness back.

Since you're already in there, you may as well do a timing belt change as the tensioner may have to come off in order to free or replace it.

--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb, M46 trans, 3:31 dif, in Brampton, Ont.