seb928s

I have used the kriket tool and I think IMO it's a POS. I did my first belt change by hand and retensioned at 1500 with an P9201 tool and the last retenion I did was using by hand. Anyways I'll be buying an P9201 tool sooner or later. Also the auto tensioner on the 87+ models shouldn't be used as a tensioning tool. On the other hand the true auto tensioner on the 968 doesn't need the tool on the timing belt but on the balance belt.

Jay W

Just retensioned the balance shaft belt using the 'feel'method. The timing belt has the spring tensioner so I let that make the tension. I have to admit the balance shaft belt got a bit loose after 15,000 miles ( I know that is too long to wait ) and I retensioned that using the 90 degree method. It is just a little tighter than it was before and now makes just a small amount of noise. The belt just feels too loose when I adjust it enough to make the noise go away. Anyone hear balance shaft belt noise after tensioning with the Kricket or 9201?

IMB951

I know timing belt breaks are catastropic (pistons hitting valves; mechanical pandemonium), but what happens when the balance shaft belt breaks?

Mighty Shilling

the engine vibrates itself into a pile of nuts and bolts.... well, not really...It just vibrates more, and the broken balance belt will prolly take out the timing belt....

I borrow a P9201 from the local Porsche tech...great guy. Helps me all the time, gets free beer from me all the time too...

Mighty Shilling

Yeah, I put the balance belt idle pully too close...it was screaming for mercy...

Techno Duck

I bought the kricket tool planning on using it during my belt change from last year. I ended up having my fathers wrench (who is incredible at what he does) tension the belts by hand. I did the same error with the balance belt pulley. I was relived when the car fired right up, but that rubbing sound made me a bit uneasy. My fathers wrench took over and set it all up correctly. After about 1000 miles i noticed a 'tapping' sound coming from the belt cover on cold starts. The belt was tapping the timing cover. Retensioned it around december of last year. I think im due for a retension again as its starting to tap a little on cold starts once again. Im pretty sure its been around 14-15k miles by now...damn broken odometer.

So basically ive had it done by feel without incident (knock on wood) for over a year now.

Serge944

A balance shaft belt break will make your car vibrate. The real issue is if it gets caught up in the cam belt and messes up your timing.

FSAEracer03

..that's why I trust the 9201 for now.

josephsc

I lucked out and found a used P9201 for cheap -- if anyone in the SoCal area ever need to borrow it, drop me a line!

jd944

Have used the "feel" method succesfully for the past ten years.

Tony K

The rear plastic cover and all the rollers and crap that make it difficult to position the Krikit gauge properly - that's what makes this job different. I have a Krikit and use it on the Lotus, will use it on the Lancia, but I tried it once with the 944 and just found it so tricky to get it into the right position that I didn't feel comfortable with my reading. So I stick to borrowing 9201 from a friend until I have the $ to get my own.

Long live the Krikit for its cheap accuracy, but woe that it needs so much space along the belt line (vs. three peg-like things on the 9201).

Cheers,

tifosiman

OK, here's a good question.

I know all about the mileage intervals required for tensioning, install, etc. But what about time and type of use?

For example, my car had the t-belt replaced in 11/02. Retensioned 2000 miles later in 05/03. The car sees a lot of autocrosses, but not much daily driving. Fastforward to now. The car has less than 6000 miles on it since the re-tension, but they have been very "sprited", and it has been almost 1.5 years since the re-tension.

Think it's time to do it again?

IMB951

it took me an hour.... so if youve got the time, might as well, i think. there are so many 944's in Ohio I'm sure the 9201 is quite abundant
can't ever be too sure

Tony K

Jeremy -

I used to check the tension every 5-10k miles, and I don't think I ever had to retension it. Even for the first retension, my initial 4.0 scale units would automatically be in the 2.7-3.0 scale units range (or whatever the hell its supposed to be on a used belt). If it hadn't fallen to quite that, I didn't worry, but it never went below.

My tension-checking schedule grew to "soon after installation and then at 15k miles", and still never needed to adjust. And that black 83 hit the rev limiter daily. I wouldn't worry too much about yours.

Cheers,

pete944

I use the Kriket too but like Tony said it is tricky to get it in there. I've found that the only way to check the timing belt is to remove the balance belt so there's enough room to work. It's easier on the earlier cars with the eccentric tensioner. With a spring type tensioner like my car it's a very tight space that the Kricket needs to fit into.