dermass

just installed new belts, water pump, rollers, etc. i havent had the belts properly tensioned yet and dont plan on driving it until i do. despite this, i just had to start it up. the belts are squealing like an angry pig. squealing gets worse at higher rpm's. my buddy said this is normal for new belts. is it? if so, how long should i expect until the noise fades away. thanks.

Bri Bro

the belts are squealing like an angry pig. squealing gets worse at higher rpm's. my buddy said this is normal for new belts.

No belt should make a squealing sound! Adjust the timing belt before you run the car. Replacing bent valves or the entire engine is expensive.
Might want to look at the other belts, AC, PS. They tend to "squeal" if they are loose.

Belt tool
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/blaszak_precision/" target="_blank">Blaszak</a>

Chris_924s

Fix the problem- dont drive it until the belts are correctionaly tensioned- VERY EXPENSIVE problems are iminent- Beg, borrow or rent a belt tensioner. Cheaper belts will produce a squeal until seated. Dont bend mechanics- I loosened up my belts until the squeal went away- probably a bad idea- I got lucky until the new valves seated.

Rebuilding twice is a sin... <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />

Danno

Also the adjusters for the timing-belt and balance-shaft belts need to be turned in OPPOSITE directions to tighten. Actually, they both will tighten either way, but you want to turn them such that you have more belt-wrap around the water-pump and lower balance-shaft.

That means the timing-belt tensioner needs to be turned counter-clockwise to tighten and the balance-shaft tensioner needs to go clockwise.

Doing it in reverse and you may potentially have OK belt tension, but there may be insufficient surface-area in contact with the water-pump pulley, thus cause sliding and squealing belts.

dermass

thanks dano, i had not even thought about that mattering.

Tremelune

All of the sudden I'm thinking I should do my belts instead of paying someone else 8 hours labor...is there a tremendous tremendous, detailed-for-rookies guide somewhere on the net to doing this on older cars? I just want to take a gander at what's involved before I try to pull something off...

Type_LT

Tremelune: I've been looking at the factory manuals, it really doesn't look complex at all. The only key steps I see are getting the cam and crank marks lined up and the proper tension. The only kicker is getting the tension gauge. If you want to change your waterpump that doesn't look to bad either. I've never done either so perhaps my opinion is of less value than those who have, I do know it looks do-able to me, about the toughest wrench job i've ever done is a top end on a little 4cyl triumph.

Has anyone ever used the tension gauge then tried to map belt deflection to tension? If we could figure out what belt deflection at some point along the belt was equal to the tension gauge that would work?

dermass

im a novice mechanic, just completed updated water pump, rollers, new sprockets, belts, and some seals. it wasnt hard just took a while. i could prob do it now in four hours though. i will be posting detailed pics and procedure on web in the next couple of days. email me if you want help and if you want a great place to get a whole water pump/belt/etc. kit for a great price. lata.

Tremelune

Are you kidding? Of course I'm interested. Kickass. Way to go. Internet rules.

flyloki

I'd like to know.

eclou

Whole job can be done using the $12 Haynes manual. It has lotsa good pics too. Its what I used. I tensioned by hand using 90 deg of twist in the cam belt and 180 deg twist in the balance shaft belt, then I had a shop do the final tension for $100.

Eugene

dermass

ill let you guys know when i get those pics up. this morning my heart fell to the ground though when the stealership est. 3 hours of work at 85/hr. to just tension the belts!!!!! the only other place around here that has the tool made an est. very similar to that. if i had known this earlier, i would have found someone to split the cost of the tool with. i could have bought half the tool with the money ill be throwing at the stealership. you think they wouldve cut me a break seeming how i was standing in the service line with e bunch of guys in black suits, and im sitting there in my dirty white t-shirt and ripped jeans. haha.

jason952

that is insane,
a tension/retension should only be 1.5 hrs labor, I pay 90 bucks, not at the dealer.

Jason

dermass

damn, it sucks cause theres nothing i can do about it, cause noone else has the tool around here. argggg. thank god this is the only thing i should have to have someone else do for me. i hate paying people to work on my car.

nwehtje944

you can rent the tool from vertex. it's like $100 for a week or two.