keith

right - i've only heard of permanent belt removal on race-oriented cars w/solid mounts... Not as much idling per that application, no?

Bob S. 1984 Silver

Tensioning a belt should not be such a difficult ordeal...I would be willing to bet that the proper tension has a + and - to it that is probably very wide. I wonder if anyone has tensioned a 944 belt with one tool and checked it with other identical tools to see if they all read the same. My mechanic (for belts only; local PCA member and trusted by members) feels that the factory method is so much hype. Most of the other cars I have worked on that required timing belt replacement the tensioning was done by adjusting the long side of the belt so it could be grasped between thumb and forefinger and twisted about 90 degrees. I have never had one fail on American or Asian cars with this method. But, I have not tried it on my 944, leaving that to my mechanic. Heck if it fails on his watch, I have a case.....

Incidentially, I did find an interesting reason for belt failure. If one drives the car regularly without the engine pan in place, grit can wear the lower cog wheel to the extent that it begins to shred the teeth on the belt. A good indicator is to examine the inside of the upper belt cover and see if there is a collection of rubber crud.

Cheers!!

Bob S.

Ahmet

I've heard that the noise can come from over-torqued balancer shaft housing bolts...
Ahmet