Dino V

Hey everyone, just wanted to get your feedback on some mixed input I've been getting. Preparing to do my waterpump and belts/rollers/front engine seals on my S2 cab since they are original. Was going to do it but think I am going to have shop perform labor. Anyways, there have been many Porsche specialty shops that mentioned that since it is a manual tensioner, that the spring only needs servicing (pretty much grease I think they said) and that no replacement is needed. What has everyone else on here done? replace or service the tensioner?

Thanks!
Dino

Arominus

I didn't even grease it, there's really nothing to do beyond replace the roller.

Dino V

Ok thanks, I've bought all 5 rollers.

Der Treiber

I don't think of the tensioner on the S2 as being fully manual. The spring provides some level of "automatic" tensioning. Still, your tech needs to use appropriate gauges to tension the belts to spec. I'm w/ Aronimus that, on the tensioner, the roller is more critical than the spring. I'm more in the camp of replacing rollers when they no longer roll smoothly/quietly w/o any lateral play, but it can't hurt to replace them all while you're in there.

Dino V

Thanks for clarifying. So the spring they refer to is part of roller.
I like to be peace at mind and figured since I am in there might as well replace all the rollers. My car is fairly low mileage but can't go wrong with new parts. I try to avoid break downs by being proactive.
After this, I think I am going to attempt to tackle the oil cooler seals for preventative maintenance.

mikey_audiogeek

No, the spring is part of the tensioner. You still have to buy the roller.

And the procedure for tensioning with a spring tensioner is different than for using the factory tool. With the factory tool procedure, the first step is to rotate the engine clockwise then back it off a few degrees. This is to get the slack on the correct part of the belt.

However the spring tensioner works on a different section of the belt and so you don't do the "back it off a few degrees" part of the procedure. This is partly why some people don't like the spring tensioner, they don't realise that the procedure is different.

I have a spring tensioner and it gives the same result as the Arnworx tool, as long as the correct procedure is followed.

Hope this helps!
Mike

mikey_audiogeek

Procedure here:

Dino V

Thank you Mike! So you didn't measure the tension at all with with this method?
I wanted to tackle this without taking it to a shop but have never done a timing belt or water pump and feared not setting the correct tension.

mikey_audiogeek

I have the Arnworx tool for checking tension. I set the tension with the spring tensioner and then checked it (using the other procedure) with the Arnworx tool. I found no further adjustment required, close enough. Obviously the spring tensioner can't provide the ideal higher initial tension of 4.0 for a new belt, but they allow for that in the tolerance. I found my spring tensioner gave about 2.9.
If setting with the spring tensioner, I'd just check/adjust it again after 1 day/50km and again at 1500km. All adjustments must be done with the engine cold!

Just to clarify: in the procedure (picture above), when they say "in direction of rotation to TDC cyl 1" - this means: rotate the engine (using a socket and power bar on the crank nut) clockwise to TDC. Do not allow the engine to rotate anticlockwise at any time, this will change the tension on the belts.
Note the comment about checking the mobility of the tensioner.
Hope this helps!
Mike

Dino V

Thanks again Mike! Now to decide whether or not I should tackle this or just let the pros do it.

Mach944

In Van's excellent video, he mentions that he checked his spring tensioner with a tool and it was spot on so doesn't bother using a tensioning tool on the timing belt (just lets the tensioner do it's job).

What is the spring tensioner spec and how do you check it ? (with what tool?)


Thanks

mikey_audiogeek

I don't know for sure, but Van probably did the same as me - set the belt tension with the spring tensioner and then check the installed tension using the www.arnnworx.com tool and procedure.

Again, the procedure for positioning the engine prior to checking the tension is different for the spring tensioner versus the Arnworx tool!

william_b_noble

come on guys - this is very simple. The later tensioner with the spring is a "somewhat" automatic tensioner. You lock it in the retracted position. Change belt and get everything lined up. Release tensioner - the spring pushes it into place - then lock down the bolt, run engine for a minute or so, and then stop the engine, loosen the bolt - the tensioner will readjust (usually taking up just a bit more slack) and then you tighten the bolt back down. This saves guessing or messing around with the tensioning tool. BE SURE !!!! that you tighten the lock bolt, this is not designed to be used unlocked on a running engine, you will make your timing belt slip if you don't lock it down.

Eric_Oz_S2

I never bothered to retention, I just pushed the tensioner towards the belt to try and remove any remaining slack then lock. That's it.

Mach944

I've been trying to decide if I really need to buy a tension measuring tool for the upcoming
job on my 1991 S2. What method would you use?

1) Use an Arnnworx tool on the belt to ensure the spring tensioner is within spec?

2) Test just the spring tensioner with some other method/tool?

3) Don't test anything, just put the tensioner on and if it checks out like the video then go.

Thanks