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I have about 5000 miles on my timing belt job, where I replaced everything and used a gates belt and parts as recommended from Roger at 928srus.
After driving for about 500 miles the light came on, and it was time to tighten the belt again. This is normal I guess. Lately I have been getting the timing belt light come on when I accelerate full power up to max rpms.
I've checked the belt and everything appears to be ok. I even checked it with the gauge once, and it was within spec.
I guess the extra stress from the high load and rpm makes triggers the contact in the tensioner. I imagine the belt to be vibrating like crazy under these conditions.
maybe it's time for a porkensioner?
I haven't been much on rennlist lately, are the tensioner discussions still raging, or has some sort of consensus been reached?
Wouldn't no oil in the (DE-)tensioner cause the belt to remain on the tight side until the heat from the engine heated the bimetallic washers, causing them to flatten?
Or is there something that I don't understand going on?
Not wanting to promote hysteria but.. I had no light and checked belt tension finding it to be very much on the loose side. Now after tensioning and re- checking I am getting a ‘false’ warning with correct belt tension. I’m saving my pennies for a Porkensioner.
I use the kempf tool, set on the loose side...at tdc.
I rebuilt the tensioner. It leaks oil, a little, but isn't it fed from the engine oil? I can't remember at the moment. Car's an 87 s4.
The belt tracks beautifully.
it doesn't feel right to have to tighten the belt over and over again. But I guess there's nothing else to do than check everything again?
is it possible to rebuild the tensioner without doing the whole timing belt operation all over again?
The belt has to be set at the top end of the tension range or you will likely get alarms. Seems your alarm is working ok but you do not have enough tension in the belt. If you set the tension correctly to start with, it should not need the initial adjustment until it has covered about 1000 miles. Once that has beens et correctly it should not need further adjustment.
The tensioner has nothing to do with the engine oil- it is a fixed volute and when the oil has gone it has gone.
You must check the tension with the engine at TDC with No1 cylinder firing stroke- easy indication is to look at the position of the rotor arms- they should be pointing to the 3 O'clock position.
The belt has to be set at the top end of the tension range or you will likely get alarms. Seems your alarm is working ok but you do not have enough tension in the belt. If you set the tension correctly to start with, it should not need the initial adjustment until it has covered about 1000 miles. Once that has beens et correctly it should not need further adjustment.
My thoughts exactly, it should not need further adjustment. That's what worries me.
My thoughts exactly, it should not need further adjustment. That's what worries me.
If you did not set the tension at the high side of the window you are going to get the warning in exactly the situation you are experiencing. Take it apart and do it right.
One question remains; is the intermittent idiot light following a belt job correctly tensioned with the Kempf tool a real problem, or just a dismissible nuisance?
Naturally, I ask because I have the same problem. If I pull over, turn off the car, re-start, the idiot light goes quiet and stays that way well beyond the 3 minute "quiet" period. This makes me think I have an overly sensitive warning system.
PS: I have torn it down twice now to measure the belt tension; both times it was fine.
I had that same problem about a year ago. The connector was loose and made intermittent contact. I seem to recall squeezing the female side (while disconnected) a bit to tighten it up. That fixed it and the problem hasn't returned.
For a while I was getting the belt tension warning under similar circumstances...and I have a PKT! Ultimately, that warning system is just making (or breaking...I can't remember which) a ground connection, so if that connector is a little loose, it can false.
That being said, if it were happening with the stock tensioner, I would definitely try to make sure I understood why. I know it's not telling me anything useful with the PKT setup but it still freaked me out
(I realize the OP's situation seems to be that the belt is actually a bit too loose)
For a while I was getting the belt tension warning under similar circumstances...and I have a PKT! Ultimately, that warning system is just making (or breaking...I can't remember which) a ground connection, so if that connector is a little loose, it can false.
That being said, if it were happening with the stock tensioner, I would definitely try to make sure I understood why. I know it's not telling me anything useful with the PKT setup but it still freaked me out
(I realize the OP's situation seems to be that the belt is actually a bit too loose)
11-06-2018, 07:06 PM
Intermittent timing belt warning light
