Red UFO

You better or I'll start handing out my vast knowledge of EURO advice again.

Gretch

What goes around comes around............

Gretch

S'cuse me.....when did it become de rigueur to tighten the tensioner without actually checking the belt tension.......at least, after the fact...let's be intellectually honest here........I mean, I KNOW the repair shops do this, but this group does have a higher standard....no?

FlyingDog

You don't have one.

heinrich

Applause for knowing what de rigueur means Gretch ... hadn't heard that expression in oh what ... 10 years? As I say, you are correct, but given the option of being out there under the stars I know most OK mechanics upon receiving a belt tension warning light would have tightened the belt .... without knowing actual tension.

I actually know a very respected and famous and loved Rennlister whi did that once ... and had .... pump failure as a result. Peace.

heinrich

Hahaha!! Aaaahhahahahah!!

Red UFO

Thats what I thought. I was using the Pirtle write up for my rebuilt and saw a sensor in the boot. But none in mine, figure it didn't have one or the OP raped it out.

Needed to check anyway.

So where is the sensor on the sharks that have it? In the tensioner boot?

heinrich

Yes from outside the boot (around piston) to roller arm.

Red UFO

It must be some kind of magical wire that can tell if your some kind of slacker. ThankGod we don't have those wires at work.

I suppose the power steering pump runs on Jesus Juice.

Garth S

Colin, my man - you have done what many ( even here ) may have in a similar circumstance. This sort of advice has been passed out previously on the 'list' - most recently to a member having his brother driving a new purchase home, and being hit by the dreaded TB warning light hundreds of miles from home ..
Knowing the history of your car, and adding 1/2 turn on the tensioner adjuster to get home safely - well it worked, despite it being a toss of the dice. That was a calculated gamble; however, now is the time to park it until the front covers are off. Belt age, condition, actual tension, on and on ... All will be well if you check everything else - in addition to the tension measure before again enjoying your GT.

docmirror

When I bought my GT with no visible documentation, I test drove it kinda hard(before paying), and then paid the man. Then I took my truck and trailer over there to the lot, winched the car on, went home, winched it off, started it ever so briefly to get it uphill to the garage and did the TB job. I didn't even have the warning light, and actually found a quite new belt and WP in there already. Rebuilt the tensioner, cleaned and fixed a few things, and now drive secure in the knowledge that I've done everything I could to avoid the dreaded TBF.

To me, if I ever see the "BELT TENSION" in big bold red letters come on my annunciator, I'm putting in the clutch and turning off the engine, while coasting safely to a stop, with my cell phone on AAA speed dial to get the car home. Most TBFs are head/valve jobs. But the piston CAN get holed, and that chunk of Aluminum CAN find it's way into a reciprocating component while on it's way to the oil pan. I've often wondered if the auto repair industry pays a kickback to the auto mfg to keep using belts on interference engines. Ugh.

While flying an AH-1 I once had a "trans temp" annunciator come on. The SFB ballast sitting in the front said "let's drive 'er home and check", I chose to autorotate into a wheat field, and the tail boom was covered in........trans juice. That light means something, ignore it at your peril.

Big Dave

Yes, it's a calculated gamble. You just need to know that sometimes you lose.


P.S. Model year '85 was the first to have the tensioner warning.

heinrich

Doc, IMHO the belt is the strongest part of the whole timing train. Weakest points are:

1. Tensioner
2. Bushings
3. Cam gears
4. Shoulder bolt
5. Water pump
6. Crank gear
7. Oil pump gear

If any of 1-7 above fail .... we have trouble. I recently (on the S2) had 1-5 fail and the belt (though damaged) remained intact for about 2cm wide, faithfully dragging the cams along. One cam even skipped 1 inch (passenger) backward, and all is well.

After seeing just how that belt had been abused I have to say, it is the strongest part of the lot. It looked like one of those guys on Aliens III with his intestines pulled out and draped all over the inside of the belt chamber ... and yet he still managed to keep the alien from getting through to the women and children.

Gretch

Doc......."SFB ballast"???

.........I just know I am about to learn something that will provide comic relief in a moment of stress.......

heinrich

I have heard that autorotation isn't for the fainthearted .....