Does anyone know the PROPER thickness in mm of this washer?
Part no. 900 025 008 09

I've had this car apart twice now due to Belt Ten light.
Can't seem to find the problem. (Light triggers, only under heavy accel.)

The easiest answer would be that somebody before me put too thick a washer here. Otherwise, back into the tensioner we go.

 

When this happens is it always within 15 minutes of startup? Then when you check the tension is it OK?

I've had that happen when I accelerated too hard if I thought the car was completely warmed up but apparently the oil in the tensioner hadn't had enough time to fully warm the washers inside. It's never happened to me after I was driving for a good 30 minutes or more and I have been known to do the occasional redline shift when I was testing something out.

 

Well, unfortunately even hot.

Hard accel from a stop or a double kickdown switch or a redline shift triggers it.

New bushings. Bolted up snuggly. Belt is tracking well.
Holding oil. Still something is wrong.

 

That stinks. I don't have a spare tensioner to measure that washer.

I'm not really following your thinking on the washer here either. So you're saying that you think it's thicker or thinner than the correct one and so it's more likely to cause the contact to break contact from ground and trigger the alarm?

I don't see how that washer thickness could affect anything. If the plastic guide sleeve is isolating the circuit from the tensioner correctly then the thickness of the washer should be offset by the adjustment of the tensioner, shouldn't it?

Sorry if I sound thick. It may be too early for me to be responding.

 

The thicker the washer, the more sensitive to trigger.
Think if a very thick washer that just barely allowed the unit to make contact.
Any little slack during accel will trip it.
Looks like its thick and non original. Need a comparison.

But you may be right on it being something else inside the tenisoner.
I don't know how I can fix multiples, then make a mistake on one, but its happening more with age.

 

the thickness of the washer will increase the spring pressure that will reduce the amount of tension required to break the ground connection.
In other words even though the belt is tight the tensioner system has a smaller window to operate in till the ground track is broken
A couple of things to look at , first have you rebuilt the tensioner??
If so did you clean all of the washers and stack them per the WSM?
What color are the pivot bushings??
does the tensioner piston move freely in the housing?
What type of oil are you using?
Is there any bit of play on the pivot bolt and the bushings?
Did you replace the belt tension roller?

 

New bushings, I think grey.
Same pivot bolt. Little play. Some.
Same tensioner roller / brgs. Little play. Some
Belt is tracking now based on visibility through vent holes, was out of track until I went back in and replaced the bushings 200 miles ago.
New O rings, boot, clamp.
I kept the stack the same as it looked right as the pictures and others I'd done washer by washer before. Visual from memory. Assumed. Didn't check.
I think I put 15W 50 in this. Usually I use 80 or 90W gear oil.

Should there be any resistance when filling. None on this one. Filled one port with no pressure necessary till it overran the other.

I tried to go economy on this. Now going in for the third time.

Edit: I need that thickness spec still. Heppp.

I'll pull the cover and check the tension and confirm the tracking.

Almost ready to Pork-it.

 

On the Kempf tool where is your tension, it is on the tight side of the window? If not the light will trigger on an 85.

 

Thanks, I'll check.
BTW, it did this 200 miles ago. Just now getting to it.
Separately have been fighting a no start / tow home issue.

This the original owner car that slept for 10 years.
I'm wondering if the electrical failures didn't drive the guy to park it.
Found a wire that crossed the back of the CE and melt-contacted other wires, among other things.

No excuse for me f'ing up this timing belt situation though.

 

Different strokes for different tensioners. Had an '85, it was always set in the middle of window. I don't think I ever red-lined it, but it got exercised at times. I will try to remember to measure the washer this weekend, if you still need same. Since installing Porkit, the old pieces are available. I do remember people saying it needs to be on "tight" side of window for this MY.

 

Thanks for the clarification on the washer. I think I get it now.
If you are just getting this 200 miles after a new belt, maybe you're just due for an adjustment. Is the belt new or did you just do the job 200 miles ago and re-use the belt that wasn't used up yet?

Also, if the belt was tracking badly and you replaced the bushings is it possible the shoulder bolt is bent or the WP pulley was affected? Hate to say it but you may be in for a complete dismantle and review of every part.

You said you went cheap this time and now you're doing it over. BTDT. Intake: 3 times, TB/WP: twice. Tensioner: twice.

 

first I would suggest that you call Roger and order the tan bushings, new pivot bolt and a new tensioner roller bearing.
The gray bushings seem to give a more loose of a fit the tan ones fit so there isnt any play olus a new pivot bolt.
The roller bearing should not have any shaft movement.
I suggest that you also refill the tensioner with STP all you have to do is add it it should push the old oil out as it seems to displace the lighter oils, use a visene bottle with the tip drilled out so the STP will flow .
You fill from the hole closest to the passenger fender and put a rag under the inner hole( closest to the crank) and let the old oil drip out

I had a similar problem with my 88 the light would come on once in a while , the tension was at the top of the Kempf tool but i found the play in the bushings ( I had put new gray bushings in) and bearing, once i replaced these all was well till my WP bearing moved so another new Laso WP and belt all is good now

 

Thanks, just straightening up in the garage, ready to go in.
Great suggestions and reminders.

OK, a little more.
New Lasso, new belt, black bushings looked good, tensioner roller looked good, re-tensioned at about 1500 miles (no light), tracking bad at Frenzy 13 inspection (guy named Carl spotted it / scuffed belt too), went in third time and replaced bushings (rog/I'll check color/not black like ones removed). At that point, on reassembly, got the light at real heavy accel, put a half turn on the 17mm bolt, still got light.

Today will actually be 4th time in. Love it when I save money!

Steve G, if you or anybody else can put a caliper on that washer I'd appreciate it.

 

Update. Cover off. Tracking fine.

Inadequate Tension, cold, below bottom of window at TDC ( 0l10 on balancer, rotor towards right ).

(rotation of stopped motor was about 1/4 crank turn pre-TDC --- measurement there for fun was tighter, ie, all the way past the window on kempf.)

 

after replacing the wire, cleaning the connections, i gave up. I just shorted it , as the belt tension is right on the money. the warning went on after a few mins after start up. maybe that little plunger that makes and keeps contact with the tensioner housing is the issue. maybe, some how, it is not a good ground, but I have a hard time with that, due to the 5 bolts that connect it to the block! maybe the gear oil I use in the tensioner has insulating qualities, as it does leak out a little and maybe just contaminates the contact.

frustrating. seems they could have designed a better systems for this.

mk