^^^^^ for this picture to move the belt back, the bushings on the pivot arm should be swapped out,
this indicates that the tensioner roller is tilted ever so slightly towards the crank damper,
This condition could also be a bent pivot bolt causing this.

In a worst case the belt will move forwards enough to contact the rear of the damper and thus begin shredding itself

 

If you mean my car pictures, both the bushings and the bolt have been changed. WP was also changed, a Laso from Roger.

 

Hi Mrmerlin, not sure I understand the term "crank damper" would that be the harmonic balancer? Sorry if that is an obvious question.

On my setup there are to "flange washers" (p/n 9281021250) one on the inside toward the engine and one on the outside toward the harmonic balancer. I made sure they were correctly inserted.

I also fitted new bushes to the pivot arm - they were a different type to the ones fitted in the original (original being black and new ones where white). I didn't replace the pivot bolt though.

 

Dave: Don't want to answer for someone else, but it's been a day. Not obvious question. It would be nice if everyone used same terminology but there is no arbiter. h. balancer and crank dampener are the same. Hard to tell from the pic, but it does look to be a little forward. These belts run a little forward of center,usu not this much. You can take the bolt out and see if is "true" == might not be able to see it -- roll it on a known flat surface. An overtightened belt can cause this. Peace of mind would call for a new bolt and bushings, but IIRC you already replaced the bushings.

 

Thanks Steve, I looked carefully at the pics in the Workshop Manual and the belt does appear to be slightly forward.
My worry was the rear (engine side) flange washer had been damaged when pulling off the crank sprocket. I had bent it with the gear puller - but I carefully "reformed" it (reformed it means hit it with a hammer several times) until it looked the right shape. I thought I'd managed to really straighten it out nicely and kept the engine facing curve of the lip.

If the bolt was the cause - I could back it off 1/4 of a turn and then 1/2 a turn to see if the belt position changes. I am pretty confident the belt is not too tight. But again I could loosen it just to prove a point.

By the way, took the car for a test drive today - she is running super smoothly - I am wondering if previously the belt/cams were out by a tooth or two. I took great care in lining up the notches on the cams. Mind you this might just be a combination of my imagination and an oil change

 

Are the cup-shaped washers around the belt's crank gear round the right way? They assist the belt in staying on the pulley, and I've seen one round the wrong way before causing incorrect tracking.

(the convex side should face the belt).

 

Dave has confirmed the crank washers were refitted correctly, and I also know that is the case with my car.

I am begining to suspect the position of the pulley on the new Lasso pump I fitted. I still have the old pump on the shelf with which the belt ran well in from the edge of the cam gears.

Now I need to measure the distance on both old and new pumps from front of the pulley to the rear face at the block interface...

 

John, you are right I took care to make sure the crank washers are in correctly - if not the curved lip would probably foul on the belt. It was also very clear which way round they were meant to go due to the marks of the crank sprocket on the mating surface.

John - I didn't change my water pump. So whilst that might have been a bad idea, and perhaps I should have WYAIT - but it does indicate that the belt isn't running forward in my car because of that... So that is an area we differ yet have the same symptom. A thought just crossed my mind but I am not sure this is a likely cause. I recall you fitted 'white' bushes - I did too. The ones I took out where black (and still very snug - didn't look worn or feel they had a lot of play in them). I just wonder?

 

I'd forgotten that you didn't change your WP.

I was also supplied with the "white" bushes. All the previous ones I have seen and fitted were black.

When I fitted the white bushes they are much too tight on the pivot bolt, I had to ream them out and the end result was free movement with no play. Belt too far forward.... so I ordered a new bolt and bushes from OPC and the bushes (black) fitted with no problem and the bolt was free, maybe a little freeer on the bolt.

Result, the belt still runs forward..... I'm pretty pissed off....

I also changed the belt for a new Gates, and it is fitted with the script showing correctly, as per my picture.