vanster

I've noticed in a few write ups regarding TB/WP change that there is not a gasket between the tensioner and the block. I do have one (green) well worn. What does it do and do I need it?
Van

Mrmerlin

if your using the factory tensioner then you need the gasket,
so it will hold the oil in the tensioner,
that said i suggest to use some Hondabond 4 on the gasket to provide a better sealing medium ,
and also use STP oil in the tensioner,
its thicker and wont leak out as fast as the thinner oils will

vanster

Thanks Stan,
Also I knocked the shaft with the washers onto the floor by mistake.
Half fell off...will this be a big issue?. I think I got them back together correctly

Rob Edwards

The Bellvilles go like this:

end towards tensioner bolt ((((( ))))) ((((())))) ((((())))) ((((( end towards belt

PorKen

Depends on the year. Check the WSM.

Early 'tensioner' housings did not use a gasket.

The number and stacking order of Belleville washers also varies by year.

vanster

I have a late '80 and there was a gasket on it, but I'm not the first one to replace the belt nor the water pump. I found a rebuilt pump, that had failed, and the aluminum cam gears along with the oil pump gear were shot. I have replaced them with good steel gears and a new pump, not a rebuild.
The washers (disk) are really flat. Only a few have a curve. Normal?

Rob Edwards

All the washers should have an identical amount of curvature. Are you looking at the gaps between stacks of 5 (or 10) washers that all 'line up' together and counting the gaps as curved?

Or if you lay them all out individually, some are flat and some aren't?

Ken, that's interesting RE: differing numbers of washers by year- never heard of that. PET (which of course is always right ) lists 35 washers, same part #, irrespective of year.

GlenL

Early car had no gasket because the oil was only inside the tensioner. My '80 has a gasket now because it now has a later tensioner.

Check the tensioner to see if there are holes to let the oil go out into the cavities on the block. Perhaps someone got the gasket and put it on without knowing what it was for.

John Speake

Why does the Ptensioner need the gasket ?

vanster

Good question

ROG100

Dissimilar metals - to be safe

vanster

Here is a pic of the tensioner
It appears that there are 2 holes that oil seeps thru but I can seem to find anything on the block that shows a reason for this.
The gasket seems a bit marginal to me but I don't understand what it goes through. Can I just make a new one from a sheet of gasket material the same thickness?

Landseer

I'd lay a sheet of 400 or 600 paper on the flat deck of a table saw.
Oil it.
Then gently sand that piece circularly for 15 seconds or so to ensure flatness.

Similar treatment of the block, with a wood block wrapped in 400 or 600 paper.


Clean, install with new factory gasket.

At least that's the way I do them.

Better yet, replace with Porkensioner!

ROG100

The oil just sits in the opposite depresions in the block to enable tranfer of heat via the oil to the bellville washers.
You may want to check that the correct parts go with that tensioner if it is a later type. I am assuming it was changed at some point as the 80 did not have the oil holes.

GlenL

The oil pools against the block. The purpose is to conduct heat to the tensioner. The fancy washers are designed to flex as they heat and adjust the tension as the blocks heats and expands. This keeps the tension more consistent over temperatures.