How to get correct timing belt tension without the gauge??

[VW_Commuter]

True.  I'll have to check on the other tool sellers to see if I can find the 'correct' tool for the job.  I'm always looking for more tools, a man can never have enough tools.

[AudiVWguy]

How does Bently describe the process for the 45 degree angle? (use two fingers, twist hard, twist easy, please explain). Anybody have the VW tool? The Harbor Freight tool is $29.00 not bad, are the settings the same as the official VW tool. How do they compare?
-JB

[79rabbit4dr]

I'm home now and just checked my brand spankin' new Continental timing belt, wait for it, 1" [wide] exactly.

I'm confused, isn't the tool for up to 3/4" THICK, not WIDE? So the HF tool would work... Right???

EDIT: just read the listing on  their site

says,
    * Suitable for cam belts of various sizes, up to 3/4" wide and 1/2" thick
    * Dual scale allows reading from top or bottom of tool
    * Clear incremental markings with knurled knob for precise measurement
    * Cast aluminum and machined steel construction


NOPE, won't work on our 1" wide belts.

[rabbitman]

I bet the one from harbor freight would work fine.

I can't find how to buy anything from this place but they got the tensioner here, and a some other neat stuff.
http://www.baumtools.com/pdf/VAG_Diesel_Injection_System.pdf

[Smokey Eddy]

wow i've never done any of that.
my budd pulls on the tensioner and i tighten the nut and if there is excess play anywhere in the belt we re-do all the teeth and try again.

Is it stupid to say it's fairly easy to judge when it's tight enough that it can't skip teeth?
90 degrees just thinking about it seems too much
45 sounds like the max I'd allow. if i could get it to go 45 i'd try to get it a little tighter. I usually gently hit it with a finishing hammer to judge how tight it is.

like tire pressure on a semi truck though much smaller hammer

[zukgod1]

The reason there is a specific tension required is if it's over tightened you are going to trash your Intermediate shaft bearings AND the bushings in the IP at the same time.

45 is fine and I usually go a tad more, like 60ish deg but this is only becasue I dont have the correct tool.

[79rabbit4dr]

I can't find how to buy anything from this place but they got the tensioner here, and a some other neat stuff.

it has their contact info in that link you posted.

ph: 800-848-6657
e-mail: [email protected]

I just sent them an e-mail for pricing on the compression gauge, inj line crowfoot, and belt tens gauge. I'll let you all know what I hear.

[Vincent Waldon]

inj line crowfoot

Hey... cool... that's the only thing I've asked Santa for this year !  :wink:

[Smokey Eddy]

I went out and looked at my belt, yeah, 45 would be pretty tight.

wrecked IP bushings would suckkkkk
and int. med. shaft...

[jackbombay]

FWIW, it is virtually impossible to have the belt too loose. I put a new belt on a friends IDI a while back, the belt on there was so old and stretched out that at idle it had been flopping about enough to hit the insideo f the timing belt cover "ding ding ding ding ding..." The belt actually had slack, it had been that way for some time, it was so old and weak that /I tore it off with my thumbs and index fingers like it was damp cardboard.

  I would never set one up like that intentionally, but it just needs to be "not loose", IMO.

[rabbitman]

Yeah a few years ago I mustuv overtightened my belt, the int shaft bearings are still good but my IP bushings got worn out real fast, 12,000 Miles on a fully rebuilt pump. The belt was WAY too tight for only about 1000 miles and then my uncle checked it and saw that it was too tight so I loosened it but for some reason it kept wearing. :cry: So I sent it back to get fixed, cost $95, and now it's doing it again only one year later, I'll make sure it's loose enough next time. :x

Warning, this story is not vw related!  
I got so lucky today, I have a '99 polaris XC600, fast 'machine haha.
Anyways today I was ripping along at 75-80mph in about a foot of powder for probly 4 miles so it was working pretty hard, and all a the sudden the engine locked up so fast the track skidded I thought great not again, a few years ago I got a clogged jet with it and totaly fried one cylinder, cost almost 600 bucks to fix it.
Anyways I pulled on the rope and the engine was seized tight so I opened the hood and checked it out, you now oil and lines and stuff, everything was fine. So I pulled the rope again and it had loosened enough to turn over. it had no compression but it somehow actually started so I drove it to were I was going, richened the mixture a bit and it ran perfect all day, the compession went back up to normal too. I thought it'd be a little weaker but it hits 90 real easy. I figured since it was still set up for high altitude from last year the lean mixture at the lower altitude got the pistons extra hot so they expanded untill they got too tight to move. I had to buy junky oil for it this morning so I dumped a little bit in the gas tank along with the oil injection, maybe that little bit extra saved it........

[fatmobile]

FWIW, it is virtually impossible to have the belt too loose. I put a new belt on a friends IDI a while back, the belt on there was so old and stretched out that at idle it had been flopping about enough to hit the insideo f the timing belt cover "ding ding ding ding ding..."

 
 Yep, when it's too loose it'll vibrate against the timing belt cover,... rubbing on the plastic.
 At about 2000-2500 RPM if I remember right.

 Most of the times I've heard of a timing belt jumping a tooth;..
... it's been during a sudden change in RPM.
 it's been the injection pump that they jumped on,... not the cam or crank.

 I suppose the idler holds it tight against the cam,..
and the belt wraps several degrees around the crank, compared to the injection pump.

[jtanguay]

FWIW, it is virtually impossible to have the belt too loose. I put a new belt on a friends IDI a while back, the belt on there was so old and stretched out that at idle it had been flopping about enough to hit the insideo f the timing belt cover "ding ding ding ding ding..."

 
 Yep, when it's too loose it'll vibrate against the timing belt cover,... rubbing on the plastic.
 At about 2000-2500 RPM if I remember right.

 Most of the times I've heard of a timing belt jumping a tooth;..
... it's been during a sudden change in RPM.
 it's been the injection pump that they jumped on,... not the cam or crank.

 I suppose the idler holds it tight against the cam,..
and the belt wraps several degrees around the crank, compared to the injection pump.

makes sense why the 1Z has a roller that helps keep the belt firmly on the injection pump

[79rabbit4dr]

Heard back from Baum Tools;

Do you want the complete kit M70TEK?   $289.00  or just the gauge and a specific adapter?  


H4550   $114.36 in stock

210  superseded to AS4395A  $304.14  


Skip St.John
Baum Tools
1-800-848-6657

[mpg]

DO NOT use the 45deg. method!! I did and the belt was definately too tight. The IP soon started leaking from the sprocket shaft, and after the engine ran for  appx. 30 seconds the belt snapped and flew by my buddy's face :shock:  
 Oh, 1.6TD, by the way, and I did buy another belt, put it on, used the proper tool, and the engine still runs fine to this day. No bent valves