1.5 hour to adjust belts?

Magnus_944 · 04-23-2001, 01:20 PM

I have replaced the water pump some time ago and the engine is now running again. However, I thought it could be a good idea to let the porsche shop check the cam shaft and balance belt tension before I really start using the car. So I asked how long time they think it will take check and adjust the belts and what they charged per hour. The guy behind the counter said: 1.5 hours and we charged 975 SEK per hour = 1462 SEK ($145) for the work.
I almost died on the spot...

I wonder, does it take 1.5 hour for a professional mechanic to adjust the belts?

/Magnus

Weldin · 04-23-2001, 01:33 PM

Sounds about right...

mike944 · 04-23-2001, 06:10 PM

I just had mine tensioned 2 weeks ago. I called around to several german car specialty shops, and got anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours. The place that did it the cheapest, was a Porsche specialty shop. (there must have been at least 6 944's in the parking lot) I guess it takes less time if the shop does alot of them.

Ven · 04-23-2001, 06:47 PM

I have replaced blance and timing in 2 hours or so. You should REALLY go and buy the P9201 tenssion tool it will pay for it'self verry quickly. I bought one when I got my 944.

ccus944 · ccus944's Garage

My mechanic charges me 1 hour of labor to retension the belts....$50...Cus

hoff944 · 04-23-2001, 10:12 PM

Mine charges $65 for the tension.

marksportcts · marksportcts's Garage

Have you guys seen these instructions?

http://geocities.com/blaszak_precision/Belts.html

the tool that he uses is made by Krikit

http://www.hmc-international.com/krikit.htm

and is available from NAPA for about $12-15.
Way cheaper than the factory tool.

mike944 · 04-24-2001, 05:20 AM

I bought the Krikit tool, and after looking at it, and playing with it, i wouldn't trust it as far as i could throw it. I tried to use it when i did the belts, and i couldn't physically find a spot to put it on the belt without the tool hitting anything else.

But, i used it to get the tension close enough so that i could safely drive it over to the shop and have someone tension it with the factory tool. I set the cam belt to 40 (with the Kirkit) and the cam belt to 28.

when i went to pick it up, the mechanic said i had the belts WAY too tight, that's why it was making noise.

I like to do everything myself, but i couldn't bring myself to spend $450 on a tool that i would only use 2 times every few years. I can have someone else tension the belts 7 times for what the tool will cost me.

Whichever way you decide to go, remember you need to have the belts re-tensioned at 3000KM (1800 miles) since they strech quickly when they are new.

Mike

Richard Foy · 04-24-2001, 11:51 AM

Takes even less than that if you don't put the covers back on. From what I an see, my cover nearly cost me. Whoever did the last job on my car, must have not locked the back part of the belt cover, and one of the 10mm bolts fell down, and tore a hole in my balance belt, but it didn't break. Had it broken, it would have slapped around inside it's cover until it involved the timing belt...my point is, why put the cover back on at all?

Magnus_944 · 04-24-2001, 12:22 PM

I also have the Krikit tool and I don't trust it. I tried to use it put I only got weird readings, and the belt or tool touched something before I heard the "click". So I used the "feeling" to tension the belt and it's probably a bite to hard since it makes some noise. But I don't think it will be any problem to drive to the shop, it's not very far. I have also fought about buying the famous tool (P9201) and now after I heard what the shop will charge me for adjusting the belts it starts to feel like an alternative. I have to check if it's available here in sweden at reasonable cost.

Thanks for your replies!
/Magnus

Lawrence Coppari · 04-24-2001, 12:57 PM

Krikit works ok for the cam belt. If it is tight enough, the flexing of the belt will not touch anything before the thing clicks. You have to remove the chrome belt guard from the water pump and have the balance shaft belt off when you do it.

As for the balance shaft belt, I do not tighten mine to spec. If I do, it whines like crazy until it gets hot. I checked with a PCA technical guru; he said he did not tighten his balance shaft belt to spec for same reason. Cam belt must be tight.