problem getting timing belt off spring tensioner...

Tishabet · 11-08-2003, 03:37 PM

Hello Everyone,
I need some advice on a problem I ran into today while I was changing my belts......
I have an 89 NA, which means that I've got the spring loaded doohickey to tension the belt. Well, today I lost my timing belt cherry.....almost. You see, I can't get the belt off. No problem with anything until I tried to get the belt off of the spring loaded tensioner, I just can't seem to get enough clearance behind the roller to get the damned thing off the engine. I've tried moving the tensioner into various different configurations (compressed spring, uncompressed string, and in between) but it seems like there are some studs or something coming out of the block that are leaving just too little clearance between the front of the block and the back of the tensioner roller. Now, I was working from two different sources.....first source was the writeup from clark's garage, and the second was an article from Excellence. Excellence didn't mention this problem at all, I think they pretty much summed it up as, "now remove the belt." Clark, however, says that he prefers to remove the spring tensioner entirely, which at this time is looking like a pretty good option. problem is, his description says that the tensioner is held on to the block by 3 hard to see, hard to access bolts.....and for the life of me I can't find them. Granted, the space at hand is tight and I was working my the beam of a single trouble light (this problem struck at about dusk) but still, it would seem I should be able to figure it out.
So what say the spring loaded tensioner gurus? How do I get this belt off? I don't want to stay a belt virgin forever

Thanks!

swimmingly · 11-08-2003, 03:56 PM

remove the tensioner entirely

Tishabet · 11-08-2003, 04:07 PM

Any help on where to find the bolts?

Britwrench · 11-08-2003, 05:57 PM

Undo the tensioner lock nut and bolt, release the belt tension and take the belt off the cam gear. Put a 17mm wrench on the tensioner pulley nut move the pulley to about half way of it's travel. Use a 13mm socket and short extension and remove the accesible fixing nuts. Then move the pulley again until you can undo the other nut. Then pull the pulley to the postion it was to tension the belt. Pull the tensioner off the block.

Tishabet · 11-08-2003, 06:21 PM

Thanks for the advice Britwrench. Will I be able to see the fixing nuts or at least feel them or are they way back there and I'll just have to "feel" for them with a socket?

Britwrench · 11-08-2003, 10:14 PM

Feel, you can barely see them. The nuts are normal M8 with spring (wavy) washers..don't loose the washers!!!!!

Tishabet · 11-08-2003, 10:20 PM

Great, thanks so much for the info Britwrench! First thing tomorrow AM I'm gonna tackle it again...wish me luck!

Britwrench · 11-08-2003, 10:22 PM

If you have a short (3") "wobble " 3/8" drive extension with a 13mm socket on it, life will be easier than you ever believed.

Tishabet · 11-09-2003, 02:33 PM

Didn't have a wobble extension, but had a variety of extension lengths and per your advice got the tensioner off in about 5-10 minutes. Rest of the job was a snap, and the car just took me for a 45 minute jaunt around some twisty back roads. Thanks for the advice Britwrench!