Timing belt tension

[Hkp7]

Curious, I have had a problem with a running vibration that starts at 75 to 80 mph. It felt sort of like a misfire. After thinking about everything that can cause a vibration including ordering new engine mounts which I havent installed yet, i thought of my hesitation problem when cold. Timing belt tension was set using the Kemph tool. I tightened up the belt slightly and the shakes went away along with hesitation. I now know my belt is tighter than spec, maybe my rebuilt tensioner was not bled properly by the installer? What do you guys think?

[Mrmerlin]

more than likly removing the right cam cover also involved removing the right coil wire and then refitting it , usually when the car runs poorly the coil wires are to blame.
The tensioner isnt bled per say,
but rather filled till the oil comes out the other hole to indicate its filled./
Hopefully you used STP oil treatment in the tensioner as this is thicker oil and seems to take a long time before it leaks out of the tensioner

[chesireIsugaree]

Billy the Kid. Wild Bill.....


I think you could have a beat motor- and the wobble you feel is the crank................ moving in it's journals. You told me some things that sounded odd about the way she ran for a while Pal. If overtightening the belt (edit; overtightening enough to necessitate a custom stainless shoulder bolt and washer setup)relieves the symptom, maybe the symptom is a result of doing the same... and now it's permanent. Just a thought. I'm no engineer, so I don't know if that's possible, but if it is, and people who've owned her kept doing the same, it's reasonable thought.

Strange enough... someone gave me a motor back that had this problem, allegedly.

[chesireIsugaree]

howdy Merlin

[Hkp7]

The belt is not really tightened much more than the kemph tool setting. The Wire set is about a month old so I am guessing the coil wire is good. Driving home from work today I tried to pay more attention to what is now a very slight vibration, noticed it is more in the seat than in the front end. Maybe just the core of the car. The car has 134k miles on it and had 124 when I got it last summer. I have so far replaced a considerable amount of engine parts. My goal is to make this car feel as close to as it did in 84 when it was new. Engine runs quiet with no knocking bearing sounds. I admit I did many "jump the gun" diagnostics in the past by being fueled on confusion. It is kinda funny though that when a car turns 26 it may not just be the common problems to look for.
One thing I would like to add, the car has a lot more power when the distributer is advanced more than 23 degrees. The advance diaphragm holds vacuum, but I do have an intake air leak that I cannot pinpoint. Probably in one of the runner boots. I posted yesterday using cell phone internet and I guess I left out some info that was important.

When I first got the car I paid a shop to change the timing belt. I rebuilt the tensioner myself. I didnt have time or the tools at that time to do the work myself. I had the car towed to the shop with all the covers, bolts and parts in the hatch area. I am not sure what type of oil was used in the tensioner but I now plan to try to drain what is in there and replace it with the stp. Guess I need a new gasket. Guess I will start there, set the timing to spec again, set the tension to kemph spec. And from here guess that there may be no or too little oil in tensioner.
Thanks Guys, Bill.

[dcrasta]

Vibration at 75-80 mph can also be collapsed motor mounts. My mounts are collapsed and the engine rests on the crossmember. This causes a grumble vibration at 80mph .

I am installing a Jagermount speedmount (basically a big rubber pad) until I can RR my motor mounts.