Tighten timing belt?

[kcoyle]

I'm posting for my brother. (1989s4)

He had the timing belt changed about 5 years ago at the dealership and at the time they told him to bring it back in after around 2500 miles to be tightened/checked. He finally hit 2500 miles after this years Hershey meet so the question is does he need to go back and get it checked out?

Thanks
Kevin

[Mrmerlin]

yes the timing belt should have been checked after 1500 miles it gets checked cold and at TDC

[Linderpat]

plus, the tension should be checked every so often anyway. At least once every couple of years. It should also be inspected visually very regularly. Easy to do - pull the venturi tubes and look in the holes at the top of the covers, make sure the belt is tracked into the center of the sprockets. Feel it underneath the covers for good tension as well (which is not a substitute for a real tension check by the way), and use a mirror to look around the area and up inside and behind the covers. Takes 5 minutes.

[kcoyle]

Ok, he will bring it back in to get checked.
Here's the subjective part, should there be a charge for this?

[Linderpat]

sure. why wouldn't there be? Unless he paid in advance for it, the service provider gets to charge for the service provided. He can always DIY; just get the tool and study how to do it.

[Mrmerlin]

These charges should have been negotiated when the original belt work was done,

NOTE if he was bringing the car back to the shop that installed the belt,
then I would figure the charge for a tension check would be figured into the installation charge.

Thats what I do, all of my customers like this little freebie, even though they have already paid for it upfront,
it is also incentive for the owner to have the work checked after the new parts have had time to wear in.

[tisilrad]

my timing belt warning light came on at about 1500 miles so the need to check it is obviously necessary. I had to retension mine..it wasnt off by much but it is scary when that light comes on on an interference motor:P

[kcoyle]

Originally Posted by Mrmerlin

These charges should have been negotiated when the original belt work was done,
NOTE if he was bringing the car back to the shop that installed the belt,
then I would figure the charge for a tension check would be figured into the installation charge.

I believe that's the case here. Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated.

[Pete R]

Originally Posted by Mrmerlin

yes the timing belt should have been checked after 1500 miles it gets checked cold and at TDC

Why at TDC?

[Mrmerlin]

Pete Per the WSM,
timing belt tension is checked with the engine cold and the timing set to TDC

[Pete R]

Originally Posted by Mrmerlin

Pete Per the WSM,
timing belt tension is checked with the engine cold and the timing set to TDC

yeah, I know it says that but I was wondering the logic behind it other than to check the timing. Tension is tension, it doesn't matter where on the rotation it is, nor will an adjustment change the timing being that it's a toothed belt. I was just curious about it.

[19psi]

The cam sprockets will forcefully move on their own depending what position they are in. Test tension at a random location and you won't even be close. The alignment procedure is even in your Kempf tool instructions.

[Mrmerlin]

thanks George

[Pete R]

ahh, that makes sence