When do you need to loosen a tensioner pulley?
Sometimes, maintenance or repair will require tightening or loosening a tensioner pulley. Replacing a drive belt or timing belt, for example, would require you to loosen a tensioner pulley to make room for the new belt, as the new belt is smaller than the worn drive belt.
How can I adjust the tensioner on my timing belt?
Loosen the tensioner enough so that it will be able to have a light contact with the timing belt. Check to see whether the timing belt is following its proper course. The timing marks on the belt should be aligned with the timing marks on the cam, crank and sprockets. If not, refer to the owner’s manual for the correct course.
How is the pulley on a Honda timing belt adjusted?
Mechanical tensioner pulleys are generally adjusted using a sliding bolt, usually AI tensioners, or by adjusting a tensioner screw, usually NAI tensioners. The tiny Honda timing belt tensioner spring pictured in this section is more of a reference than a tensioner, making it an NAI mechanical tensioner, adjusted by hex key and torqued.
Where is the hydraulic tensioner on a timing chain?
Hydraulic (not hydraulic-damped) tensioners are almost always located in the timing case, mostly on vehicles with timing chains, though some are used with timing belts. Hydraulic tensioners are powered by oil pressure from the engine oil pump and may press on a tensioner pulley (timing belts) or tension slipper (timing chain).
What does the pulley on the timing belt do?
The snakelike timing belt on the side of the engine is essential for maintaining your car’s performance. It is controlled by a round pulley called a tensioner that keeps the line taught as it rotates. More often than not, the tensioner goes bad before the timing belt does.
How do you loosen a timing belt tensioner?
The bolt in the center of the tensioner secures it to the engine block. Use a ratchet wrench 1⁄ 2 to 3⁄ 4 in (1.3 to 1.9 cm) in size to loosen the bolt. Rotate the tensioner away from the belt first as far as possible, then reverse direction. Note any problems you experience.
Why does my timing belt keep stretching out?
The timing belt is a rubber belt that runs over and through a series of pulleys and gears. Over time, due to age and heat, the belt will stretch out. As the belt stretches it can become loose, so the tensioner needs to adjust the belt as needed to keep it tight.
What happens when a belt tensioner goes bad?
When the tensioner or tensioner pulley fails, the loss of tension can cause the belt and pulleys to make high-pitched rattling or chirping noises. If the pulley bearing completely fails, it can also cause a squealing or even a grinding noise.
What’s the best way to loosen a NaI pulley?
To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw. Push the pulley toward the other pulleys or accessories, loosening the belt. Spring tensioner pulleys, as the name implies, use a spring to hold tension on the belt.
How to calculate the work done by tension on a pulley?
If we consider all the block + Pulleys + string as one system then the tension becomes internal force and we know that the work done by the internal force is zero. Work done by tension on block M1 = -T.x1 Work done by tension on block M2 = 2T.x2 Differentiating twice with respect to time we get:
What’s the best way to loosen a tensioner?
If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt. To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw.
Sometimes, maintenance or repair will require tightening or loosening a tensioner pulley. Replacing a drive belt or timing belt, for example, would require you to loosen a tensioner pulley to make room for the new belt, as the new belt is smaller than the worn drive belt.
To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw. Push the pulley toward the other pulleys or accessories, loosening the belt. Spring tensioner pulleys, as the name implies, use a spring to hold tension on the belt.
How do you loosen a belt tensioner on a car?
Also, some vehicles require a star-shaped Torx bit to loosen the belt tensioner. While the pulley is being pulled forward, slide the serpentine belt off of any pulley it is connected to. Release the pressure from the belt tensioner pulley by removing the tool. Inspect the pulley and belt while they are apart.
How do you remove a pulley from a serpentine belt?
While the pulley is being pulled forward, slide the serpentine belt off of any pulley it is connected to. Release the pressure from the belt tensioner pulley by removing the tool. Inspect the pulley and belt while they are apart. Check the pulley for any cracks and wiggle it to see if it is loose.
How does hydraulic damper work on tensioner pulleys?
The spring maintains tension, while the hydraulic damper keeps it from bouncing under load changes. This prevents timing belts and timing chains slapping and jumping teeth and keeps drive belts from slipping and making noise.
How do you reinstall a serpentine belt on an auto tensioner?
Reverse the procedure to reinstall the serpentine belt on the pulley system auto tensioner. Be careful to get the belt on the the other pulleys and aligned properly on all parts of the complicated routing, then apply the tool to allow the belt to be slipped onto the tensioner pulley.
How can I relieve the tension on my belt?
Rotate the pulley on the belt tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the tension of the belt with the proper sized socket and ratchet. Slide the belt off of the belt tensioner pulley. Let the belt hang down.
Where is the hole in a belt tensioner?
Some belt tensioners have a 3/8-inch square hole in the end of the spring-loaded arm that can also be used to relieve the tension from the belt. Rotate the pulley on the belt tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the tension of the belt with the proper sized socket and ratchet. Slide the belt off of the belt tensioner pulley.
How does a spring tensioner pulley loosen a belt?
Push the pulley toward the other pulleys or accessories, loosening the belt. Spring tensioner pulleys, as the name implies, use a spring to hold tension on the belt. Most, if not all, spring tensioner pulleys are NAI tensioners and include a hydraulic damper.
Reverse the procedure to reinstall the serpentine belt on the pulley system auto tensioner. Be careful to get the belt on the the other pulleys and aligned properly on all parts of the complicated routing, then apply the tool to allow the belt to be slipped onto the tensioner pulley.
Rotate the pulley on the belt tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the tension of the belt with the proper sized socket and ratchet. Slide the belt off of the belt tensioner pulley. Let the belt hang down.
Some belt tensioners have a 3/8-inch square hole in the end of the spring-loaded arm that can also be used to relieve the tension from the belt. Rotate the pulley on the belt tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the tension of the belt with the proper sized socket and ratchet. Slide the belt off of the belt tensioner pulley.
If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt. To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw. Push the pulley toward the other pulleys or accessories, loosening the belt.
When do you know you need to replace your belt tensioner?
If you notice that there is resistance, roughness, or noise every time you turn the pulley, then there’s a chance that the problem is in the pulley bearings. You might think of replacing only the pulley bearings in this case. Mechanics will tell you to replace the entire belt tensioner system.
What causes a belt tensioner pulley to squeak?
Tensioner pulley wear will cause your pulley to squeak. A worn out pulley bearing or a worn spring in the tension pulley can also cause squeaking or a chirp. I show you how to use water to identify what type of squeak problem you have and then how to find the problem.
If you notice that there is resistance, roughness, or noise every time you turn the pulley, then there’s a chance that the problem is in the pulley bearings. You might think of replacing only the pulley bearings in this case. Mechanics will tell you to replace the entire belt tensioner system.
If equipped with a tensioner screw, back off the tensioner screw. Then, push the alternator toward the other pulleys, loosening the belt. To loosen an NAI tensioner, loosen the locking nut or bolt, then back off the tensioner screw.