dart.ricochet

I'm putting my car (2.7T BEL) back together and have a few questions about the timing belt.

I torqued the hex socket on the TB tensioner-roller to 11lb-ft as recommended by Bentley, et. al. , and pulled the pin on the new tensioner, but the belt doesn't seem tight. It isn't sagging, but if I tug on one of the slacker sections it has about an inch of play. Normal?

My timing marks line up; I used the cam locking tool diligently, I made sure the arrows on the cams lined up with the slots, I had the crank-locking pin in to the point where I couldn't turn the crank one iota during the replacement, my silver Sharpie marks on the crank line up with the cams in correct timing, but my harmonic balancer mark is not in alignment now as I reassemble. Is that possible with the crank in TDC?

Thanks for your input. I'm tired of having a brick, not a car.

Prospeeder

Im confused at your last step. Here is how i do it. I have pulleys spinning free. Belt on, cam bar on. Then pull the pin, and then using your wrench put 11 ftlbs on the hex on the pulley itself. There is a hex in the face of the pulley so you can tension the belt. They are not talking about the pulley hold down bolt which is what it sounds like you torquing. Remember, You can put the tensioner pulley on and tighten the middle bolt and the pulley still tuns on its eccentric.

After you have the pin pulled, and your tension set. Then tighten the cam pulleys and put it together

dart.ricochet

[QUOTE=Prospeeder;24591695I have pulleys spinning free. Belt on, cam bar on. Then pull the pin, and then using your wrench put 11 ftlbs on the hex on the pulley itself. There is a hex in the face of the pulley so you can tension the belt.

After you have the pin pulled, and your tension set. Then tighten the cam pulleys and put it together[/QUOTE]

That's the order I did it it as well. Sprockets spinnning, bar on, belt on. Then I pulled the pin, then torqued the hex socket (not the hex socket bolt that holds the tensioner roller on) that moves the tensioner on the eccentric axis to tension the belt. Sorry, I didn't explain that very well.

My principal question is, I suppose, has to do with the harmonic balancer. There are two tiny mounting stubs on the crank that determine the angle of the harmonic balancer. Can the crank be at TDC irrespective of where the mark on the balancer is pointing?

dart.ricochet

...but now the hood is stuck closed. I guess I didn't reinstall the hood release cable right and now I can't get it open to finish adding coolant.

This car has been kicking my ***.

4Driver4

You don't mention tightening the cam sprockets back down onto the cam shafts. I assume you did that right after tensioning the belt? The only time you really need to worry about belt tension is when you are tighting down the sprockets. After that, the tensioner will decide how tight the belt should be.

Also, when you tighten the sprockets, keep the tension on the belt and tighten left (driver's) side first.

There is a timing mark on the harmonic balancer that should align with the mark on the cover when the pin is inserted. If it doesn't align, you have a bad balancer...not that there would be an impact to timing as long as the pin is in right.

Prospeeder

Damn, well look up under the car and if you look real hard you can see the hood latch and use a long screwdriver to trip the mechanism

dart.ricochet

Haha I did remember to torque the cam sprockets. 40 ft/lbs, although I do think I did the passenger side first.

Interesting. Like I said, I had the cam lock bar on, I marked the 12-point crankshaft socket underneath the balancer at TDC when I first removed the balancer, for insurance, and I spent more time than I care to admit getting the crank-lock pin in tight before I removed the belt. When I took off the balancer the timing mark matched the one on the cover, but when I went to put everything back together, even through the crank itself could not move the balancer timing mark is off by 15 degrees clockwise. What are the ramifications of having a bad harmonic balancer? I would prefer to keep everything bolted together for a little while after this ordeal.

dart.ricochet

Here goes nothing...

4Driver4

Vibration. You used the tools for the service and the car runs well without codes. Done.
If you have vibration issues down the line, then you'll have to replace the balancer.

dart.ricochet

...nothing doing. I don't know what I did wrong, or how you guys pop the latch from underneath with ratchet extensions, but I'm crying uncle before a falling ratchet extension knocks my front teeth out.