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Anyone tell me how to use a timing belt tensioner??
eznfrank - 7/9/08 at 07:24 PM

I'm trying to figure out what appears to be a very simple timing belt tensioner but I can't figure out what to do with it and what goes where??

(other than use it for retrieving nuts dropped right under the car)

It's like this one

Mark G - 7/9/08 at 07:46 PM

there are many types, can you upload a photo of the one you have?

eznfrank - 7/9/08 at 07:51 PM

It's the one in the link above

Mansfield - 7/9/08 at 07:53 PM

I haven't seen one of those before, looks quite useful as long as you dont need to go through too great an angle to release the belt.

Mark G - 7/9/08 at 07:56 PM

OK, I get it, what car are you doing the belt on? Can you get a photo of the belt and tensioner?

Miks15 - 7/9/08 at 08:02 PM

i might be completly wrong here but...
It says its used for spring loaded tensioners... so i assume ur tensioner is spring loaded.

SO put the thin socket on the end of the long stick thing, thread it down in the engine bay and put on the hexhead on the tensioner, then apply pressure as if you trying to tighten or loosen (depends which way it needs to go) a bolt. the rotational force will cause the spring to compress and slacken the belt?

Like i said i could be completly wrong but without seeing yours i cant be sure

davidwag - 7/9/08 at 08:03 PM

Hi,

All that is, is a very long spanner to wind back a spring loaded automatic tensioner. Not really a tensioner at all. Should also work on the automatic tensioners on poly V belts too.

David

Mansfield - 7/9/08 at 08:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by davidwag
Hi,

All that is, is a very long spanner to wind back a spring loaded automatic tensioner. Not really a tensioner at all. Should also work on the automatic tensioners on poly V belts too.

David


Yes. It should really be called a detensioner.

owelly - 8/9/08 at 09:25 AM

The bit of kit is a Timing Belt Tensioner Tool Set. It is a tool for working with a timing belt tensioner. Not a thing to tension a timing belt if you see what I mean??

BenB - 8/9/08 at 09:26 AM

Yup. Quite a few cars have auto-tensioners (or torque based tensioners). The old way of doing it was based upon centimetres of deflection over a fixed distance (ie see how taught the belt was).

eznfrank - 8/9/08 at 12:05 PM

Ah, I think I was overcomplicating it. I thought the two bars clipped together to kind of pivot or something. Essentially I guess it's not dissimilar to a breaker bar really.

Thanks.

MikeRJ - 11/9/08 at 01:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mansfield

Yes. It should really be called a detensioner.


The ones I have done you have to apply tension using the tool (against the spring) and then do up a clamp which keep the tension on the belt. There is usually a pointer you have to align with a fixed mark to set the correct tension.