#96377, "PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" Feb-13-06 05:22 PM by shazow1969
Now this is pretty easy for anyone who has done a timing belt before but i'm sure there's a few guys here who can really use it. So here goes.
I had a bit of an advantage since my engine was out of my car due to a necessary engine swap. First thing to keep in mind is that you MUST have a crank shaft pulley removal tool before starting this or you will be very frustrated. I had to borrow one from a Dodge tech (lucky for me there is a Dodge dealership next to where I was working on the car). Moving on
1) Follow TM procedures for removal of accessory belts, crankshaft pulley, and timing belt.
2) While you have the timing belt off now is a great time to replace seals and other such items that might need replacement. I opted to replace the waterpump.
3) Remove all brackets pertaining to the OEM tensioner.
4) Replace Idler pulley with the one supplied in the kit, and reinstall any sprockets you may have removed (cam's & crank)
5) Install PD mechanical conversion bracket/pulley. I Used one of the motor mount bracket bolts to insure proper alignment of the bracket with the bolt holes in the engine block.
6) Route timing belt making sure your timing marks stay aligned. This is where it can get tricky. The belt was too tight it seemed to be able to go around all the pulleys. so I improvised a bit I loosened up the idler pulley and took up the slack at the crank shaft (by turning it clockwise 1-1.5 teeth) so that I could place some slack on the tensioner side of the belt. Once I got the belt around the tensioner I backed the crank shaft back up to TDC and torqued the Idler pulley back down.
7) Now that the belt is routed it's time to place that tension on to the belt. Loosen the retaining nut and use a 1/4" drive ratchet/breaker bar with 2" extension to place tension onto the belt at the tensioner pulley. Once you have tension on the belt, lock the tensioner pulley back down with the nut.
8) Turn the crankshaft over 2 full rotations to verify that the timing marks stil line up (don't worry about the timing belt looking like it's tracking to the outside of the pulleys, the motor mount will pull that into line). If they do move onto step 9 if they do not repeat steps 6-8 until they do.
9) Reinstall outer timing cover. I cut a viewing window in mine so I can check the timing at the crank shaft with out removing everything all over again (idea I borrowed from Driggs thank you Brian). Then reinstall motor mount to the block using the 3 bolts (this will also pull the tensioner bracket snug against the block and allow it to track in the center of the cam pulleys).
10) Reinstall crank shaft pulley. The RIGHT way to do this is to use the pulley installer tool. The guy at Irondaquoit Dodge here that I borrowed the removal tool from intructed me to "Beat" my pulley back on with a dead blow hammer Until I coult turn the crank shaft pulley bolt 8 rotations by hand. I decided that since I did not want to ruin my brand new AF/X UDP that i would protect it with a shop rag folded into quarters and go very slowly. This worked very well as a matter of fact. Once I was able to thred the bolt in 10 rotations, I used the impact gun & 19mm socket to draw it the rest of the way on.
*Side note* If installing an AF/X UDP and you did not recieve the belts as I did the belt numbers are as follows. ALT- 4050315 Dayco PS/AC- 5050500 Dayco I got both belts from Advance Auto parts.
11) Reinstall all brackets belts and other accessories you may have removed such as the PS pump.
12) Change oil and any other fluid you desire. Top off all fluids
Moment of truth. Hook the battery back up, slide into the driver seat and fire it up.
Any thing anyone else wants to add to this feel free I'm hoping that this will help out alot of people here.
-Kevin
________________________________________ 95 Eclipse RS - Rolled 96 Eclipse GS - Traded 95 Eclipse GSX- Sold 01 Blazer LS 4.3/5spd dropped and clean DD 88 Camaro RS 361 CID with a 6spd and a bar 10 second street car on motor.
#96406, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 0
Nice writeup, this is exactly how I installed mine. I was a little nervous at first when I turned the motor around and the belt started to come off the gears but once I bolted the motor mount bracket back up it stayed aligned. Thought I would mention it again so that people will know what to expect.
#96425, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 1
Thanks very much. After 3 days of driving the car now that it's finally back together I would like to say a couple more things on this part. It is a GREAT value and I simply love it. I Also love the modification to the outer timing cover as now I do not have to remove my UDP to check timing. The car runs great and the only complaint was that it sounded like a supercharger under my hood til the belt "Broke In".
-Kevin
________________________________________ 95 Eclipse RS - Rolled 96 Eclipse GS - Traded 95 Eclipse GSX- Sold 01 Blazer LS 4.3/5spd dropped and clean DD 88 Camaro RS 361 CID with a 6spd and a bar 10 second street car on motor.
#96426, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 2
Some of you have been having problems slipping on the timing belt because its too tight. In the instructions it says to turn it all the way counter clockwise to give it the most slack. But i found out that the most slack is a little before going completely counter clockwise. What I did was use a 1/4 inch socket wrench, put it on the tensioner and played with it until I got the most slack. I had trouble sliding the belt on at first, but if you use this way, you shouldnt have to lossen the idler pulley.
#96428, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 4
Nice writeup, but I didn't see anything in there with "following proper torque specifications". I wouldn't trust anything related to the timing belt unless it was torqued to the proper spec. Did the mech. tensioner come with any information regarding torque specs?
#96429, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 5
I believe the nut on the mechanical tensioner pulley that locks it in position (after you set tightness and align the spring) is suppose to be 33ft.lbs.
#96430, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 4
Originally posted by XMasta19 ...so you're saying none of us attempted loosening it up before sliding the belt on?
If you did it like the writeup above, then no, apparently you didn't. He routed the belt before he even loosened the tensioner. That's.. backasswards.
______________________________ If a sentence found online has 35% misspellings or greater and includes at least two racially charged expletives, chances are it is a YouTube comment.
'95 Eclipse TurboGS (garage deco) '95 TSi AWD (restoring a survivor) '97 Talon ESi-T (poor impulse control) '99 Eclipse RS-T (daily beater) '13 Evo X (mostly stock) '17 Sienna (Middle Aged Dad Mobile)
#96447, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 8
Originally posted by XMasta19
Originally posted by DarkOne
Originally posted by XMasta19 ...so you're saying none of us attempted loosening it up before sliding the belt on?
If you did it like the writeup above, then no, apparently you didn't. He routed the belt before he even loosened the tensioner. That's.. backasswards.
roger that....damn you're good
Damn good catch Dino. I didn't even notice that (i was drinking while typing that up). Obviously you have to have the tensioner loose before routing the belt. Thank you for the correction. If only I knew how to edit older posts I would correct my mistake. Thank you for pointing that out.
________________________________________ 95 Eclipse RS - Rolled 96 Eclipse GS - Traded 95 Eclipse GSX- Sold 01 Blazer LS 4.3/5spd dropped and clean DD 88 Camaro RS 361 CID with a 6spd and a bar 10 second street car on motor.
#96462, "RE: PD Mechanical timing belt tensioner conversion write up. with pics!!!" In response to Reply # 9
Copy it, fix the error, zip up the pics, and email it to me. dino@2gnt.com
I'll put it onthe main site. It's a good writeup to have.
Do a review on it, too, for the main site.
content, content, content.
______________________________ If a sentence found online has 35% misspellings or greater and includes at least two racially charged expletives, chances are it is a YouTube comment.
'95 Eclipse TurboGS (garage deco) '95 TSi AWD (restoring a survivor) '97 Talon ESi-T (poor impulse control) '99 Eclipse RS-T (daily beater) '13 Evo X (mostly stock) '17 Sienna (Middle Aged Dad Mobile)
