1G Timing belt walking towards the d/s

[Onlyone1G]

Good evening DSM community. I’ve scoured this sight for several hours looking for this issue but can’t seem to find a matching problem. So without further adue...

Having never heard the car run and not sure of previous owner I rebuilt my motor (6 bolt) last spring, put the motor in the car some months later. Well I finished buttoning everything up last weekend and eventually got it to crank. It didn’t run very long as it needs a tune and some other fine tuning. However the problem is this: after it ran for about 30 seconds I noticed the timing belt was coming off(not while running, I’d shut it off to check for leaks etc). Not towards the valve cover but towards the timing cover. I could actually catch the belt with my finger if I ran it up The cam gear. It felt/feels tight. I don’t think I used cheap parts. Bought the gates timing belt kit for it. Replaced all the pulleys. I cannot however remember the brand of tensioner I used.. could be cheap one. But anyways the belt is already starting to fray with less than 1 Min of run time. Before I buy a bunch of parts and start tearing shit back apart, where do I need to start? What do I need to look for? Has this happened to anyone else? I’m ready to let this thing hit the streets! Help!

 

[steve]

It's been my experience that belts walk/shift due to uneven pressure. Since most of the sprockets are fixed in relation to the head and block the tensioner assembly usually turns out to be the cause. It rides on a shaft and bushing that can wear out causing the tensioner pulley to shift.

 

[ThunderChild]

Agreed, check the fulcrum point for the tensioner pulley, the bushings are almost always junk by now, and I don't recall being able to find a replacement when I looked for my 6 bolt.
Also inspect the fulcrum pedestal, it can be worn in extreme cases also.

 

[Onlyone1G]

When you say fulcrum pedestal do you mean the tensioner arm? Is it possible that I also installed the wrong tensioner pulley? I replaced my hydraulic tensioner with an OEM this weekend and I still have the same problem

Another related question, what/is the difference between the tensioner arm on a 6/7? I can find them for a 7 bolt but a 6 is not proven so easy, but they seem to have the same part #?

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

The 7 bolt is about a half inch longer to the contact point for the tensioner. I had 2 laying side by side and the 7 bolt won't work on a 6 bolt motor, it is longer.
Well I say it won't work, but I wasn't about to try it so I sourced a used 6 bolt tensioner arm.
The fulcrum pedestal would be the shaft that the arm rides on and pivots on. It is part of the motor mount assembly on the drivers side.

 

[Onlyone1G]

ill check that out this week, can the pedestal be replaced?

 

[Talondvr]

I had the same problem. I ended up taking the tensioner arm off and cleaning the pivot point and throwing a little grease in there and put it back on. It fixed it and the TB rides center now.
I tried to look for a new pivot arm but don't think I was able find any new for sale. Has anyone ever heard of a bushing replacement kit for this?

 

[AllanL]

ill check that out this week, can the pedestal be replaced?

you'd have the get the entire t/belt side engine mount for that.

not sure but a bushing could work to reduce the clearance between the fulcrum and the tensioner arm.

at first, was the tensioner arm bolted to the fulcrum with the correct torque? was the big flat washer/stopper at the center of the fulcrum installed with the bolt?

 

[Onlyone1G]

to be honest i dont remember, it was last year when i first timed it with the motor out of the car, all i did this past weekend was replaced the belt again and the Hyd tensioner with the OE part. so in short, i do not remember if i ever took the arm off when i originally rebuilt it and timed it. ill check for the flat washer. if it isnt there for some reason, what can i use in its stead?
side question- when you said the tbelt side motor mount, are you referring to the mount that bolts to the front of the motor above the p/s pump and the side of the car?

 

[AllanL]

any 2mm thickness flat washer that would cover the fulcrum and tensioner arm. i do not remember the diameter of the washer though...

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**thanks to RvlutionMtrsprt for the pic

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

A 3/8" fender washer will work, check it's thickness though, to be sure you don't need to double up on them. I used 2 on this one. It is slightly bigger (3/8) for the metric bolt but seems to fit and work fine since I couldn't find that part either. I think I'll use a little thread locker on this one and torque to spec.

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[Onlyone1G]

I'm about to start re-working this with the above mentioned steps ^^ does anyone have the torque specs for the fulcrum arm? I don't want to half ass this anymore than I may already have accidentally... thanks in advance

 

[AllanL]

update us afterwards...

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[Onlyone1G]

[RESOLVED]
i found that the washer was in fact missing for the tensioner arm, once i verified that i was able to find it on my work bench. got it put on and that fixed my issue! you guys called it! thanks for your help.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Thanks for putting this one to bed!
Nice to hear the ending of all the stories!