Cam Belt Adjustment on Zetec

[I.Mupferit]

Just tinkering and realised I don't know how much sideways slack there should be on the cam belt. I measured it at 20mm total in the longest run between exhaust cam pulley and idler which seems to me to be just a bit excessive. I don't want to adjust it though without knowing what the recommended figure should be; any ideas?

 

Brent

[julians]

I have just changed mine, and was trying to find out if there was an acceptable amount, all the haynes manual mentions is that it should be taut, so I did mine so that it was as taut as possible.

 

mine probably moves about 10mm max. When I put it one initally there was about 20mm, but by careful adjustment of the cam pulleys I got it down to 10 ish.

[julians]

I have just changed mine, and was trying to find out if there was an acceptable amount, all the haynes manual mentions is that it should be taut, so I did mine so that it was as taut as possible.

 

mine probably moves about 10mm max. When I put it one initally there was about 20mm, but by careful adjustment of the cam pulleys I got it down to 10 ish.

[julians]

I have just changed mine, and was trying to find out if there was an acceptable amount, all the haynes manual mentions is that it should be taut, so I did mine so that it was as taut as possible.

 

mine probably moves about 10mm max. When I put it one initally there was about 20mm, but by careful adjustment of the cam pulleys I got it down to 10 ish.

[julians]

Quadruple posting, bloody database errors.

 

 

 

Edited by - julians on 15 Apr 2001 17:29:08

[oilyhands]

Tha accepted way of manually checking belt tension is to grasp the belt half way down the longest run and see if you can twist it 90 degrees, when the tension is correct you should just be able to do this with your fingertips, a bit 'rule of thumb (or fingers)' but it works.

 

Oily

[oilyhands]

please ignore, database error was posted

 

Edited by - oilyhands on 15 Apr 2001 22:24:42

[oilyhands]

database error again... sorry

 

Edited by - oilyhands on 15 Apr 2001 22:25:26

[oilyhands]

D'oh! and again

 

Edited by - oilyhands on 15 Apr 2001 22:26:08

[oilyhands]

darn thing...

 

Edited by - oilyhands on 15 Apr 2001 22:26:48

[stevefoster]

The 90 degree twist rule is a guide.

Ideally there is a tension checking tool for most makes of engine.

I changed a cam belt on a VX single OHC once and followed the rules...

It hummed horibly! I took it to a garage and they said "too tight slacken it off..." All was fine after that but I could then twist it a bit more than 90 degrees. I sold the car not long after that to a dealer...

 

I think checking it with a twist is ok but its very hit and miss for setting a belt up.

 

Now for the hard part.... Only to post one message.