[Vwdiesel] Rabbit droppings # 42a --( nifty tricks I

[Val Christian]

I do mine cold.  I didn't offer right away, because it's a feel kind of thing.
I look for deflection of the belt with my calibrated hand.  The 10# push,
however many pounds it really might be, deflects the top part of the belt
about 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch.  Having tried, I can also say that that
kind of tension is consistent with Sandy's description.  The bentley
example of twisting the best is poor.  I can easily twist a belt that is 
too tight.

I've never had a belt fail or jump sprocket.  I have had the sprocket
pulley on the cam slip.  Factory tightened.  Failed one hot day
when I was almost home on the 1980 Rabbit.  At idle, after just 
exiting the expressway.  Reused all pistons, and replaced two valves.
Dimples in the cylinder head from the broken valve, and slices into the
pistons.  Smoothed out and continued use for another 150K miles.

Val



xt> 
> At 11:27 AM 3/1/04 -0800, you wrote:
> >We need a nifty way of making sure that timing belt is not too tight ---
> >how about it fellas? speak up. ------many a pump bushing bit the dust
> >from belt being too tight.
> 
> I have done several timing belts, and seem to get max mileage with minimum
> wear this way:
> 
> after getting the belt on and seated, adjust tension so you can just move
> the belt back and forth across the pump sprocket about 1/8 to 1/4" with both
> thumbs and fingers. Run the engine until it is hot, and check again. It will
> probably have tightened up a bit, If so ease it off to above calibration..
> Check it again after a week of driving, Check it once a year, same way. HOT.
> 
> Works for me.\
> 
> Sandy
> 
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