1995 855T Tbelt swap woes

Klausc · Post by **Klausc** » 11 Jul 2016, 12:04

Yesterday afternoon, I put in the new tensioner roller and the tensioner. No, I didn't pull the pin! I just couldn't get the Tbelt under the water pump and over the roller. Nothing budged. So I took off the tensioner. The belt went on real easy.

This morning I verified all of the timing marks. Now I cannot get the tensioner into position! The top of the tensioner barrel is touching the bottom of the roller and I cannot pull up the tensioner by hand any more that it already is. I need approximately 3/4" lift to get the tensioner to sit properly.

Stuck!

The belt is routed from the crank, roller, intake cam, exhaust cam, water pump, over the tensioner roller. No slack to the right or between the cams.

What am I doing wrong? This is supposed to be a cake walk. BTW, the belt is the same length as the old one - Conti.

Post by **tryingbe** » 11 Jul 2016, 12:13

Is the pin still on the tensioner?

Post by **erikv11** » 11 Jul 2016, 12:16

What about that PITA nub under the crank pulley, are you sure it is not hanging up the belt? Check to see that the timing belt notches are fully engaged down there under the crank pulley.

Klausc · Post by **Klausc** » 11 Jul 2016, 12:28

That's IT!!! I initially poo poo'ed your suggestion, and then thought better and verify. Sure enough, that PITA is sucking up 3/4" of the belt.

Now the 'fun' part. Getting that belt on correctly.

Thanks for the bail out!!!

Klausc · Post by **Klausc** » 11 Jul 2016, 13:20

Erik,

I must have lucked out before or the V70 engine didn't have that nutbuster there. Now I understand why some mechanics remove the harmonic balancer. Sliding the belt in at a 90 degree angle and then turning it to fit is not the best method, but the only one I can think of.

Post by **erikv11** » 11 Jul 2016, 13:55

Yeah, I do the slide-and-turn method too, I agree not the greatest but it works. It is sometimes difficult to seat the belt in there, good to be on the lookout for the nub.