timing belt tension

[T Hudson Jr]

can someone post a pic of how tight their timing belt on a 95 zetec is....just like pull it up then down....i cant get my timing right....and my teacher thinks it is because of the tension being insuffcient.

[zorrex]

Explain the procedure you used to time the engine.

As for my tension on my belt, if you grasp it between the cams with one finger on top and thumb on the bottom, and pull up and push down with reasonable force, the belt will move approximately half an inch from top to bottom. I have had no issues thus far.

[T Hudson Jr]

i used the timing procedure found on allDATA.....it is the same one that people have posted on here.........is it true that i can loosen the cam sprocket to get the teeth to line up in the belt?

[zorrex]

No need to loosen them on a pre98. They should already be lined up. Did you use a cam alignment tool?

Also, for reference, here is a pic of the crank pulley at TDC. You can see how the notch lines up with the line on the oil pan.

[T Hudson Jr]

yeah i used a piece of flat iron.....but when i put the belt on it was really loose....like 3/4 inch.....and my teacher keeps freaking out.....saying it needs to be tighter....and i dont want it to be wrong.....this is my families only reliable car.

[zorrex]

Well setting tension is the absolute last thing you do. Once you have the correct teeth lined up, you can take out the cam tool and the TDC pin (if you used it) and tighten the tensioner. There'll be very little space to get a key/allen wrench in there to adjust the tensioner, but it can be done. I recommend a T-shaped key wrench for extra leverage.

[T Hudson Jr]

i tired to get the teeth to line up....but it was just short of falling in *tight* it just wants to go in and be loose....

[T Hudson Jr]

how can i set the tension if it is loose between the crank and e cam....and loose between the i cam and e cam?

[zorrex]

So I read the guide on Autozone, which I'm assuming is similar to that of allDATA. I'm guessing you already have the tensioner installed in its final position before you put the belt on. Make sure the tensioner is installed, but all the way to the left, so that way it isn't applying tension. Put the belt on the crank first, then the idler, then the exhaust cam, then the intake cam, then the tensioner, and make sure to lightly pull on it (without turning anything!) to make sure the correct teeth line up. After the belt is on. Use the key wrench to move the tensioner, then use the Torx bit to tighten the tensioner in place.

[T Hudson Jr]

thats what i did....my cams just dont line up right.......can i loosen the sprockets if need be?