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2.0 Zetec timing belt tensioner movement

E

Eric2.0

CEG'er
Joined
Nov 17, 2009
Messages
117
Location
NY
I recently installed a new timing belt, tensioner and related guide pulleys on my 99 Mercury Mystique.
I took my time and done it all up the right way and she purrs like a kitten and drives great.

I left the top timing belt cover off for a few miles just to make sure tension stays true and to inspect things after a short drive. All looks great, but I noticed the tensioner guide that has the allen key hole, moves its little arrow pointer/guide back and forth a little bit while the engine is running. I am assuming this is normal and that it constantly adjusts its own tension or something even after initial tension setting.

I also noticed the little adjustment ear/guide is now pointing way down from where I set it according to the instructions, that say the ear must be lined up with the line in the guide as you turn the allen wrench up.

Now I wonder if the tensioner went out of adjustment and the belt is to tight again.

Thank you for any guidance.
 
I am not sure how the 99 would be, but on ym 95 the tensioner we bolted in place, it doesn't adjust the tension like the tensioner on the acc belt.
 
The belt generally evidences too tight by beginning to walk to front or rear of pulley to edgeride and then fray edge to later break belt, if still running in the center don't mess with it. '98 and later use totally different tensioners. The earlier ones don't even have the arrow/pointer, so they don't know what you are talking about. Yes, it can move around a bit, but the actual tensioner is locked in place if you tightened it.

Once the belt has run in, it is looser and resetting tension then can technically make it too tight since the initial belt wear-in give to loosen up a bit is already gone.
 
amc49 said:
The belt generally evidences too tight by beginning to walk to front or rear of pulley to edgeride and then fray edge to later break belt, if still running in the center don't mess with it. '98 and later use totally different tensioners. The earlier ones don't even have the arrow/pointer, so they don't know what you are talking about. Yes, it can move around a bit, but the actual tensioner is locked in place if you tightened it.

Once the belt has run in, it is looser and resetting tension then can technically make it too tight since the initial belt wear-in give to loosen up a bit is already gone.
Click to expand...


In this video this guy ha sthe same thing happening. I am assuming this is normal. I tightened the tensioner to 18 foot pounds as stated after I set the pointer to the line for tension. The pointer indicator is now pointing way down when running plus wiggling a bit back and fourth.

I'm assuming the tensioner is set by us to intial, ballpark setting then the tensioner self adjust itself when running.

Still nice and snug and the belt runs perfectly in the middle of the twin cam gears.
 
The belt itself changes tension in 3-4 minutes of running, the pointer will move, all you can do is get it right on new unrun belt, after that let 'er rip. The no walking in the key thing, if either loose or slightly too tight they walk to edge, if you don't have that don't touch it. Normal for the marker to flit about.........
 
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