Anyone else have this problem? After converting everything over, my brother and I tried to install the actual timing belt. We pushed the new tensioner all the way down to where it would give the belt the most slack and bolted it down. Couldn't get it. So then I unbolted the bracket that holds the tensioner lock bolt and unhooked the spring, so the tensioner would just fall that extra 8th of an inch that i couldn't push down due to the bracket itself.

It was a pita to get the belt even over the tensioner. If the belt had been 1/16 of an inch longer, it would have fit right over the tensioner. I had to use the back ends of two ratchets to push the belt over the tensioner. And that was it, we couldn't loosen the belt because the tensioner wouldn't allow anymore. Upon start up, there is a very audible whine on idle and reving.

I've read that after this conversion, the belt would be tight enough to where you wouldn't have to use the tensioner lock bolt and that the lock nut would be enough to hold it, but is it supposed to be this tight?

 

after doing the conversion, mine was also very snug; but didn't make a whining noise.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eugenebhong &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"></TD></TR></TABLE>

wtf is that.....

anyway.....my timing belt was tough to get over the tensioner too but it slipped on and made no noise

 

Is it a honda t belt? I remeber reading somewhere that honda started using a new belt that alot of ppl complained that it made noise. Just wanted to mention that. I do have this "new" belt and it doesnt make and abnormal noise on my engine tho.

Just do a search for timing belt noise. I found like 58 archived threads. Blake said that new t belt will make noise.

 

Yes just got it done 2 days ago. It was very tight going on and there is a slight whine but nothing to worry about.

 

yeah, i fought with that bastard a few times and Lisa came up and slipped it over the water pump, went on like butter

 

if its whining its too tight, it will cost you some power nad kill your cams/head.

most of the time they are tight enough with the tensioner bottomed out, pryed on mine a little bit, the belt was way too tight. my car was only making 210 on the dyno, i was like wtf it was missing 20hp.. loosened the belt, and the 20hp came back.......

 

Wow, 20 hp from a overly tight belt? Thats crazy.

 

20 whp? Hmmmm, like to see dyno comparisons of that. Mine was tight and whined for about the first 8-10k miles. Lost the belt at 85k, not sure if there is a correlation with the tightness, or most likely the fact that I am running tighter springs and running an 8100 redline.

I'm putting a new one on now, and am going to do it by spec, and hope it doesn't whine this time. And, I will be checking it every 25k or so and readjusting as needed.

 

probably tensioned it wrong.

The correct way to set the tension on a manual tensioner is this:

- Have the motor be on the Compression Stroke on the number 1 cylinder

- Loosen the tensioner nut a few turns, then tighten the nut (just have the nut snug'd on)

- With a 19mm socket and a rachet (w/ extension), turn the crankshaft pulley <u>3 teeth</u> counter-clockwise (you're counting the 3 teeth on the camshaft pulley).

- Loosen the tensioner nut a few turns, then Torque the nut to spec.

Hopefully that should do it.

Probably could of saved all this trouble if you just bought yourself another auto tensioner though.

 

I did. I use the manual when installing the belt, I wouldn't have done it with out it. The belt itself is just too tight, there is no adjusting it.

Why get another auto tensioner anyways? So it could just fail on me again?

As far as the whine problem, I was just seeing if anyone had a problem with the belt being this tight after converting everything over. This conversion was done on my wives car btw, I bought my prelude shortly after it had a new timing belt installed, and it had the same whine, it went away after a few months though, but I thought maybe the auto-tensioner wore a little.


Modified by chimmychongaz at 5:43 PM 8/4/2008

 

Mine was a pita to get on also. I had to have an extra person hold down the tensioner for just that little bit of extra slack while i pulled on the belt with the tip of my fingers just to get it over the cam gears.... After i got it on didn't have to tighten it much if at all, sounds fine on start up, no whine here. What sucked was once i got it on the first time i found that the cam gear moved a bit and was off time so i had to take it off and try it again.

 

the manual tensioner pully is a [pejorative] hair bigger than the auto tensioner pully.. thats why its so tight

 

I also experienced this.
The timing belt fit very snugly on the manual rollers...

I just wanted the reassurance of the locking nut and bought the triangular piece that bolts in the place of the auto tensioner..
It seems the 10mm bolt hits the arm of the manual roller, so its now extra tight..

I had a slight whine before, haven't started it up yet since putting in the lock..(engine still out of the car)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mervin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I also experienced this.
The timing belt fit very snugly on the manual rollers...

I just wanted the reassurance of the locking nut and bought the triangular piece that bolts in the place of the auto tensioner..
It seems the 10mm bolt hits the arm of the manual roller, so its now extra tight..

I had a slight whine before, haven't started it up yet since putting in the lock..(engine still out of the car)</TD></TR></TABLE>

thats what i did, i pryed up on the tensioner so i could put the 10mm lock bolt in the tensioner.. ended up having to take that out.

if the belt whines its too tight and you're gona mess up the cams/head and probably the water pump and #1 main bearing if you run it long enough.

 

the new belts will make a slight whining noise and it is normal. i used the new belt but i can barely hear it most of the time. i've even had my mechanic check it out and everything checked out fine.

 

I actually have it up a notch on the lock, so its tighter than everyone experienced witht hemanual conversion

I did this because after I did the manual conversion, while the belt was snug, it still got loose in between the pulleys on a certain position, due to the intake cam jumping into a rest position, while the exhaust cam stayed fixed...(prolly due to the extra tension of the crower valve springs).

with the exta adjustment, thats now gone, just hope it wont cause failing of the bearings/cams as mentioned.......

sorry for the hijack!

 

No hijack. It wont cause anything abnormal, if you get lucky, and it lets go at a cruising speed. Mine whined for 8K before the whine went away.

For me, the belt obviously it let go. All the cogs were worn BIG TIME.

I've learned that the H22 is a non interference motor outside of the VTEC cam lobes. This may sound strange, but true. Well for me, and a number of others as I read it here.

I'm gonna tension it to spec, and be a regular inspector at this point.

 

manual tensioner is a MUST on built heads...

The auto tensioner failed within 500 miles when I upgraded the valvesprings.
Replaced it and next one held for about the same amount of miles..

I luckily heard it coming both times, so I got away with it.....LOL
motor could may as well been at 7K+ when it failed so.....

Anyway, when I clayed the engine, I opened both intake and exhaust at full lift on a certain cylinder and brought the piston to TDC, clay showed some spare roon, so I guess its a non interference engine out of VTEC. This is also with Mahle 11.5:1 pistons, so higher dome..

I didnt check it in VTEC though....also didnt check if the valves themselves hit/could get stuck on each other...

And I also upgraded to a Greddy belt......

up untill now, no wear on the cam gears or crack gear...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDogg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

thats what i did, i pryed up on the tensioner so i could put the 10mm lock bolt in the tensioner.. ended up having to take that out.

if the belt whines its too tight and you're gona mess up the cams/head and probably the water pump and #1 main bearing if you run it long enough. </TD></TR></TABLE>

When using the triangle piece, you have to shave a bit off the tensioner pulley arm or it will slam into the 10mm below it. I shaved it with a Dremel in the appropriate spot until it fit right. NOT a lot, but enough to let it move. Issue solved, belt is tight, but not like it was.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mervin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">manual tensioner is a MUST on built heads...

The auto tensioner failed within 500 miles when I upgraded the valvesprings.
Replaced it and next one held for about the same amount of miles..

I luckily heard it coming both times, so I got away with it.....LOL
motor could may as well been at 7K+ when it failed so.....

Anyway, when I clayed the engine, I opened both intake and exhaust at full lift on a certain cylinder and brought the piston to TDC, clay showed some spare roon, so I guess its a non interference engine out of VTEC. This is also with Mahle 11.5:1 pistons, so higher dome..

I didnt check it in VTEC though....also didnt check if the valves themselves hit/could get stuck on each other...

And I also upgraded to a Greddy belt......

up untill now, no wear on the cam gears or crack gear...</TD></TR></TABLE>

the auto tensioner is basically like a hit or miss. for the most part, they are great and work fine for most of the people. but i've heard tons of horror stories of new auto tensioners failing within miles of installation, even by dealerships. then i hear stories about built motors making hundreds of hp w/ no problems w/ the auto tensioners. for me, i think the added safety the manual tensioner gives is more than worth it in my books. speaking of which, i need to do that conversion on my next tbelt job.

 

I would recommend a Greddy kevlar belt for some peace of mind also!!!