# timing belt won't tension for nothin



## bluelagoon1 (Apr 21, 2005)

Went stage 3 recently, finished right before Waterfest (7/19). Did the complete timing belt job from ECS with cam seals, new belt, tensioner, tensioner pulley, water pump, etc. Ran fine to waterfest during break-in. 
About a week later, it starts making noises that sound like its coming from the heads. We take timing belt cover off and the belt has some slack in it. We contemplate whether it needs manual tensioning because its accentric, or if its a faulty tensioner. We decide to manual tighten the tensioner roller and see if its ok. It works for about 2hours, and about 6 pulls, then it makes the noise again. 
So I ordered a new tensioner. We put it on last night, it works for a few pulls, then I blow a hose off







. When I stop to see what hose it is, its making the noise AGAIN. So I take the car apart again tonight and the belt is loose as hell. What are we doing wrong? We've manually tensioned it, auto tensioned it with a new tensioner, and still the same result. 
It doesn't look like its skipping a tooth, but when you hand crank it you can tell it jumps at a certain point, just not to the next tooth. There is no evidence (the way its running, idling, noises) that indicate any bent valves or anything, so I think its just tight enough to where it won't mess up timing. Any thoughts? I'm exhausted from taking the car apart and putting it back together 4 times.


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## GLS-S4 (Jun 6, 2005)

*Re: timing belt won't tension for nothin (bluelagoon1)*

Sounds like a PITA. I did full ECS TB kit last Fall without issue.
One good reference:
http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/2780446.phtml


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## bluelagoon1 (Apr 21, 2005)

*Re: timing belt won't tension for nothin (GLS-S4)*


_Quote, originally posted by *GLS-S4* »_Sounds like a PITA. I did full ECS TB kit last Fall without issue.
One good reference:
http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/2780446.phtml

i hate audiworld and how its setup. i've spent hours searching that forum for help, and that is a great writeup that i needed badly when i did it the first time. all i found was that one DIY that leaves lots of steps and details out.
thanks man


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## vw leben (May 17, 2008)

*Re: timing belt won't tension for nothin (bluelagoon1)*

Ok next time you take the belt off, take off the cam sprokets, spin the waterpump, spin the ecentric idler tensioner pully, make shure it rotates smothly, remove the hyrdalic tensioner, make shure the tensioner arm (looks like a C ,) moves freely (should have a washer on the front and back of the bolt it pivots on.) Check the teeth on the crank sproket are free of dirt, melted plastic from front cover. Install hyd, tensioner w/ grenade pin ( to get the pin back in, put it in a vise, but push it back in VERY slowly to fast and you will blow it out! wrap the belt around the right cam and other pulleys then install left cam sproket with belt ( belt slides on with sproket much easier), before tensioning down the cam sprokets, pull the pin on the hyd tensioner, pretension the belt with the ecentric idler pulley counter clockwise I think to 10 ft lbs, apx. then tension the cam sprokets. Roll the motor over be hand two full rotations see how the alighnment marks line up. NOTE. don't turn over counter clockwise, this can slacken the tension on the belt with possability of jumping a tooth when you return to the correct direction.
It sounds like the tenioner or arm arn't moving freely, allowing the belt tensioner to "slacken" (not the word i'm lookin for) at higher rpms but is not returning to proper tension at lower rpms/ or at all. Keep us posted http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## bluelagoon1 (Apr 21, 2005)

*Re: timing belt won't tension for nothin (vw leben)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vw leben* »_Ok next time you take the belt off, take off the cam sprokets, spin the waterpump, spin the ecentric idler tensioner pully, make shure it rotates smothly, remove the hyrdalic tensioner, make shure the tensioner arm (looks like a C ,) moves freely (should have a washer on the front and back of the bolt it pivots on.) Check the teeth on the crank sproket are free of dirt, melted plastic from front cover. Install hyd, tensioner w/ grenade pin ( to get the pin back in, put it in a vise, but push it back in VERY slowly to fast and you will blow it out! wrap the belt around the right cam and other pulleys then install left cam sproket with belt ( belt slides on with sproket much easier), before tensioning down the cam sprokets, pull the pin on the hyd tensioner, pretension the belt with the ecentric idler pulley counter clockwise I think to 10 ft lbs, apx. then tension the cam sprokets. Roll the motor over be hand two full rotations see how the alighnment marks line up. NOTE. don't turn over counter clockwise, this can slacken the tension on the belt with possability of jumping a tooth when you return to the correct direction.
It sounds like the tenioner or arm arn't moving freely, allowing the belt tensioner to "slacken" (not the word i'm lookin for) at higher rpms but is not returning to proper tension at lower rpms/ or at all. Keep us posted http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
 
that's very informative. that's man, i'm going to do it like this when we attack it tomorrow. i'll keep you posted. thanks alot!


_Modified by bluelagoon1 at 11:27 PM 8-4-2008_


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## bluelagoon1 (Apr 21, 2005)

*Re: timing belt won't tension for nothin (bluelagoon1)*

well i got a timing belt pro to come over and she (yes, she.....and her car is currently at autospeed getting a custom setup w/ 3071s) took everything off and saw that my roommate put the roller on wrong so the tightening of the roller tensioned the belt but when in motion and under load the arm didn't sit against the roller and do its job. i just got it back together so we'll see how she does tomorrow. thanks everyone for all your help


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## bluelagoon1 (Apr 21, 2005)

*Re: timing belt won't tension for nothin (bluelagoon1)*

well it ran awesome the first time i took it out wed night. then started it up last night, same noise. this is the 3rd new tensioner, and reinstalling the tensioner roller. my only thought is the incorrect belt length. but i got it from the ecs kit, so that's kinda hard to believe. and it was tight as hell when we slipped it on the sprockets, so i don't know anymore


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