 
     |
| Fiero Belt Tensioner (Page 16/27) |
|
Alibi
|
JUL 11, 06:52 AM
|
|
I'm working on installing my kit onto my car and I have one small snag. I installed Rodney's Power Pulley kit last year with smaller OD crank and alt pulleys as well as his idler. Although I'm sure its decreased the belt squeal, I still have some on start up and in the rain so I thought I'd give this a go.
I'm leaving the smaller OD pulleys and after I installed my belt its too long. Rodney's kit comes with a 47 inch belt. I shredded mine a while back when I replaced my harmonic balancer (tecnically I think its a crank dampener) and didn't get it on right. So I replaced it with a 42 inch belt that still worked fine with the adjustment at the alternator w/ rodney's kit.
However, that same 42 inch belt seems to go on over the tensioner just fine but its barely too long to allow the tensioner to engage the spring on it to do its job properly. I turned the motor on and although everything spins, I get the belt squeal.
So... since I'm at the bare minimum of tension on a 42 inch belt, should I go with a 41.5 or a 41 inch belt? I'm leaning towards 41.5 right now to set the tensioner roughly in the middle of travel but I'm not sure if it would be long enough to allow for stretch.
So, suggestions for 41 or 41.5? I thought I'd ask this here in case any one else runs accross this in the future.
|
|
|
|
Alibi
|
JUL 11, 11:13 AM
|
|
So I went ahead and rode my motorized bike down to the parts store with my old belt to select a new one. The guy at the parts counter was reading the OC number (outside circumference) instead of the length in the part number though and kept trying to tell me a belt with a part number of K050405 was a 41.25 belt. The K number is the number of ribs (05) and the next 3 numbers are the length in inches (040") and the last number is a decimal (.5). Therefore its a 5 ribbed belt thats 40.5 inches long. I kinda thought the parts guy would know that but whatever...
Anyway, they didn't have a 41 inch belt in stock but they did have a 40.5 inch belt so I took it. Its a bit of a tight fit to get it on, but it seems to be just fine from just letting the motor idle. With the 40.5 belt, the tensioner is using up about 2/3's of its total travel which I think is OK and as the belt stretches it will use up a bit less. I think the 41 inch belt would actually be the better choice, however, as it would take up a little less tension travel to pull it closer to center and it would be easier to put on.
The only problem is that I used a 3/8 ratchet wrench to pull the tensioner back and now there isn't enough room to get it back out so it looks like I'm going to have to find out what size the square boss on the top of the tensioner is and pull it back with a wrench to retrieve my ratchet before I go on a test drive.
So in closing:
-With Rodney's power pullies use a 41 inch belt.
-A half inch in either direction of 41" would probably still work OK but YRMV.
-Don't use a ratchet, use a wrench on the boss on top of the tensioner or you'll not be able to get the ratchet back out of the recess in the side of the tensioner arm.
|
|
|
|
Arlyn
|
AUG 31, 08:38 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Dodgerunner
|
AUG 31, 09:19 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Alibi
|
SEP 16, 08:57 AM
|
|
Just thought I'd bump this with an update. So far, no squalling whatsoever despite running the car quite a bit in the rain and in the morning with everything covered in dew!
However... my 1-year old AC Delco alternator died on me. The rear bearings failed.... I *think* this was caused by running the 40.5 inch belt at almost full swing on the tensioner and it was just too much pressure. Time for new alt bearings and a 41 inch belt with Rodney's power pulley set 
Or.... I could have killed the bearings when I was still trying to adjust the alternator the stock method and over-tightened it and the bearings just didn't fail till just now. Dunno.
Now what the heck do I do with my old belts? 
|
|
|
|
Tinton
|
MAR 29, 09:06 PM
|
|
|
Bump, Dodgerunner are you still making these? I need one pretty bad, the belt on my '88GT won't stop squealing, its so bad it makes it so I don't even want to drive the car. I'll need a few days to get the money for it, I can probably order and pay by this weekend. ------------------
|
|
|
|
Dodgerunner
|
MAR 29, 10:34 PM
|
|
|
|
|
outlawfiero17
|
MAR 30, 12:08 AM
|
|
|
hey dodge did you ever look into those issues i noticed? not with your product of course but the things to watch out for. so no one ends up like me on the side of the highway at 3 a.m.
|
|
|
|
Snapperhead
|
MAR 30, 09:21 AM
|
|
|
|
|
cloaked
|
APR 17, 12:57 AM
|
|
Quick Review: BEST PRODUCT EVER! Thanks DodgeRunner!
Two years back I purchased Rodneydickman's Idler Pulley, and while it did cut down on the belt squeal a little bit - it was still there... The RD idler pulley just wraps the belt around the alternator wheel a bit more, without providing tension. So last year I purchased DodgeRunner's Belt Tensioner and I haven't heard the belt squeal once sense.
That belt squeal was the most annoying part of my car, now if only I could get rid of that hunting idle - life would be great. =)[This message has been edited by cloaked (edited 04-17-2011).]
|
|
|
