taroo wrote:
So what would happen if a window could be made at this location both to see and to be large enough to loosen and adjust the TB tensioner? Seems like we could use a dremel and cut a piece of the existing TB cover and then cut a plexiglass cover to fit. That way you could see the TB Tensioner guide move over time and also adjust, all without tearing down the front end.
taroo wrote:
So looking at the original question, I am going to bump my idea to see what you gents think of it.
The window of re-adjustment for a timing belt is spectacularly small.
They are intended to be installed, set, and left to live their life unmolested.
I haven't researched ours specifically, but most I'm familiar with, if they have to be removed for any reason beyond 10-12k miles, they
must be replaced.
This is because although a new belt has some elasticity that is figured into the correct new belt tension, a belt having run this small amount of miles has has settled in to it's proper length.
The elasticity is gone, and the tension that's left is what's calculated to live for the projected life of the belt.
If you remove / reinstall the belt beyond this point, (or readjust tension), the belt will snap/fail at an earlier and unpredictable point.
AS far as the window goes, It's an interesting idea to at least be able to have a peekaboo at the actual belt, and if any of the pulley bearings are worn out before catastrophic damage. My main concern is that it be something that would not be too thick as to contact either belt or pulley components inside or outside the timing cover.
Probably best to have it be something removable, rather than see-through, as belt and pulley dust would gather on the inside of the window, and you couldn't see past it anyway.
Another thing is that Gilmer belt drives are normally quite noisy. The existing cover does a pretty good job of cutting down on this.