How to set tension a spring loaded timing belt tensioner

Thank you for watching my how to video on how to set timing belt tension, this was on a Peugeot 1007 but is the same on most engines
Tool used
Spanner set amzn.to/31UIO3T
Hex Keys amzn.to/34t3O21
Thank you for watching please like my video if it helps and subscribe for more videos, also please follow me on Instagram to keep up to date with whats going on on my channel @ Martys_workshop

[@friedchicken1]

thank very much! I could not figure out what the pin was for! :D

[@Martysworkshop]

Thank you for watching

[@zainsalie697]

Best explained video on the tensioner. I was battling with this as my tensioner kit never came with the pin so I couldn't figure out how get full tension. Thanks Marty's

[@Martysworkshop]

I'm glad this could help, thank you

[@james-ew7kl]

This is for any Nissan Juke owners who decide to change their timing belt and in my case the tensioner and coolant pump also. ( As an aside I noticed that after 190k miles the diameter of the used coolant pump roller ( measured with a vernier caliper )was just a smidgen under that of the new one ). After trying to put the belt on in the order as per the Haynes manual, with the tensioner last, it was super tight; I had to give up after god knows how long and came across this video during my forced tea break. My tensioner is very similar; there is a hole, but no pin supplied. I decided to put a thin screw in that hole against the spring tension, and installed it with the belt in the gap between the roller and the screw. Belt fitted piss easy, so easy a 5 yr old could have done it. So as a parting shot , why the f..k couldn 't the Haynes manual make it clear?. Thanks for the video, it helped me get there.

[@Martysworkshop]

Thank you for your feedback, I'm glad my video could help

[@zainsalie697]

Hi Marty's, I need some help please sir. I tried to bleed my Chevy captiva clutch fluid and I have no clutch now. Any idea how to fix this problem? I had someone pump and hold while I opened and close the bleeding point on the top part of the gearbox. Thanks sir

[@Martysworkshop]

Hello have you tried pump ingredients the pedal, I used to work on fiat's alot and the only way to bleed them was to gravity bleed them ( crack the niple with pedal up and wait for all the air bubbles to stop) around 10 seconds with no bubbles shuld be fine, then tighten up the bleed nipple and pump the clutch pedal constantly for a few minets, you may have to do it with your hand to start, as the pedal can stick down, then after a while you shuld feel a pressure building up.

[@zainsalie697]

@@Martysworkshop Ok thanks sir, I didn't think of pumping with the hand lol. I managed to leave it and got some clutch pressure on the pedal but not mucho. I managed to atleast pull the car inside the yard. Thanks again for all your help and advise. Much appreciated

[@zainsalie697]

Marty I had a look at my tensioner and it does not come with the small hole for the pin insert. I'm back to square one in trying to figure out how to tension the belt correctly. Could it be that my water pump needs some rotation as shown on other KZbin video?

[@Martysworkshop]

I'm not sure sorry the water pump only goes on one way in my experience, but usually a belt kit will come with an instruction guide so might be worth having a read through that if you haven't already.

[@zainsalie697]

No instruction manual

[@zainsalie697]

Hi Marty's, hope U well. I tried again the whole day lol. I managed to get tension on the tensioner. Once I remove the cam locking tool and try to rotate the motor I loose tension on the right side of the belt. Seems like it's skipping 2 teeth on the cam belt. I made extra sure to have a good tight fit on the right side of my belt going up and coming down to the tensioner. The belt it nice and tight after tensioning but the minute I try to rotate the motor on the crank bolt I loose that tension on the right side. Please let me know what I could be doing wrong

[@Martysworkshop]

What is the make model year and engine size of your car?

[@zainsalie697]

Chevy Captiva 2.4L petrol 2007 model Right hand driver South Africa

[@johannessmal6091]

Mine doesn’t loosen enough to put the belt on, where do I get enough slack to put it on?

[@Martysworkshop]

They can be tight, have you cheaked the length against the old belt?

[@johannessmal6091]

@@Martysworkshop Yes, I had to swing the water pump to get enough slack. Thanks!

[@drunkonkerosene]

Got a tensioner that doesn't have any direction mark🤔

[@Martysworkshop]

Not sure why altho, I usually just follow autodata, thank you for watching

[@waynetyson3951]

Great video, but I'm still baffled as to how the needle moves when adjusting the tension 🤔🤔

[@Martysworkshop]

It's basically 2 pices of meatal that are separated by a spring, so 1 has the back plate on it ans one has the pointer on it. And as you adjust the centre pice you push the on pice and as the belt goes tight it forces the other witch overpowers the spring an and moves the pointer. Hope that simplified it for you, thanks for watching.

[@zainsalie697]

Same here, it has to be some sort of tensioning point inside. I sometimes get it to tension and at times I struggle for over an hour. I think the design could have been better honestly.

[@simonallsebrook777]

Brill info thanks got to do my wet belt on my honda civic dealer going to charge me 1200 pound thanks again😊

[@Martysworkshop]

Glad my video could help

[@repenney]

Similar after market units are now being made for older Peugeots, such as a the 505, which were not originally fitted with them. These may confuse mechanics who have not worked on newer Peugeots. For them the SKF Timing Cam Belt Tensioner Pulley VKM 16200 is recommended.

[@Martysworkshop]

Thank you for the input.

[@simonprivitera1366]

Thank you

[@Martysworkshop]

Thank you for watching

[@DanPulea666]

If you just spin it both ways around and around while without the belt, is it ruined ? Can it break down ? Should i replace it with another one because of that ?

[@Martysworkshop]

No the tension part only moves when there is pressure on it from the belt so spinning the centre of the tensioner does not matter it is not connected it is just a boss with a offset hole, hope this helps and thank you for watching

[@georgekurgansky5986]

This is the best video, I have the same type of tensioner and I was confused about the pin and overtightened it to where the pin is rather than top. Drove about 30 miles on nearly idle revs as the belt was quite loud. I think the belt is ok it hasn't stretched but in 30 miles the writing started to come off already. So it's a bit more worn than ideal.

[@Martysworkshop]

Thank you for your feedback george 😀. I'm glad my video could help

[@akubel33t]

Recently I did this on my own car but I turned the adjuster clockwise instead of anti clockwise. The timing went and the engine stalled after 15 seconds. Have redone it again the right way and it seems to be running properly for the 1 minute I have left it to run. Fingers crossed I haven't bent a valve or cracked a piston. Engine sounded okay.

[@Martysworkshop]

If its running ok you should be fine if the pistons had hit any valves the engine would run very rough so you should be fine, thank you for watching and i hope it helped.

[@rightwingtrashrus274]

Very lucky

[@eyeoftiger101]

@@Martysworkshop If you happen to turn it clockwise, how will you know if it had undone itself? Should I just get a new one if I turned it clockwise?

[@Martysworkshop]

It won't hurt the tensioner if you turn it the wrong way, i belive that because of the direction that the belt runs over it it could cause it to fail if it is tensioned the wrong way . Thank you for you support

[@eyeoftiger101]

@@Martysworkshop Thank you for your prompt response! Liked and subscribed!!

[@zainsalie697]

Hi Marty's, I started the car and noticed the tension pointer moving left to right. Switched off and the pointer either moves to over tension or under tension position. I'm afraid to start again. Is this normal?

[@Martysworkshop]

Wind the engine over 1 revolution after running it and see where the pointer is.

[@zainsalie697]

@@Martysworkshop will do thanks

[@who8dapple]

I had the toughest time trying to do this on a 2010 Kia Soul 2.0L. I think your explanation clarified what I was doing wrong, but would like to have seen you turn the crankshaft in the end to see how the tensioner would have reacted under tension!

[@Martysworkshop]

Yes i know what you mean i usually turn it over a full revolution then recheck, thank you for your input

[@who8dapple]

Marty's workshop, your explanation of the function and orientation of the tensioner/idler bearing was quite beneficial, in allowing me to complete this project! Mind you, Mr. Murphy was shadowing me throughout the process, so triple checking my work and really taking my time prevented any further surprises! Thanks again for your video!

[@gradyhernandez4699]

Do a caravan 2.4 liter year 2001 timing belt

[@Martysworkshop]

I'm not sure what you mean sorry.

[@97warlock]

I JUST put one of these on my ford escort just now, problem is My belt is so super tight, Im not sure what I should do with the tensioner. dont wanna make it even more tight & break something. Any pointers?

[@Martysworkshop]

If it is a spring loaded tensioner then you just set the pointer to the mark and that is it tbh. Does your tensioner have the pointer?

[@97warlock]

@@Martysworkshop yep but the belt is really tight already without the tensoioner set.

[@Martysworkshop]

How did you get the belt on? You usually need a lot of slack to feed the belt on.

[@97warlock]

@@Martysworkshop very little lack. I put the bottom on make sure the belt doesnt slack back off while I quikly get up top & keep it firm .... I work it up and work over towards the Left cam pully. closest to the windshield,, Then while keeping it firmly held up, , I take one hand & run thru as far down as I can pulling any slack tight, there will be a few places ussually the small wheels , but then after I know I have all the slack I can get ...... I carefully get the from part on , just along the edge it cant go all the way, just enouph to sorta almost be on there barely , and do the Final last left cam wheel will be the hardest tightest ofcoarse. I do the same, barely get the edge on it & work it up and each tooth that gets on the wheel gets ebeven tighter _ more challenging., the last 2 inches or so ..... I think I use both hands but mostly 2-3 fingers from each hand to fight with that last bit to get up onto the cam wheel. - I make the left one the last one just as a preference. proly the same left or right or up or down, as long as you can kep it there while working any loose slack back towards youre holding hand. - finally top two wheel have the belt actually on the pullys, I just use my palms to keep bumping them further into place..

[@Martysworkshop]

Did you compare the length of the belt to the old one??

[@simoncooper7145]

Hi Marty, any ideas when the tensioner pointer does not move from the 10 o’clock position upon tightening/setting up ? Thanks

[@Martysworkshop]

What kind of tensioner is it? Is it the same as in the video with a metal pice that locks into the block?

[@shawn_d2949]

I also changed my tensioner but it doesn't move as a result I can't put the belt in. It's the one with a pin that locks it, I removed it but it's not adjusting

[@zainsalie697]

Hi gents, mine has no pin and hole to spring load before installing. I think it hooks on the the block but still filling to get it to tension

[@shawn_d2949]

I just got mine sorted, turns out I flip the tail of the spring and screwed on the wrong side

[@zainsalie697]

@@shawn_d2949 Great man...

[@iansmotorsandlife7408]

Think my tensioner buggered because that finger won’t move at all

[@Martysworkshop]

Is it a new tensioner or original?

[@iansmotorsandlife7408]

Original one

[@Martysworkshop]

Must have sized then

[@iansmotorsandlife7408]

@@Martysworkshop I’d say so. New tensioner has sorted it thanks.

[@zainsalie697]

Hi, I was able to figure out the tensioner. Turns out it works hand in hand with the water pump. So if U failing to get tension loosen the 3 Allan key bolts slightly. Run the belt over pully's camshaft gears, tensioner water pump etc. Remove the pully on the left and put it in last. Once you start turning the water pump clockwise and anti clock that builds up the little tension the tensioner requires to operate. Turn the water pump so the belt is loose, fit the last pully on the left and rotate the water pump clock wise to tension the belt as much as you can with the hand. Then finally tension as explained in the video so that the notch align with the Sharp point. That's how I did it. Please note it's for the tensioner without the pin to pre tension the spring inside.

[@Martysworkshop]

I'm glad you got it, it's not a simple design at all!

[@russelllukenbill]

Thank you so much!

[@Martysworkshop]

Glad my video could help. Thank you for your feedback 😊

[@xardashks7346]

Hi,i change timing on a jeep compass 2007 with 2.0 diesel volkswagen engine.I set the tensioner?start the engine and after 5 minute runing,when i looking to the tensioner,i see 1 centimeter more tension...why hapening that?

[@Martysworkshop]

Witch way did you turn your tensioner to tension? I just looked your engine up and i belive your tensioner is designed to be turned clockwise.

[@xardashks7346]

@@Martysworkshop i turn clockwise... Maibe in not 1 cm.. betwen 5mm -1cm..engine run fine..is problem if i drive like that?i think the timing belt is little more tensioned but i don t see a problem...

[@Martysworkshop]

@@xardashks7346 be careful tho because if its over tensioned too much the tensioner can stick cause the belt to come loose but i am confident 5 mm would be fine

[@howardmay1951]

Cheers Marty! Read the Haynes manual on the Citroen Xsara Picasso, pants. Watched several youtube vids, one by a polish guy. More PANTS! Your timing belt tensioner vid explained all that they omitted. Cheers.

[@Martysworkshop]

Thank you I'm really happy my video could help you, thank you for watching

[@mikescudder4621]

Cheers mate.

[@Martysworkshop]

Thank you for watching