I'm about to put out to sea for the first time in my rebuilt boat (as soon as the weather permits), but the timing belt tension is one thing I haven't checked properly yet on the engine, and I'd rather ensure this is correct first since I haven't used this engine before other than running it in a barrel.
Basically it appears to purely have a spring to set the tension, but when I look in the (genuine!) workshop manual that I've got, I'm not seeing a procedure for correctly setting the timing belt tension.
Given that it's just a spring, is it the case that I simply 'crack' the bolt untight for the idler pulley, then the spring will set the correct tension by itself, then torque up the bolt again? Or is there more do it than that?
I'm used to hydraulic tensioners on car engines, which obviously add a heck of a lot more tension than a little spring!
Secondly, if it purely is down to the spring to dictate this tension, how often should it be replaced? Springs lose elasticity/tension over time, and I'd hate to think the one on my engine (which looks a bit rusty) isn't doing its job properly any more. Cambelt slip is not the sort of thing I want to happen obviously!!
Thanks
Jim
Basically it appears to purely have a spring to set the tension, but when I look in the (genuine!) workshop manual that I've got, I'm not seeing a procedure for correctly setting the timing belt tension.
Given that it's just a spring, is it the case that I simply 'crack' the bolt untight for the idler pulley, then the spring will set the correct tension by itself, then torque up the bolt again? Or is there more do it than that?
I'm used to hydraulic tensioners on car engines, which obviously add a heck of a lot more tension than a little spring!
Secondly, if it purely is down to the spring to dictate this tension, how often should it be replaced? Springs lose elasticity/tension over time, and I'd hate to think the one on my engine (which looks a bit rusty) isn't doing its job properly any more. Cambelt slip is not the sort of thing I want to happen obviously!!
Thanks
Jim