Whats the best way to check belt tension?
05-15-2003, 03:28 PM
#1
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Whats the best way to check belt tension?
My belts were replaced recently but they squeel when cold starting. I tried cranking down a little on the tensioner but it didnt help. Where and how do you check the belt tension? You can hardly even see the belts from up top.
05-15-2003, 05:14 PM
#5
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 433
simply means that the bearing in the idler pully is loose.. so when the car sits for long enouhg for that bearing to get cold again it will be pushed up by the belts and rub when your fist start the car and make that noise (spinning shopping cart wheel). When the bearing warms up after about 4 to 6 seconds it stops making that noise. You can tryu to tighten the woobbly pully by turning the nut that hangs of the end of it (hard to reach). I had the same problem and this solved it. Also try tensioning the belts 3/4 a turn.
05-15-2003, 09:33 PM
#7
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Re: Whats the best way to check belt tension?
If you just simply cranked on the adjustment bolt on the idler pulley, that's not going to increase the tension. You have to first loosen the nut on the axis of the pulley, then adjust the tensioner.
Best way to check tension is to find the longest run of the belt betweeb pulleys and twist the belt as hard as you can at the middle of the run. The belt should be able to twist to right at or under 90 degrees.
Keep in mind that once a belt has squealed for a long period of time, it will usually glaze over from the heat. Once it reaches that state, proper tension will not be enough to prevent squealing and you'll need to replace the belt again.
Best way to check tension is to find the longest run of the belt betweeb pulleys and twist the belt as hard as you can at the middle of the run. The belt should be able to twist to right at or under 90 degrees.
Keep in mind that once a belt has squealed for a long period of time, it will usually glaze over from the heat. Once it reaches that state, proper tension will not be enough to prevent squealing and you'll need to replace the belt again.
Originally posted by maxnomo
My belts were replaced recently but they squeel when cold starting. I tried cranking down a little on the tensioner but it didnt help. Where and how do you check the belt tension? You can hardly even see the belts from up top.
My belts were replaced recently but they squeel when cold starting. I tried cranking down a little on the tensioner but it didnt help. Where and how do you check the belt tension? You can hardly even see the belts from up top.
05-16-2003, 10:44 AM
#8
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 74
Im am getting so many different answers. The Haynes manual sucks. I checked the idler pully, it doesnt seem to have any wobble. Well at least no more than the crank does. I finally got fed up and tried to figure it out myself.
I jacked up the front of the car. Took off the front passenger wheel and well liner. I checked the tension from underneath. According to Haynes a belt 7-11" (from pulley centerlines) should a 1/4" of play when depressing with your thumb. After checking both belts they both had about 1/2" of play and both were less than 10". After about an hour a scraping my knuckles I finally was able to loosen the bolt on the back of the power steering pump by first removing the O2 sensor. Then I was able to tighten down on the small belt tension bolt. I was able to put more tension on it but not down to only 1/4" of play. The nut starting walking in the bracket and when it got to the end it started bending the bracket slightly. I stopped once I saw this. WTF. The main belt was easy. I cranked down on the main tensioner until the main belt had the same amount of play as the small belt. So far no more squeeling.
Man it times like these I wish the Max was RWD. My old mustang had an automatic tensioner with a gauge built into it. Once the gauge read low you replaced the belt which took 5min if you were slow. Just pry up the tensioner with the breaker bar and slip the belt over the tensioner. Done.
I jacked up the front of the car. Took off the front passenger wheel and well liner. I checked the tension from underneath. According to Haynes a belt 7-11" (from pulley centerlines) should a 1/4" of play when depressing with your thumb. After checking both belts they both had about 1/2" of play and both were less than 10". After about an hour a scraping my knuckles I finally was able to loosen the bolt on the back of the power steering pump by first removing the O2 sensor. Then I was able to tighten down on the small belt tension bolt. I was able to put more tension on it but not down to only 1/4" of play. The nut starting walking in the bracket and when it got to the end it started bending the bracket slightly. I stopped once I saw this. WTF. The main belt was easy. I cranked down on the main tensioner until the main belt had the same amount of play as the small belt. So far no more squeeling.
Man it times like these I wish the Max was RWD. My old mustang had an automatic tensioner with a gauge built into it. Once the gauge read low you replaced the belt which took 5min if you were slow. Just pry up the tensioner with the breaker bar and slip the belt over the tensioner. Done.
05-16-2003, 11:09 AM
#9
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Oh, okay you were talking about the power steering belt. Sounds like you did the adjustment correctly (loosened the bolt at the back of the pump). Yes that bolt is ridiculously difficult to access.
The maintenance you do have to do can be difficult (fuel filter, PS belt), but at least you'll do a LOT less maintenance over most other cars. Some things like starters are actually very easy to replace on the Maxima.
The maintenance you do have to do can be difficult (fuel filter, PS belt), but at least you'll do a LOT less maintenance over most other cars. Some things like starters are actually very easy to replace on the Maxima.
05-16-2003, 04:24 PM
#10
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 433
Originally posted by Keven97SE
Oh, okay you were talking about the power steering belt. Sounds like you did the adjustment correctly (loosened the bolt at the back of the pump). Yes that bolt is ridiculously difficult to access.
The maintenance you do have to do can be difficult (fuel filter, PS belt), but at least you'll do a LOT less maintenance over most other cars. Some things like starters are actually very easy to replace on the Maxima.
Oh, okay you were talking about the power steering belt. Sounds like you did the adjustment correctly (loosened the bolt at the back of the pump). Yes that bolt is ridiculously difficult to access.
The maintenance you do have to do can be difficult (fuel filter, PS belt), but at least you'll do a LOT less maintenance over most other cars. Some things like starters are actually very easy to replace on the Maxima.
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