[mag]

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Just had the timing belt tension checked at the mechanic, as the belts were whining a bit at 4,000rpm. They said the pulley needs replacing. I had only ridden the bike about 1,000km since re-fitting the current belts (to check on previous owner's work).

Can these pulleys be ruined that quickly from too much belt tension? How serious is the need to replace it?

thanks
78 Gl1000
60,000 km

 

[mag]

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i think they mean the tension adjuster pulley, not the cam pulley, right? I can't see how the cam pulley would have been worn?

 

[mag]

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unfortunately, i had the mechanic check, so didn't see them. I was told the belts being too tight formed a belt groove on the pulleys. What i don't understand is: if they made noise right from when i adjusted them a month ago, then the noise wouldn't be from adjusters 'wearing' out, unless they originally whined from being too tight, and they still whine because the belt doesn't ride evenly on them anymore?

 

[mag]

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ok, just spoke with the shop again. They figure the previous owner, who had changed the belts, had overtensioned the pulleys (as they were worn) to compensate for noise. Then, when i re-seated the belts and tensioned very close to spec, because they were worn, the proper tension caused the whine again. Makes sense. He says i could tighten them, as previously done, to avoid noise, but i will stretch the belts and wear pulleys even more. I was pretty careful to just let the tensioner spring into place and not push on the belts. They said it was very close to spec.

 

[mag]

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The manual says: Once the belts are in place, let the tensioner springs apply tension to the rollers, then tighten tensioner bolts. In other words, slide on the belts (you have to push on the tensioner pulleys/springs to get them out of the way) then let them spring back into place on their own, don't apply extra pressure against the tensioners/springs or the belts.

Before buttoning it all up, make sure your cam pulleys are lined up with the marks on each respective side of the timing case, with crankshaft stil at TDC 1.

Look for any wear on the tensioner pulleys. They should spin freely, without any belt mark/groove deforming the surface.

 

[mag]

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PS...

The center pulley, the crankshaft, is the 'idler' pulley. The ones you are referring to are the 'adjusters' or 'tensioners.'

 

[mag]

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Yes. In fact, Honda doesn't refer to the tensioners as pulleys at all, but only as "adjusters."

 

[mag]

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Oh, you are entirely correct sir.

 

[mag]

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the pulleys on the far left and right are the camshaft pulleys, where the belts fit on,groove to groove. The middle pulley is the drive pulley, which is connected to the engine crankshaft, which turns the belts, and in turn the outer pulleys. The smaller pulleys to the inside of each camshaft pulley are the tensioner/adjusters, which are spring loaded and apply slight tension to the belts, which straddle them.

Make sense?

 

[mag]

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Remove the spark plugs...YES! Great tip, wow. Do you rotate the engine with alternator bolt, or back wheel?

Also, do you remove the rad to make life easier?

 

[mag]

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If my cam belt tensioners need replacing, is it ok to find a decent set of used ones, or do i have to buy new?

 

[mag]

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Exavid, you've got mail/forums/images/emoticons/emoticonsxtra/waving.gif

 

[mag]

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Ok, i totally figured out what was wrong with my bike. First of all, big thanks to Exavid for the used cam pulleys...Very simple error by the previous owner(s). They put the left side tensioner pulley on with the washer on the wrong side of the fastening bolts, IE, not on the spring loaded side with the adjustment groove. So, too much play on that side, hence the tensioner pulley's bearings were shot. The right side were worn but not to the same degree.Now i've put on good pulleys, new belts, and rotated the engine 360º by hand and it lines up PERFECTLY! This bike is almost 100% back to stock.