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8 Valve Timing Belt Tension
#1
I'm a little concerned at how difficult it is for me to put a new belt on. I've seen videos of people installing belts and they just slip right on or just need a little persuasion to slide over the gears before tensioning the belt. 

In my case, with the tensioner pulley on (12mm bold installed but not tightened) I have to manage to get a lip of the belt around both gears and apply lots of pressure, pushing the belt to the rear as I roll the crank gear over several times. Once I get it on there's no adjustment available and the little spring serves no purpose because the belt is already super tight. 

I've inspected the end of the crank. No signs of the key/keyway being worn out. I've confirmed both cam and crank gears are of the rounded cog type and all of the valve adjusters are loosened/turned all the way out (read no valve lash). The crank pulley, keyway and bolt, as well as the tensioner pulley/adjuster kit are new from Low Range Offroad. I've tried different brands of belts and they are all tight. Stock head and gasket.

So with everything in place the belt is just waaaaay too tight in my opinion. After looking at everything a while I wanted to see how things would be if I removed the 10mm bolt (the one with threads on both ends and the hex in the middle) that holds the adjuster/pivot arm to the block and the belt was a lot easier to put on but I'd never get the adjuster bolt/arm back in again which is making me think the slot in the adjuster/pivot arm is too short. 

Considering that little spring can't be providing a terrible amount of tension on the adjuster, the pulley or the belt I'm leaning towards taking the adjuster/pivot arm out and applying what I think would be the appropriate amount of tension on the belt by hand and tightening the pulley down. My logic is that a.) I don't think it requires a lot of tension  b.) I doubt the belt is going to come flying off or throw off the valve timing if it is a little loose and (most importantly) c.) I'm more concerned about the possible damage to the belt and/or cam bearings of having what I'm sure is an overly tight belt. 

So any thoughts on why the belt could be going on so hard with all new, properly installed components? Any opinions on taking the adjuster/pivot arm and spring out of the equation and just using my own judgement on how much tension to apply to the belt before tightening down the pulley? 

Thanks in advance
JC
1990 Geo Tracker 
8V 1600
4x4 
5 Speed
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#2
ok there are 3 belts. each head grows taller, so.. wrong belts do not fit.
g13 wont fit.
g16a ,8v
g16b, 16v
only the correct belt fits, and GATES belt always does.
you bough belts, but what name is on the box. ? endless knockoff belts no good.
this is not hard at all , installing the belt the steps are easy. the gate belt even comes with instructions
even a wrong idler pulley there, too big,? the gates kit has a pulley too one kit, and fits.

http://www.fixkick.com/t-belt/tbelt8v.html

this is over kill but , I guess you have trouble on step 30.?
see photo #1, see that idler, see it has lots of space, this is correct gates belt.
the spring is weak on purpose
it only has to over OVER COME the CAM bearing friction, that is what the rockers are set loss. step 18 (mine)
I did that page for small steps, and to include water pump as many shops would advise.
the belt only is easy , the same page shows the comes with sheet and the original suzuki page on this.
here is the sheet , in the box.

short and sweet. just 12 steps (back on)
http://www.fixkick.com/t-belt/8v-tbelt1w.jpg

my one page should show you what is wrong instantly in photo 1. 91 8v.
http://www.fixkick.com
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#3
the word tension really is a wrong word
the belt runs with like ounces of tension. by design.
the spring only REMOVES all slack from the belt against the idler pulley and that is it.
so is slack remover in truth I hope that helps some.
http://www.fixkick.com
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