I got my car together, timing is spot on, but I havnt heard anything about how to properly tension a 2.4 with 4g63 belt. I am using the Kevlar evo9 belt and aem true time gears.


I hear what appears to be a belt whine, as a cannot pin point the sound anywhere with a stethoscope. I put the belt on per the manual, minus the special tool that I couldn't find for the tensioner pulley, (made my own) and the pin went in and out of the auto tensioner easily after 2 rotations and 15 mins.


Is that correct or should the pin not go in easily or at all and actually be a little high to account for the shorter belt?

 

After you rotate it a few times, the pin shouldnt go in very easily or at all. The tensioner should take up a little slack. This would tell me you tightened the tension pulley bolt a little too tight and it put too much pressure on it tensioner.

When you go to set the tensioner pulley, make sure that the pin has a little bit of drag on it. Then when it is tight, pull the pin and rotate the engine a few times.

Did you do a full timing job including water pump and all idler pulleys?

 

After you rotate it a few times, the pin shouldnt go in very easily or at all. The tensioner should take up a little slack. This would tell me you tightened the tension pulley bolt a little too tight and it put too much pressure on it tensioner.

When you go to set the tensioner pulley, make sure that the pin has a little bit of drag on it. Then when it is tight, pull the pin and rotate the engine a few times.

Did you do a full timing job including water pump and all idler pulleys?

 

This is a new engine, I replaced the timing belt, auto tensioner and two pulleys again because one of the pulleys was defective and ruined the timing belt.

 

Ok. Make sure that you clean the new pulleys with brake clean. Ive had a few new ones that have an oil coating that causes the belt to make noise on start up. I cleaned the pulleys and sprayed brake clean on a rag, while the engine was running press the rag against to belt to clean off the oil.

Also for the timing issue with the 63 belt on the 64, the added slack is typically between the cams or after the exhaust cam. You leave the cams lining up with the marks on the valve cover and adjust the gears to make up the slack. Its a PITA to get it spot on but it takes some tinkering.