Over tensioned drive belts??

[jason george]

Yesterday I replaced the power steering belt and the alternator + ac belt.. My car is a 1992 Toyota Windom (Lexus ES300) VCV10 model type with the 3VZ-FE engine 3.0L V6 auto trans. I had to replace both belts as they were badly cracked and old, the PS was screeching sometimes. There is no auto tensioner.

I tightened them so I can twist them 90 degrees in the middle of the longest run (as suggested in one of briansmobile1 youtube vids). I don’t have a belt tension gauge or one of those little tools Eric used/reviewed in one of his vids. I thought I’d done it all right, I torqued all the bolts I took off / loosened to the FSM specs when there was one specified,

I’m wondering if there are any usual visual or audio signs you’ve over tensioned a belt… When I started the car cold this morning I thought it took a half second longer to fire up… Like it sort of went chuga chuga for half a second longer than normal… Could it just be the cold temp this morning?? I ran the car for a short drive and need to recheck the tension but it would only have got looser after running the car for 5-10 minutes I would have thought…

So is there anything I should look / listen for in regards to over tensioning??

Topic

[Lorrin Barth]

Thousands of miles from now you might experience premature bearing failure. That is the only sign I know of.

[Bret]

If you fully adjust the belt then tighten the lock nut for the adjuster down it can over tighten the belt like you are kinda meant to half tighten it tighten the lock nut for the belt then adjust it the rest of the way because locking it tightens it to a degree

[Lorrin Barth]

My experience is that people who worry about over tightening belts, and I am in that group, end up with them too loose. This means having to go back and redo them a couple of times to make them quiet. By the time I achieve the tension that will stop all the squeaking they probably are over tensioned because of the nice polish I’ve put on the belt by starting out too loose. The spring loaded tensioners were invented for me.

[jason george]

[quote=”barneyb” post=133857]My experience is that people who worry about over tightening belts, and I am in that group, end up with them too loose. This means having to go back and redo them a couple of times to make them quiet. By the time I achieve the tension that will stop all the squeaking they probably are over tensioned because of the nice polish I’ve put on the belt by starting out too loose. The spring loaded tensioners were invented for me.[/quote]

I’m certain they’re not too loose, I was worried about not tightening them enough…. I only started worrying after I started the car the next morning and heard a rattle or the engine stuttered or chugged just a little different than usual…

I tightened the lock nut a bit, adjusted, tightened the lock nut some more, adjusted, then finished tightening and did the the lock tight… They are not making any squeaking or screeching like the PS belt was before I replaced it.

[Lorrin Barth]

I don’t see belt tension affecting how the engine starts.

[Author]

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