Cant Get Tension Into The Cambelt!?

[ben_r1 0]

I need help from someone whos got experience working on these engines. ( 1.6 GTI, later model )

 

From my understanding the cambelt tensioner is of a manual type? that being one which requires constant check and adjustment.

 

Thats fine and all, yet whenever i adjust it upto what i think is an appropriate tension, as soon as i turn the engine over twice by hand it goes slack again, not to the point of being able to remove it but im sure it'd slip if i started it.

 

I've even tried making it real tight yet i cant get it to stay put, and yes the tensioner pulley is being tightened enough, it appears not to move in position at all

 

Help!

Edited October 24, 2011 by ben_r1

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

Is it a spring tensioner or the offset pulley type

[ljenkins22 0]

have you had the head skimmed at all?

[ben_r1 0]

It's the manual tensioner type which you slide horizontally across the block.

 

Yes the heads been skimmed!?

[Anthony 1,003]

That sounds like the spring tensioner as fitted to the vast majority of GTi's. Should look like this:

 

 

Obvious two questions are have you got the spring etc fitted (as your description sounds like you don't) and are you using the correct 113 tooth cambelt? Late cars use a 114 tooth cambelt, and I'd hazard a guess that you'd not be able to tension the later belt with the early tensioner.

 

Unless the head has had a massive amount skimmed off it'll be fine regarding tensioning the belt.