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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: berserkerboy on 29 January 2016, 12:07:33

Title: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: berserkerboy on 29 January 2016, 12:07:33
Hi folks

Doing the above with the help of the DVD on my 2002 3.2 V6.

Have a small issue that I'm hoping someone can help me with:

The kit I bought was a Gates one and everything is exactly as what is being replaced. The Gates belt has white and green timing marks on it. Lining up the white double line with the crank mark I found that the green lines line up with cam 1 and 2 and then the next white lines line up with 3 and 4. I have searched the site and found that my model doesn't have the adjustable lower idler. No problem there, as the one that came off didn't have one either.

However, as mentioned by others on the forum, the top idler is much closer to cam 3 than the one on the DVD.

My question is: Do I still adjust the top idler to 12 o'clock as per the DVD? It's just that the cambelt seems way too loose between cam 2 and 3 at this setting and something is bound to slip :-\. It seems to me that it needs to be set at 9 o'clock or less. Can anyone advise on the correct time to set it to?
Title: Re: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: berserkerboy on 29 January 2016, 12:30:17
Okay. Have watched the DVD a bit further now and see that 12 o'clock is just a prelimary setting before timing in the cams. Am wondering how to time in 3 and 4 as the lower idler has no adjustment? However, will go and see if they are timed in after turning the cams through 360 deg.
Title: Re: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: YZ250 on 29 January 2016, 12:37:40
On the 3.2 I line up the white line with the crank pulley and then use the wedge, undo the crank locking tool from the water pump and back the crank off a tooth or so, making sure that the belt goes with the crank, so that you can feed the belt ANTI-CLOCKWISE around the lower idler and up to cam 4 and 3. When the lines match the locked cam notches on 3 and 4, rotate the crank back to its locked position on the water pump. Feed the belt under the upper idler/adjuster and up over cams 2 and 1, then around the tensioner. This to me is the only way to keep the tension between cams 3 and 4 and the crank, as there is no other adjustment at this end.  :y This way you have tension between cams 3, 4 and the crank sorted and the adjuster only has to take the slack from cams 1 and 2.

I can send you some photo's later but from memory my upper idler is set to about 8o'clock. Obviously you will have to check and double check after setting the tensioner.  :y

Hope that makes sense.
Title: Re: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: berserkerboy on 29 January 2016, 14:15:52
Thanks for that.

I found that 3 and 4 were spot on and I only had to adjust 1 and 2 which were slightly advanced. You are right: My adjuster is in about the 8 o'clock position.

Hurrah, job done bar reassembly!  :D
Title: Re: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 January 2016, 14:44:16
On the 3.2 I line up the white line with the crank pulley and then use the wedge, undo the crank locking tool from the water pump and back the crank off a tooth or so, making sure that the belt goes with the crank, so that you can feed the belt ANTI-CLOCKWISE around the lower idler and up to cam 4 and 3. When the lines match the locked cam notches on 3 and 4, rotate the crank back to its locked position on the water pump. Feed the belt under the upper idler/adjuster and up over cams 2 and 1, then around the tensioner. This to me is the only way to keep the tension between cams 3 and 4 and the crank, as there is no other adjustment at this end.  :y This way you have tension between cams 3, 4 and the crank sorted and the adjuster only has to take the slack from cams 1 and 2.

I can send you some photo's later but from memory my upper idler is set to about 8o'clock. Obviously you will have to check and double check after setting the tensioner.  :y

Hope that makes sense.
Handy tip that :y
Title: Re: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: terry paget on 29 January 2016, 16:27:59
On the 3.2 I line up the white line with the crank pulley and then use the wedge, undo the crank locking tool from the water pump and back the crank off a tooth or so, making sure that the belt goes with the crank, so that you can feed the belt ANTI-CLOCKWISE around the lower idler and up to cam 4 and 3. When the lines match the locked cam notches on 3 and 4, rotate the crank back to its locked position on the water pump. Feed the belt under the upper idler/adjuster and up over cams 2 and 1, then around the tensioner. This to me is the only way to keep the tension between cams 3 and 4 and the crank, as there is no other adjustment at this end.  :y This way you have tension between cams 3, 4 and the crank sorted and the adjuster only has to take the slack from cams 1 and 2.

I can send you some photo's later but from memory my upper idler is set to about 8o'clock. Obviously you will have to check and double check after setting the tensioner.  :y

Hope that makes sense.
Having locked the belt with the wedge, you unlock the water pump crank lock and back off the crank one or two teeth. Does the belt slip past the wedge at this point, or merely tighten?
Title: Re: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 January 2016, 16:42:22
If I have visualised the rotation correctly, it tightens ;)
Title: Re: 3.2 Cambelt change. Non adj lower idler. Correct time to set upper adjuster to?
Post by: YZ250 on 29 January 2016, 17:19:26
If I have visualised the rotation correctly, it tightens ;)

The belt slides past the wedge and shouldn't trap it in any way, although technically it could, as the direction of rotation implies it would tighten, but it is used merely to stop the belt jumping, not to pinch it in any way. If you could hold the belt around the crank pulley with one hand, back off the locking tool with the other and then feed the belt to cams 3 and 4 it would be great but the belt tends to drop slightly so the wedge is only used in the same manner that it was intended, to hold the belt in place while you feed the belt around.  :y
When you put the crank lock back on the water pump, the wedge may move slightly (loosen) so it will still need adjusting slightly to hold the belt in place on the slack side.  :y

Easier to do than to put in to words.  :)