Right then. Timing belt and tensioners changed, but every time I rotate the engine by hand, the timing on banks 1 & 2 retards quite a bit. I think I may have figured out what the problem is, but wanted to run it past you guys as well.

I bought the cambelt and tensioners from my local Vauxhall main dealers. I had to give them my reg number before ordering parts. Therefore I assumed that the parts that I had received were the correct ones???


What is happening is that the cambelt has too much slop in it. When the tensioner to the left of the water pump is adjusted, the belt itself catches with the backing plate of the tensioner, (mines a 2003 2.6).

I'm now wondering the following;
1), My cambelt is too long?
2), I have been given the wrong sort of tensioner?

I'm just about to go out into the garage and count the teeth on my old belt and try to do the same on my new one. What I cant do, unless I remove both the belt and the tensioner, (which would them present the swine of a job of re-fitting the belt), is properly checking the difference between old tensioner and the new one.


So, am I right in thinking that there are two different types of tensioner?
Did I read somewhere on here that the difference between the two is only 5mm?
Before fitting the new tensioner I checked that both backing plate were the same, (they seemed to be), and that they both had the same part numbers stamped onto them, (they did).

So could any of you chaps tell me the difference between the two different types of tensioners?


In advance, thanks 

as far as I know a tensioner is a tensioner, the Omega's even looks the same as my TD Astra and the 1600 16v petrol Astra that SWMBO used to have. 

the guys who do this job day in and out will tell you if there is any spec changes over the years.

as a general rule on other motors i always check the teeth by turning inside out and putting a little tipex mark to count the teeth, then check the pulleys for diametre match.

as said, those in the know will pipe up if there has been a spec change.

otherwise its a case of adjusting the eccentrics / tensioner correctly.

(ps, this probably wont apply, but a bmw 1985 320i engine belt had 127 teeth.
what i didnt know was that the engine change had been carried out to a later model block which had 128 teeth on the belt)

It is possible to tighten the tensioner the "wrong" way in which case it will almost tighten the belt but it will interfere with the backplate. Are you sure you're turning the allen key the correct way? Clockwise, if memory serves.

Do the alignment marks come into alignment as the spring takes the tension?

Kevin

Get out a tape measure and measure between the tensioner and the top pulley between the V (bolt centre to bolt centre) then compare that to your old one. Is there a difference? Also while you are there you will notice that the top roller between the V has the eccentric adjuster on it. Does the other roller (near the waterpump) have the same centre or is it a fixed roller?

And I don't see any mention of using a locking kit, which has a wedge in it specifically designed to hold the belt to the crank pulley, thus saving the wife from getting her hands dirty.

Are you using a locking kit to do this job? as it should not be attempted without it.

As said it can be done, but the timing "will" be out. It just will.