2.0T Timing belt tensioner questions?

[Flotronux]

I had a couple questions about the timing belt tensioner. It's been a while since i've done one with this style tensioner. I tried searching but most the topics where about hydraulic tensionsers and this seems to be spring. Can you reuse the tensioner if it only has say a few thousand miles on it since it was replaced? Normally i would always replace it but it literally has 3-5K on it only. but I don't know if it's a one time use type of thing. And How exactly does this tensioner work? I realize that when you install it you put the nut on kind of loose and the rotate it in the direction of the arrow with a allen wrench until the cut out and the raised feature marked in red in my picture line up then torque down. My question is i have this tensioner in my hand and i can rotate the center eccentric where the stud from the head goes all the way around and there is no resistance from the spring, it just rotates. same with when i test fit it to the head it just free spins. is this normal? Will the spring tension take place once i actually have the timing belt on it? sorry if this is a dumb question but it just seems weird that it free spins with out those marks getting any closer to each other or that lever that i'm pointing to moving, but then somehow will engage when the belt force is on it?

[allstock]

Yes, it's fine and should be good for at least 60k and probably 100k if it is that new and genuine audi.

In the last picture your index is on a tab(back side of tensioner), put pressure on it as you turn the tensioner and you'll feel the spring. You're correct, it has to be mounted and torqued down to spec and properly clocked to engage.

Good luck

[fly300kts]

My DYI should answer all your questions

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ng-Belt-Change

Phl

[Flotronux]

ok. thanks for the reply. So when you guys have had these tensioners in your hand the middle eccentric just rotated all the way around as much as you wanted with no resistance right? the piece my thumb is on in the last picture just spins freely. that tab my index finger is on never moves unless i physically push it. I'm just curious as to how when i go to tension the belt that turning this free spinning eccentric will make the spring actually move and those two marks line up? That's a very nice DYI and i read it before i started this project but it doesn't explain the question i have about the tensioner eccentric piece moving freely. i would think in my hand that as i rotate it in the direction of the arrow that the lever would start to move and the two marks to start to line up and that there would be resistance, but it just spins with no resistance. so is that completely normal until i i have the belt on and somehow it's going to engage the spring and the marks will line up? I even test fitted it to the head in that one picture and it just is confusing how it spins free but then if i put the belt over it it's supposed to ratchet the spring and have tension? In the one picture i'm rotating the eccentric with the allen wrench but the tensioner lever is never moving and the marks never come closer to each other. i'm just worried because im installing the tensionser before i mount the head back on and once i do that my lower cover is over part of the tensioner pulley and i may not be able to get it off once the head is back on. in phils write up he has the lower cover off to change the belt. Well i don't need to change the belt it was done a few thousand miles ago so i left all the lower stuff intact and just removed the upper section of timing cover to remove the head(replacing head gasket).

[fly300kts]

No sure I understand what you are trying to explain but when belt is in place, using Allen wrench, the internal spring of the tensioner will take care of the rest and align the marks

Phil

[Flotronux]

Ok, that's kinda what i'm asking. right now without the belt on if i install it on the head like in my picture and turn it with allen wrench, there is absolutely no spring pressure the lever doesnt move nor do the marks line up, nothing moves except the tensioner eccentric rotates around and around with no spring pressure. i just don't get how laying the belt over it will cause the spring in the tensioner to start engaging? what i'm asking is the eccentric in the middle, is that supposed to free spin or is mine not working correctly? check out my first two pictures, that tab i'm pointing to in #1 is supposed to move when i rotate it, and in picture two i'm rotating it but see how that tab isn't moved at all, how are those two red marks in picture #3 ever going to line up? it never does it just free spins. unless thats normal until the belt is actually putting pressure against the pulley? sorry for the confusing question. I just can't have anything go wrong here i've dumped so much money into this crappy engine its not even funny. just about the only thing that hasn't been replaced is the block and pistons. I love audi's and have had 6 of them but this car (2008 a4 2.0T) has changed my mind about ever buying one again. seems the older engines were more solid, this FSI stuff is a pain, there hasn't been a week i've owned it where something hasn't gone wrong with it. the only time is acted right was on my test drive when i looked at it...go figure!

[fly300kts]

Put the tensioner in place, install the screw: with your fingers hold the pulley in place preventing rotation and using the allen wrench, rotate clockwise: the marks should line up

Phil

[Flotronux]

ok thanks phil,i really appreciate your help and i definitely get what you are saying. I know how to install it and what to expect but my question is more about when does the spring actually start to catch and apply pressure? look at my pictures, I do have it installed and i'm rotating the tensioner, the pulley doesn't spin so i don't even have to hold it, but the center eccentric spins with absolutely no spring pressure the tab in picture one never moves and it should be moving to allow the red marks to line up, but just goes around and around. the marks never move closer to each other. is this simply because there is no belt on it at this point, does the belt itself effect the spring action to happen? imagine this in your hand did yours just spin(not talking about the pulley i'm talking about the center piece with the allen hole) with no spring pressure or resistance, Again sorry for the confusion I wish i knew how to explain this better.

[fly300kts]

Pic 1
If you hold the pulley and rotate clockwise with allen wrench, the marks should align.
If the middle free spin, tensioner is dead

Phil

[Flotronux]

ok that's exactly what i was wondering. it didn't seem right and i didn't think that magically the belt being there would engage the spring tension. So these must be a one time use thing? cause my original one free spins after it was removed, and this newer one that i just took off after a few thousand miles free spins. so once it's used it must not work the same anymore. I'll buy a new one and see if that center eccentric piece free spins if not then yeah these are one time use but if it free spins well it must be normal, but i can't see that being normal.

[aluthman]

I emailed the manufacturer (Litens) and asked them that same question. There is no issue with reusing it with that few miles on it.

[drmonkey]

ok that's exactly what i was wondering. it didn't seem right and i didn't think that magically the belt being there would engage the spring tension. So these must be a one time use thing? cause my original one free spins after it was removed, and this newer one that i just took off after a few thousand miles free spins. so once it's used it must not work the same anymore. I'll buy a new one and see if that center eccentric piece free spins if not then yeah these are one time use but if it free spins well it must be normal, but i can't see that being normal.

They free spin new (the part your thumb is on in the last picture), I just did my timing belt. It's once you start tightening the nut that it holds it and then you tension the spring loaded portion with the allen and that's what tensions the belt.

[Flotronux]

They free spin new (the part your thumb is on in the last picture), I just did my timing belt. It's once you start tightening the nut that it holds it and then you tension the spring loaded portion with the allen and that's what tensions the belt.

AHHH ok That makes sense too. I kind of thought it was weird to have 2 tensionsers do that same thing and be bad. ok well thanks for saying something i was about to buy a new one. The free spinning seemed normal as it didn't look like it ever was fixed to any other part of the tensioner. I was just confused as to how it worked then and when the spring loaded portion would actually start to rotate so the marks lined up. So the tightening of the nut and resistance form the belt must then engage the spring loaded portion!

Thanks again!!!

[drmonkey]

AHHH ok That makes sense too. I kind of thought it was weird to have 2 tensionsers do that same thing and be bad. ok well thanks for saying something i was about to buy a new one. The free spinning seemed normal as it didn't look like it ever was fixed to any other part of the tensioner. I was just confused as to how it worked then and when the spring loaded portion would actually start to rotate so the marks lined up. So the tightening of the nut and resistance form the belt must then engage the spring loaded portion!

Thanks again!!!

Yeah, it was kind of a touch and go with doing the tension as I had to very lightly loosen the nut as I applied tension until it was in the notch and then I torqued the nut down and tested the tension on the belt. It was perfect and felt just like the one I replaced (meaning it didn't lift off any of the rollers or tensioner).