Re: Water pump woes -- and questions about tensioners and cams

["Rich Wagner" <drsavage@domain.elided>]

Eric wrote:

>My question is this: how freely -- if at all -- should the tensioner's
>pulley turn when no belt is fitted? Mine seems a bit stiff...it
>requires more effort to turn than the distributor drive pulley (with
>distributor removed.) Is this right?

You didn't mention in your post which tensioner you're working with.  I'll
assume you're talking about the mechanical tensioner.  The pulley rides on
a set of sealed cartridge bearings.  Especially when new, those bearings
don't normally turn super freely, the way a typical ball bearing does,
because of the drag from the seals.  You should feel the drag when you
rotate the pulley, but no roughness.  If I remember correctly, mine also
had more drag than the distributor drive pulley.


Rich Wagner
Montrose, CO
'82 GTV6 Balocco

p.s.  Eric, my dad was a maintenance supervisor at Bethlehem Steel.  With
that kind of background, he taught me to put anti-seize compound on just
about everything.  Well...'cept maybe on toast.  Anyway, I share your view.

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