Re: alfa-digest V7 #864

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 7/7/99 3:14:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< Why is it that so few understand much about the tensioners that Alfa sells?
  To begin with, the belts DO NOT STRETCH!  >>

Fred sounds like he's confirming my own perhaps sketchy understanding of how 
this works, and why it's needed.  As I get it, when the engine is cold, the 
belt is actually somewhat smaller because it is also cold, and as the engine 
heats up, the belt gets warmer and expands.  Consequently the tension has to 
be adjusted according to expansion and contraction caused by heat, which 
isn't the same thing as stretching, which implies they get bigger and limper 
over time and need to be kept taught.  Ergo, the tension is constantly being 
maintained, during everyday cycles of cooling and heating, rather than slowly 
applying more tension to compensate for older, more flaccid belts.  This is 
all an improvement over the pretty-much-unbreakable timing chains in spiders 
how? (25 words or less).

Am I even close to understanding?

Charlie
AROSC*
LA, CA, USA

* Shameless plug department: don't miss AROSC's annual summer Concours 
d'Elegance at El Dorado Park (Nature Center) in Long Beach, CA at 9 am (10 am 
judging) on July 18!

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