Belt tensioner fail and other upgrades (not modem friendly)

[thegreenman]

I finally have some time to work on my Vette and have been tearing down a little at a time. The first picture you can see the belt tensioner is not straight. The belt tensioner had a disclaimer on it that it isn’t for supercharger use unless using a dedicated belt for the supercharger. I was driving all of the pulleys off of the same belt.

You can see the Bent tensioner, the belt slid off.


http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/Benttensioner.jpg


Bent tensioner backside, easy to see what happened, I didn't think I had enough torque to do this kind of damage.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/Benttensionerbackside.jpg


I was sitting at a light idling when the belt came off, I shut down pretty quick but the belt wrapped around the balancer good. I cut the belt trying to remove it but the AC belt and some of the 8-rub belt became jammed behind the balancer and after a few days of trying to remove the pieces that wouldn’t come out I finally conceded I would have to remove the balancer.

Remove tierods from both sides.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/tierods.jpg


Drop swaybar

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/swaybar.jpg

Used turkey baster to remove power steering fluid

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/Turkeybaster.jpg

Z51 has power steering cooler, gots to go.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/PS_cooler.jpg

Disconnected steering shaft.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/steeringshaft.jpg


I used a bungy cord to hold the steering wheel from spinning on me.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/steeringwheel.jpg


Removed all of the lines for the power steering rack.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/psracklines.jpg


Got the ABS out of the way.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/ABS.jpg


Took a little persuasion to get the rack loose.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/loosenrack.jpg


Rack is finally out.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/rack.jpg


Now I can remove the balancer.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/removebalancer.jpg


Using a puller to get the balancer pulled off.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/pully.jpg


With the balancer off, now I can see all of the pieces of belts that was jammed between the balancer and cam cover. All of this work due to a weak belt tensioner.


http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/piecesofbelt.jpg



Now the balancer is off, looks like the front seal may be leaking, this is the time to replace it whether it is leaking or not.

Hell I am in this deep, I might as well upgrade the camshaft. I decided to go with the ZR1 cam, GM Part Number 12638427. Good cam for a supercharger and mild enough for my automatic and should have a good smooth idle.

Loosened cam gear and lined it up with the crank.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/removecamgear.jpg


Next, time to remove rockers and pushrods. Removed cam gear/ chain, cam tensioner and cam plate.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/removerockers.jpg


Spun the cam around while inserting 5/16 inch dowels, this will keep the lifters from dropping into the oil pan while I remove the camshaft. The dowels are both 24 inches long and they were the same distance out, looks like they are both all of the way in.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/dowels.jpg


Gently remove camshaft.


http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/camout.jpg



New ZR1 cam is on the left.


http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/ZR1cam.jpg


Installing the new cam. I lubed up half of the cam and very gently installed half way in. Good time to lub up the rest of the cam and finished inserting the cam all of the way in. Once in, rotated the cam a few times to make sure it rotates freely.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/Installingcam.jpg


More later, need to check service manual for installation torque amounts.

[Munch]

Damn, that's a lot of project! I have a suspicion you planned it all along but it's all good. I'm lovin the Man Cave turkey baster!

Good luck and keep the pics coming. :cheers:

[thegreenman]

The cam was on my list but I was going to have Ed install one for me, this is a PITA to do without a lift. The man cave baster is labeled so it doesn't migrate to the kitchen.

I am finally installing parts, more stuff on order, more to come.

[thegreenman]

Got some more installed today. Cam aligned with the crank.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/cam-crank.jpg


Cam gear, chain and oil pump installed.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/oilpumpinstalled.jpg


Cam cover cleaned and installed.


http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/camcover.jpg


I decided to install a new Innovators West 8" Overdrive balancer. On the left is a Hawk LS Series Harmonic Balancer Installation Tool part number HP61805, worked great.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/Innovatorswest.jpg


Cranking it on. I want to double pin the balancer but the kit I have doesn't work on the Innovators West balancer, I have the right one on order.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/IWinstalling.jpg


Installed the pushrods and rockers, cranked the engine around a couple of revolutions by hand and rechecked the torque.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/rockersinstalled.jpg

[2ez 2spd]

Nice project you have going here are you getting close to finishing it yet?

[pops98]

Jeff
Looks like an awful amount of work, but I am sure when your car is back together it will be almost bulletproof. Pictures look great and I am sure you spent many hours with your service manual. Great write-up.

[allthrottleandsomebottle]

Get that thing together so we can line them up :D
Good job on the DIY pics & instructions

[thegreenman]

Nice project you have going here are you getting close to finishing it yet?


I am out of town for a couple weeks but I think I have some more pictures I can post tonight. I am close to being done if I don’t find anymore parts to order, I am finding out local dealers don’t have any parts for my Vette, everything has to be ordered online, I use Parts Taxi - GM Parts and GM Accessories (http://www.partstaxi.com) for my GM parts.

[thegreenman]

Jeff
Looks like an awful amount of work, but I am sure when your car is back together it will be almost bulletproof. Pictures look great and I am sure you spent many hours with your service manual. Great write-up.

It is a lot more work than I was planning on doing. I didn't think the belt would be such a PITA getting out. Some of the changes I am making is to make it stronger, hopefully more reliable but time will tell.

I have removed most of these parts before when I installed the supercharger. Some of these parts I am getting to damn familiar with but I guess that is what happens when we mod.

I am using my manual also Home | Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (http://www.lingenfelter.com) has a list of torque values on their website for most of what I am doing.

[thegreenman]

Get that thing together so we can line them up :D
Good job on the DIY pics & instructions

Line them up, I don't have a chance against an ole pro like yourself.

[allthrottleandsomebottle]

Line them up, I don't have a chance against an ole pro like yourself.

Hahaha.....ask Joe, if I were that good I would have a lot more trophies and cash in my pockets!:)

[thegreenman]

I am still out of town but can upload a few pictures of my progress just before leaving for my trip. I am using my laptop connected to my phone for this, seems to be working great.

Installed new valve covers with coil relocation kit, just a bling thing.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/valvecovers.jpg


I had to do some cutting and grinding of the brass fitting to clear my supercharger intake, but finally got it to fit on both sides.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/covermod.jpg



I am doing an experiment with the water pump. The stock 2008 water pump hose is in the way of my new belt path I am going to do, trying a new water pump from a 2010 Corvette, note the difference in the water inlet on the water pumps. The back side is the same for both water pumps. You can see the height of the pulley is different but the place of the belt should be good for my application.

Top water pump is for a 2010 Corvette, bottom is my stock pump.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/waterpumpsfront.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/waterpumpsrear.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/waterpumppulley.jpg



My new belt tensioner from MTI Racing, looks a lot stronger than the one that broke and caused these upgrades. This tensioner mounts three different points and is solid billet aluminum which should be a lot stronger.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/MTIBelttenfront.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/MTIBelttenback.jpg


Got a polished ported Throttle Body.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/PortedTB.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/TBinstalled.jpg


Since my brake lines are drained, I decided to install a RSD line lock, like I need another way to smoke my tires.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/RSDLineLock.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/RSDLinelockinstalled.jpg

I got my crank drilled, pinned and bolted.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/crankpinnedbolted.jpg


With the new water pump installed I went with the HPE Flip Drive kit, this is pretty much where I am at until I get back home. This will be easier to explain as I install more of the kit.


http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/HPEflipdrivekit.jpg

[Munch]

Some pretty fancy upgrades there. Really liking the red valve covers and the coil relocate, looking forward to seeing it in person. :cheers:

[thegreenman]

Some pretty fancy upgrades there. Really liking the red valve covers and the coil relocate, looking forward to seeing it in person. :cheers:

Thanks, I am going to try to finish putting it together Friday, wash the three months of dust/pollen off so I can attend the Vettes at the Track. I hope to see you there. :beer:

[thegreenman]

I got it together Friday night like I planned but had a bad power steering fluid leak so I could not go on my trip. Turns out I was missing adapters and a high pressure hose from my HPE Flip Drive kit which will be delivered tomorrow. I attempted to bend the OEM line to work for the weekend trip but it did not hold the pressure and made quite the mess.

Part that suks, I had to take a lot of the parts off again that I just installed.

My truck of parts is disappearing as I install.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/Trunkofgoodies.jpg



I was going to polish my alternator bracket but decided I didn't have enough time and bought a chrome one. I started to polish but realized how much time it was going to take.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/AltBracket.jpg


The alternator bracket had to be cut and a little grinding to fit with my HPE Flip Drive.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/AltBracketModified.jpg


Installed a new High Power alternator, the stock one just doesn't put out enough power.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/HPAlternator.jpg


Since I went with an oversized harmonic balancer I could not install the serpentine belt because it is so close to the subframe the belt would not fit between the balancer and subframe, so I could not install the belt without lifting the engine. I decided to go back to the stock motor height and ordered Pfadt motor mounts. I went with the lowered engine due to hood clearance issue during my supercharger install, even lowered I had to replace the hood. I was able to close the hood with the engine back in its original height, I still need to check to see how close I am but I will do that later. The lowered (modified) mounts on the left, stock motor brackets with Pfadt motor mounts on the right.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/LeftMtrMnt.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/RightMtrMnt.jpg

Almost done, hopefully I can find the time to finish this soon.

[thegreenman]

Fired it up today to test the power steering leak, no leak this time with the new high pressure hose. Watched my oil pressure, started around forty then then dropped to nothing and when I got the RPM's back up the oil pressure went back up. I am hoping I damaged the sending unit when I jacked up the engine.

Both sides of the engine I could hear tapping, I am hoping it is just the exhaust gaskets leaking a little as I didn't replace them when I removed the headers for the engine mount replacement.

I won't be able to work on it until Monday now. :madcloud:

[Munch]

I will make an offering to the gods for you.

[thegreenman]

Went into the garage this morning before heading to work, power steering fluid was running down my garage floor, must be a leak somewhere.

I have been thinking about the oil pressure issue, it could be a few things that I can think of, bad sensor that I mentioned before. I disconnected a ground wire due to the flip drive kit that I was going to relocate/rewire to a different position on the engine before putting it on the road which is a stretch but it might cause it the gauge reading to be wrong. My frontend is about 1.5 foot higher than the rear so I might be sucking some air. Last thing and probably most likely, my pickup tube O ring might need to be replaced which means I get to tear it apart again.



:kick: :confused5: :slap: :notfunny: :cry:

[thegreenman]

Been to pizzed off to work on the Vette. I decided the most likely problem I am having with the oil pressure is the oil pickup tube O ring. I decided to order a high volume oil pump, when I have some time off next week I will start the tear down again. :beer:

[thegreenman]

I torn into it again today, it has been over a month since I had time to do any wrenching. I found the source of the bad oil pressure, the pickup tube O-ring, as you can see there is a big piece missing I am hoping it doesn't plug up anything. I tore up the crank seal getting the balancer off so I will have to order a replacement if I can't find one locally.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/O-ring.jpg

[thegreenman]

I installed a new GM High Flow Oil pump (GM # 17801830) with new pickup tube O-ring. I was more gentle with the O-ring install this time and it seemed to be a snug fit. I used assembly lube this time which let it slide into place better, I think this is what I screwed up before. Cam cover seal on order then I can continue reassembly.

[thegreenman]

I got my delivery today, installed the cam cover and water pump. Hopefully I can finish installing enough parts to fire it up tomorrow, I really hope don't run into any more problems. :beer:

[thegreenman]

Finally had some good luck today. Due to my HPE Flip Drive install the cam sensor cable was to short and I no longer had a place for my ground wire. I ended up extending the cam sensor cable by six inches, made a couple of brackets with some scrap aluminum. Below picture shows the cam sensor cable and new ground wire location. I tried to pin the balancer in the same places but I wasn't able to get it to line up and ended up drilling two more holes for the pins.

I was able to fire it up today, oil pressure was good this time. Tomorrow need to install steering rack and connect everything to fill fluids, hopefully wheels on ground tomorrow.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/CAMcable.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/CamCableInstalled.jpg

[thegreenman]

I almost made it. For the most part it is back together, only minor parts to take care of, some wires to tie up to make neater and to avoid moving parts. Need to bleed the brakes, check for fluid leaks and top off the AC. I must be getting old, between the crawling around on and under the Vette and the sun beating on me, the beer feels heavy now.

[allthrottleandsomebottle]

Ah yes this is when mods are a PITA
But, what else would you be doing if for not getting muscle aches from wrenching, schooching, bending, etc........:D
Just think how much $$$ it would have cost to have someone else do it :yesnod:

[thegreenman]

Ah yes this is when mods are a PITA
But, what else would you be doing if for not getting muscle aches from wrenching, schooching, bending, etc........:D
Just think how much $$$ it would have cost to have someone else do it :yesnod:

True, but the work would get done quicker and I suspect most would not make the same mistakes I have made, but hell, I am learning a lot about my Vette. I should have came over to grab your lift, it would have made my life a lot better. :beer:

[thegreenman]

I am almost ready to hit the road, getting new tires/wheel mounted, need to charge the AC, wash off a couple of inches of dust, one more time check fluid levels, get a state inspection and it will FINALLY be time for a short cruise to break in the cam. If all goes well tomorrow, I will be scheduling a tune.

[thegreenman]

What a relief, all fluids are stable, AC charged, took a couple test drives and all is checking out good. Needed to cruise for at least 20 minutes to fully circulate the 134a for the AC, ended up doing an hour cruise. Tomorrow mount new wheels/tires, change oil/filter and look things over to make sure all is good.

It is great to be able to drive the Vette again. :party:

[thegreenman]

I mounted the new wheels/tires, then relearned the TPMS. The wheels are from House of Wheels (House of Wheels Online -Corvette Wheels (http://www.houseofwheelsonline.com/corvette1.html)) which are ZR1 repos and the tires from tirerack.com. I decided to go with the Michelin PS ZP (runflats), they seem to handle the crappy roads here in Virginia better.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/wheels.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/wheels2.jpg

[Shrek]

Good job Jeff! Looks AWESOME!!!

[thegreenman]

Good job Jeff! Looks AWESOME!!!

Thanks.

I heard you are driving a red ZR-1 for the next couple of years. :D

[Shrek]

Thanks.

I heard you are driving a red ZR-1 for the next couple of years. :D

Yeah, it'll just be a spare in case Georgana breaks hers! :D

[thegreenman]

Something about my Vette hates serpentine belts. I was heading to work a few days ago and I heard a nasty noise from under the hood. At first I thought my PS was crapping out. Open the hood and I could see pieces of the serpentine belt as well as a crap load of belt residue under the hood. Looks like my belt jumped a couple of ribs and about two ribs worth of the belt were disintegrated. Since I separated the supercharger belt from the PS/alternator belts I was able to drive home. While the belt was coming apart it slapped the hood pretty good, when it drops about 20 degrees I will try to buff out the marks.

I ordered the Gates laser alignment tool and checked the alignment today, seems to be off with the belt tensioner by about 1 rib. I need to run down to hardware store tomorrow to get some washers to shim it out tomorrow. Hopefully this will last me a while, if not I have a spare belt to keep in the Vette.

[thegreenman]

Belt tensioner has been shimmed and is pretty close to alignment. New belt arrives tomorrow and if I can take the heat out in the garage I should be back on the road tomorrow night. :dance:

[thegreenman]

Belt installed, no belt squeal but I heard a strange whine when giving it gas, I will look for the source it if comes back again.

[thegreenman]

Weather cooled off a little and I had some time to look things over a little closer. I found the source of the whine, as expected it was the power steering pump. My low pressure hose collapsed and there was not enough fluid was getting to the pump. Cut the hose and rerouted it for better angle, bled the air out and the whine is gone. I still have a little chirp, but that will have to wait for another day.

My belt is still jumping off, messed around with the alignment and discovered between the supercharger and balancer it is off by about one rib. I thought it was good, but the first rib I was counting was actually the edge of the balancer, doh! I tried to get the supercharger pulley off and I could not get it to loosen.

I called Magnacharger for tech support, they said the supercharger pulley should only be 45lbs. I finally strapped it down using an old shredded belt and it took 250lbs to break the nut loose. As soon as it l loosened I could see why they torqued it so tight, it was the wrong pulley. It was a press on shaft with a press on pulley and it had a lot of sloop on the front of the pulley, it was off by .040 inch. MTI Racing installed the wrong pulley. After a few more measurements, the offset for the pulley was also wrong, no wonder it would not align with the balancer.

After messing with the alignment (before removing the pulley), I am able to shred a belt in only five or six miles, this is getting expensive. Something has to be hitting the belt to shred them so quick. Looking around the belt, I found a nut that was touching the supercharger belt. A little grinding of the bolt/nut and it is now a little shorter, the belt is no longer touching the nut.

I decided to order a different spring type belt tensioner from ECS Supercharging. I also ordered a ZR1 idler from Lingenfelter. Maybe these will take out some of the wave action of the belt.

I just sent an email to Magnacharger to see if I can get the correct press-on hub and pulley combination for the supersharger.

If you are so bored you are still reading this, at least I think I am making some progress.


http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/frontmntnut.jpg

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt325/thegreenman_photos/uogrades/Shaft.jpg

[thegreenman]

I did an experiment today. Since I have a pile of chewed up 8-rib belts, I took one and cut two ribs off leaving me with 6 remaining ribs (for the math challenged). I installed the belt two ribs off on the front of the balancer and normal position on the supercharger and tensioner pulleys to see what would happen.

Took it out for a little test drive, hit 4K RPM's a couple of times which is usually enough to shred the belt. Got home and the belt moved back towards the front by one rib position but did not shred. This is what I was hopping for, I was hoping the balancer wasn't causing the belt to jump.

[Munch]

Sucks about the pulley but it sounds like you almost have it licked. :cheers:

[thegreenman]

Sucks about the pulley but it sounds like you almost have it licked. :cheers:

I hope you are right. How have you been?

[Munch]

Been good, just busy packing and getting ready to move to MI on Friday. :willy:

[thegreenman]

Been good, just busy packing and getting ready to move to MI on Friday. :willy:

How did the move go? Are you settled in yet?