1997 Renault Clio CAM BELT TENSION FIGURE

1997 RENAULT CLIO
70,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • MANUAL
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JOHNHATHOME
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HI, I AM REPLACING THE CAMBELT ON THE CAR (1.2) AND HAVE PURCHASED A TENSION GAUGE TO SET THE TENSION AS PER THE MANUAL BUT I CANNOT FIND ANY FIGURES TO SET IT TO - WE ALSO HAVE A 2001 1.4 B 16 VALVE AND NEED TO DO THE SAME ON THAT - THE GAUGE IS MECHANICAL WITH A VERNIER ADJUSTMENT - I DECIDED I HAD BETTER GET A GAUGE AS I SET IT UP USING A "RULE OF THUMB" AND THE WATER PUMP HAS STARTED SQUEALING SO HAVE ASSUMED I OVERTIGHTENED IT !
REGARDS JOHN
Nov 25, 2008 at 6:33 AM
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STRAILER
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Yes, you have over tightend it, lost belt tensioners have a spring loaded adjustment that "self sets". then retighten.
Nov 25, 2008 at 5:12 PM
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JOHNHATHOME
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Hi - It looks like you may have not understoood my question or perhaps it was not sufficiently clear - The Clio (mine at least) does not have a sprung loaded belt tensioner - I do have a manual and it suggests that the tension should be set using a "Cambelt tension Gauge" which I have purchased at a significant cost- the device I believe is calibrated in Newton metres - No figure for the tension is listed in my book and I can find no figure from a search of the internet - I thought this might be the sort of figure you would have acces to.

Regards John H.
Nov 26, 2008 at 2:04 AM
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STRAILER
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Hi, I have never used a gauge to set tension. The general rule of thumb is when the belt is at the right tension it will twist 1/4 on itself. You said the water pump is sqeeling, they do that when the timing belt is too tight.
Dec 1, 2008 at 6:55 PM