Engine Mechanical problem
1997 Renault Clio 4 cyl Two Wheel Drive Manual 70000 miles

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

Yes, you have over tightend it, lost belt tensioners have a spring loaded adjustment that "self sets". then retighten.

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.

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.