Issues with built kenne bell 07

Rosco62

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Very informative thanks for the info!! Could this cause sputtering when going into boost at low rpms? Having a huge issue with this right now just didn't know if it could be related
 

Born To Run

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Tensioner

.A couple of things here to note. The Gt500 and GT tensioners are different. Automatics are much easier on the tensioner and belts than stick cars. The Thump tensioner does in fact use the OEM spring. Look closely at a Thump on a stick GT car. You will see where the set screw for the stop leaves an impression on the arm from bottoming. Typically not an issue with automatics. All of the aftermarket billet tensioners address the bending/braking issues as they are stronger. But bottom out the tensioner and you will still loose the belt. To address these issue a stronger tensioner with more spring tension is required. Again stick cars really benefit from the additional tension on the belt between shifts.

I still bet that the OP has an alignment issue to resolve as well. If it's peeling a couple ribs off the belt. Tensioner is bottoming out, causing enough slack in the belt that it moves over. Tension returns with the belt moved over a couple millimeters and slices the belt.

My 4R70W beat the hell out of the Thump rrr tensioner (re clocked years ago for more tension).Take a look one day when on the two step & transbrake at 4000 rpm,it's violent what the tensioner goes through.I sometimes hit the rev limiter never a issue with Thump rrr stuff.I had a stick in it for 3 years,moved to auto for racing 5 years,car is now back to a stick,still no problems.Gates was a major sponsor of mine,Green stripe belts are all I used.FYI I never bottomed my tensioner,only when removing.Even when I blew motors & the motor locked up,belt stayed on,hell I blew a motor on the dyno at 6000 rpm at 130 mph,driveshaft broke at rear u-joint shaft jammed itself stopping everything in a nano second,so quickly the shock load cracked the engine block,snapped off the starter bolts & cracked the trans bell housing,also the e-brake bracket in the tunnel got nailed by driveshaft causing it to be activated in the car so fast & hard the plastic grip flew off,all in a sonic boom second,then silence.Get this it even bent the super charger pulley,don't ask me how but it did!Oh yeah belt stayed on & Thump rrr tensioner survived.
 

thump_rrr

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1) Gates 91006 Serpentine Belt Alignment Tool
2) Autozone 27031 Power Steering Pulley Puller/Installer (loan a tool)
3) Check alignment of power steering pump pulley and adjust if necessary.
4) Check if the tensioner is bent torsionally.

Tensioners can fail in many ways.
They can bend torsionally, snap the arm, rip the bushing straight out of the center.
I've seen it all.

When we first started out we would purchase new tensioners to get the springs out of them.
Our customers would also send in their broken tensioners so we could recover the springs.
Since then we have gone to brand new springs made to OEM specifications.

Randy (Born To Run) was one of the first to purchase one of our tensioners.
He sent it back a year later to get it re-clocked.


Some people depending on pulley combinations and belt lengths may be running their tensioner lower than others requiring a little more spring tension.
Alternately if running the tensioner a little higher the set screw can be removed to avoid hitting the stop.
The only purpose of the set screw is for ease of installation of the tensioner.
 

Rosco62

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Well I found out that I'm blind I took the car to a shop and talked with the dude and we started looking at in and my blower pully is off by 1/8 inch of everything else . Good news he said the sputtering is deffently in the tune so in a week or so should be hitting the dyno!! And I've decided to throw a 100 shot on it after talking with the shop owner
 

TexasBlownV8

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You **MUST** get the alternator perfectly aligned, using a laser. The installation of the idler bracket can let the alternator sit at an angle, and it is difficult to get it right, and no way you can get it by eyesight.

It is possible the p/s pulley is also mis-aligned, but the shredding is usually due to the alternator alignment.

(if you need a new green 8-rib belt, I have one listed in the classifieds)
 

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