question about cablelt change

[Mops]

Hello.

I'm changing cambelt on my e30 325i, and I'm stuck on the cambelt tenstioner install.

Now, the pic.





Problem:
Cambelt tensioner is held by two bolts, A and B on the pic. C is the spring that adjust the cambelt tension.

If I tightrn bolts A and B then tensioner is unable to move. This is how it was when I was undooing the old tensioner. It seems kinda pointless to have the spring and tensioner there if it cant move. On the other handm, if I dont tighten those bolts, the tensioner moves nicely... but I presume because those bolts are not tight, they will eventually fell off... (undo themselves due to vibration)...

Can somebody with experience in that area (and bentley manual) can explain to me how is this thing supposed to work ??? should I tighten those bolts or what ?

as a side note... since i didnt know when the old cambelt was changed, that why i'm changin it. the old cambelt didnt look that bad, but it was definitely too loose (old tensioner was tightened hard therefore couldnt move and adjust tension as the belt expanded).

Please advive.

Thanks in advance.
Mops.

[E30BeemerLad]

Dude check out this thread as it has a link in to a guide I used when doing mine, sorry I am at work so don't have time to type everything out, but this other thread I am providing the link to should see you sorted

cheers

Edit: use the guide in the post put up by Martinaston

http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... iots+guide

[Brianmoooore]

The spring does not continuously adjust the belt tension.
The spring is allowed to tension the belt after replacing it, and while you turn the crankshaft a couple of turns to settle everything.
After that the bolts are tightened, and the spring has no further function.

[Turbo-Brown]

The bit of paper with my belt said to turn the engine over twice, backwards using the cam pulley to let the spring set the tension, then just tighten the bolts.

Obviouslt the belt needs to be on and relatively tight so it doesn't slip when you're doing this

[Mops]

Thanks alot chaps.
Hopefullt, I'll be able to put everything back together tonight.