796 Belt tensioning - I DIY'd it - no pluck

[hoveyh]

This weekend I took my belt covers off to check the tensioning as I have about 850 miles on it. On a cold engine The belts seemed very floppy twisty loose, you could flip a 6mm socket thru the fixed pulley effortlessly....

Admitantly what I did next was before I did a thorough forum search....I set the horiz cyl to 5mm and vert cyl to 6mm ..... ran the motor until two temp marks on scale, let sit overnight and checked them this morning. 5mm flips thru horz with contact and 6mm on vert.

Today a short country blip .... 3 temp dots, full rpm range run... 8k/80mph, normal pull, acel feel..... smooth (well ducati normal) idle ...... I checked the tension while hot and the play was tighter but I could still get a 5mm key thru with one hand. I set the tensioner bolts to 20ftlbs

Ok, let me have it ...constructvely..... am I darn lucky ? Insane? Or is the older school way still a way to go w/o the tuner laptop plucking method ??

Be gentle.

H

[hyperdookie]

I've checked my belts (1100) and they seemed good to me, not too tight, not too loose. I didn't do the "pluck" because 1) I don't have the set-up 2) I still don't quite understand how to do it 3) it seems like a retarded way to set belt tension. Too many variables. Where do you set the mic? Where do you "pluck"? How hard do you "pluck"? What the pluck do they mean by "pluck"?
If anyone has this all figured out, please share the knowledge.

[Decreasing Dave]

I, too, am pluckin' confused....

Dave

[MTScott2]

Do you mean that you slipped a 6mm allen wrench between the roller and belt or a 6mm socket (much larger)?

Hall of wisdom has a video done byTye1138..

I looked at mine yesterday and did not see anything out of the ordinary . It would help if I knew WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR ...

You don't want to screw this adjustment up...from what I understand...

[MTScott2]

Belt Adjustment: Questions Answered...

[hyperdookie]

Originally Posted by Scott2

Belt Adjustment: Questions Answered...

I actually read that a while back and bookmarked it but it still didn't leave me convinced that this method would produce consistent results. I guess the only thing that will convince me is to try it myself. I'd be curious to see how much the variables,i.e. mic model, placement, where and how hard to "pluck", effect the results.

[hoveyh]

Scott2 ... yes, on the horiz cyl I fit it with a 5mm allen on top of belt/under fixed roller. On vert cyl I used a 6mm inbetween the left roll/belt. You can push down and see a gap on each belt (well, push to the right on vert cyl) and the allens push thru with some resistance.

Would not a very loose belt very bad .... ? ... and also slightly mess w/ timing? .....

Initial stretch on new belts seems to demand a real important awareness .... then after a slight tightening all should be good for many K of miles.

I am trying not to loose sleep over this .... deep down I do feel I am GTG.

H

[buggsz24]

Originally Posted by hyperdookie

I guess the only thing that will convince me is to try it myself. I'd be curious to see how much the variables,i.e. mic model, placement, where and how hard to "pluck", effect the results.

Mic model and proper calibration are important, a tuning fork can be used to determine if your measuring equipment is set up correctly from the start.

Where and how hard you pluck will change the amplitude, but it will not effect the resonant frequency.

[hoveyh]

I am a drummer ....ok a old one (H.S. jazz, concert and rock bands) ... I hate tuning shit and listening to everyones Csharps !

How in the hell did ducati fall in to this method ? I am a gun nut and reloader and know of barrel harmonic vibrations as well but JeeZus !

I went on another romp today .... again full rpm spectrum ... up to a 95mph section .... all feels and sounds great.

H

[MTScott2]

I just rolled a 5mm allen key between the rollers and belts . it was a tight fit so alls well I think..