I hope my post wasn't confusing. TLDR: New OEM difficult to put on, very tight and it put the indicator at green line. After removing belt several times it's now looser and indicator is as shown in current position (new tensioner and old tensioner show exact same location of indicator with new OEM belt).

Where should indicator be with new belt?
Could I have stretched the belt to cause the move from green line to where it is now?

thanks

 

If you forced the belt over the pulleys you stretched it. If it's at the Red mark it's stretched.

The Green mark is where a new belt should be.

The belt just drops on once you push the tensioner out of the way. The "belt tensioner release tool" is nothing more than a socket wrench and long handle. Push it to the left to move the tensioner and put slack in the belt.

-- Chuck

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer Chuck, however are my posts confusing when reading them? I feel like we're not connecting.

If you look at the picture the indicator mark is where the current new belt is at, it started at the Green, I used a socket wrench to do the job (no need to buy this tool) and the belt was tight to get over the lip of the pulley but it wasn't insanely tight, but it did require some effort to push it over the lip. It didn't just slip on and off as you say, but I have figured out that in order to just slip it on and off like that the last part would be to do the belt over the water pump pulley as there is no lip like all the other pulleys.

Is it really possible that I could stretch it just by taking it on and off a few times? I have no other reference point or experience to gauge this issue by so is it possible some engine/pulley/belt setups have indicators that start and end slightly different then others (or is Honda S2k always going to be the same on every car)?

p.s. I don't want to have to buy another $80 belt if I don't have to after just 3 weeks.

 

The indicator should be at the green mark with a new belt so it looks like yours has indeed been stretched.
$80 for a belt is way to much even if you got a new OEM, maybe you could try and return it under warranty?
Otherwise you can get a new Gates or Continental belt for around $15.

 

The belt in the photo appears to be microscopically past the limit. Barely over is still over. Ideally it should be at the green mark.

I've changed one (1) belt and that was exactly 2 years ago so the memory is not recent but I don't recall any effort dropping the belt on the pulleys other than pushing the tensioner out of the way. No prying the belt over pulley lips, etc. I'm guessing that doing this several times could easily stretch the belt. The service manual is non-specific on how to put the belt on the pulleys other than pushing the tensioner out of the way .

-- Chuck

 

@Flanders, the OEM belt was $67, and after everything I've read decided to go with OEM since my non OEM one was at the red mark at only 30,000 miles (or probably sooner since I just noticed it)

@Chuck, thanks.

 

Resurrecting because I appear to have a problem with my OEM belts stretching. Yesterday while replacing the rectifier in the alternator I put a new OEM belt on to replace the one I put on earlier this year that only had like 5,000 miles which is shown in a pic earlier in this thread to have already stretched past the allowed indicator mark. I assumed I had super man handled it and somehow stretched it during installation as I had a difficult time with it.

This time I was very careful putting the new one on, and didn't stretch it a all, slipping it on easily. When I put it on the indicator was in the center between the two markers (not even all the way to the left). This morning it's almost at the wear indicator.

The tensioner is new replaced earlier this year with the last belt. Nothing was wrong with the previous tensioner and I did multiple tests per the user manual on the old and new tensioner and they performed exactly the same. They both pegged the belt at the same exact spot.

Why are my brand new OEM belts stretching so fast?

Here's the new belt pic taken today:

 

@Thomas, no offense, but I think you're taking this to an obsessive level -- as I often do myself -- from swapping out the entire tensioner when you didn't need to, to worrying about the belts being microscopically stretched.

I don't think any of these specific parts have such tight tolerances that one really has to worry as much as you are. Since you've already tried two OEM belts on a new tensioner, next time give a Bando belt from Amazon a try (they run about $20) -- I've had mine on for 5+ years and 100k rough, hard miles -- but only after it's CLEARLY stretched.

Let her run. Take her for a drive.

P.S. I don't see how one can over-stretch or damage these by hand.

 

I would say the OEM belts and tensioner are fine.

Did you change the rectifier in the alternator because of flickering dash lights from a jump start?

 

Let me break down the timeline and issue a different way as I tend to get verbose and the issue gets lost in the thread. There hasn't been much discussion about this on S2ki or the interwebs.

1. July '18, Idler Pulley and Tensioner bearings need to be replaced
1a. Replace tensioner pulley because I can, confirm with service manual that it is in spec (19.3 lbs of pressure)
1b. Replace existing Gator belt with only 30,000 miles as it's far past the wear indicator mark (reference Post #9)
1c. Use OEM belt this time as it's known for superior quality to aftermarket

2. With only 3,500 miles new OEM belt is now past wear indicator mark

3. Jan '19, while replacing alternator rectifier (due to flickering lights) decide to:
3a. Replace OEM belt with another new OEM belt
3b. New OEM belt is in the middle of the tensioner spec range
3c. Within one day it has moved to the farthest right of the indicator bars

Question:

- What can be causing (soon to be) 3 belts to stretch past the service limit within only 35,000 miles?