JohnAlley

Has anyone installed the Katech belt tensioner on a 2004 Z06? Tried to do the install this evening and was not successful. It appears that the stock belt is about 3/4" to short to go over the pulley on the tensioner. I pried so hard on the thing I thought I was going to break something but could never get the belt close to going over the pulley. Any help or ideas would be gratly appreciated.

froggy47

Make sure the belt is fully seated in all the other pullies so that you have the max amount of slack in the belt.

ErnieN85

It will go on the easiest way is to leave out one of the mounting bolts lay the belt in place with the tensioner at it's loosest position then swing the bracket into place and insert the mounting bolt
after everything is snugged up then set the belt tension and tighten the adjustment up

davidfarmer

I've only done it with smaller crank pulley, but it may require a shorter belt. Someone should know for sure.

If in doubt, take your belt to NAPA and get the next larger size. If you can get it on correctly, AND tight enough, then you know.

redtopz

I installed one and used the stock belt.

travisnd

It works with the stock belt, but since the pulley has taller sides it's a bit harder to install the "normal" way. Best way on a stock crank pulley w/ a stock belt is to put it on all the pulleys and then slide it over the water pump last. The water pump "pulley" is rounded and smooth so the belt will slide up and on it much easier than trying to force it over the tensioner pulley last.

Hope that helps some

ErnieN85

Sound easier than what I did good idea

travisnd

Your way works, but you have to be careful not to cross-thread the tensioner bracket bolts.

mphox

I have 2002 Z06. I used pulley off of stock tensioner. It is slightly smaller with shorter sides.

JohnAlley

Thanks for all the help on this project. Putting the belt on the smooth water pump pulley last is the only way to go.

travisnd

I guess that works, but then you've reduced the tensioner's ability to keep the blet in place during belt-whip situations i.e. when you let off the throttle abruptly from high rpms etc.

Good to hear it worked for you

froggy47

GTR-Z51

OK, tried all of the above an still no luck. Ended up re-installing the stock tensioner, which was a piece of cake compared with the Katech version. Any other suggestions or should I just get the next size belt?

RX-Ben

Has anyone actually lost a belt with the stock tensioner?

davidfarmer

I only lost belts when I ran a Quartermaster 5.5" clutch and an ATI underdrive pulley..... The deduced inertia on decel would toss the belt right off. I've never had a problem with throwing belts on an engine with a heavy flywheel and balancer

ErnieN85

I lost a belt once
not pretty
there is a lot of harmonics happening at 4000 rpm on up and quite a few people have lost belts on the LS6.
the LS2, 3 & & 7 have higher sides on the tensioner pulley and a damper on the alternator. that seems to have solved the problem

travisnd

I haven't but enough people at the track have that I like knowing it's there. The OEM LS2 pulley has a higher lip than the LS1/LS6 tensioner so it should work nicely as well.

If my above method of putting the belt over the water pump pulley last doesn't work then you have the wrong size belt or are doing something else wrong.

redtopz

I did at Buttonwillow going over a hump in the track. Didn't know the belt slipped off the tensioner until the following 90 mph turn where I discovered I had no power steering and went straight off the track. It's one of those turns where you wait until the last second to turn in and if you miss the apex you are going off. Luckily there was plenty of runoff and just grass. I didn't realize what happened until my car overheated. I found my belt shredded and jammed in the pulleys. After that, I installed a katech tensioner and have never had a problem. I've also seen belts jump off of tensioners on the dyno right when the tuner lifts off the gas pedal after a hard 4th gear pull. I guess it just depends on the condition of the stock tensioner spring. Mine was pretty weak.