Has anyone tried this iPhone app for belt tensioning? | FerrariChat

Has anyone tried this iPhone app for belt tensioning?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by scowman, Feb 18, 2018.

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  1. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

    Mar 25, 2014
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    Stu Boogie
  2. Motob

    Motob Formula 3
    Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 11, 2003
    2,238
    Frederick, Maryland
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    Brian Brown
    I am sure that it works fine if it was developed by Continental as they are one of the leading belt manufacturers. My shop-mate downloaded a different belt frequency app and we checked it against the factory Ferrari tension gauge and it read the same. It is basically just a guitar tuner for belts.

    The only issue is that sometimes there is a clearance issue trying to get an iPhone into the space where the belt tension is to be checked. The factory tool has a small head on a long wire and can be used to check belt tensions on mid-engine cars with the engine installed in the car. It would be impossible to get your iPhone into such a small gap.
     
    AlfistaPortoghese likes this.
  3. Cribbj

    Cribbj Formula 3

    Tried a similar one from a well known Japanese belt manufacturer, but it wanted the specific belt P/N and the car it was going on before it would let you do anything useful. It didn't last long on my phone. Hope you have better luck with the Conti app - let us know.
     
  4. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

    Mar 25, 2014
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    I'm going to try it on my 456. Should be plenty of access as I am taking the radiator out for service too. Not sure if a microphone can be plugged in too.
     
  5. Ferrari_Doctor

    Feb 14, 2012
    24
    As Motob has stated.
    We checked the “Gates” belt tension app against the Factory ferrari tool and we collected the same results. Great app.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  6. Mickster

    Mickster Formula Junior

    Oct 24, 2015
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    Mikael Andersson
    There’s some guys over on the 360 section has used different apps for testning belt tension. Works well according to them.
    Some even had a clavister tool to verify and got the same reading, so they seem pretty reliant.
    I too will do this as I’m changing belts on my 360.

    Search around to see which one is the best.
     
  7. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

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    I have a galay now as well. I wonder if an external mic on a wire could be plugged into either or both phones. That woild make it as good as the dedicated units.
     
  8. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    26,292
    socal
    I'd like to hear about actual belt tension HERTZ specs vs. factory listings? There are a few noted techs who claim the factory printed specs are wrong on some models but will not openly reveal the numbers since it took their blood sweat and tears to develop them. And their are earlier cars that never had a factory Sonic spec so what is being done on those?
     
  9. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

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    Would be nice. But understand their proprietary stance.
     
  10. mwr4440

    mwr4440 Five Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 8, 2007
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    Also, depending where the belt is in the rotation, that will give a different reading even thou the belt is plucked at the same location.

    On the 308, the belts 'climb' during each crank rotation. You have to rotate the engine many times to get the belts back to their 'original' locations in ref to the three cam gears once marked.

    I'm sure the variables here make heads explode.
     
  11. JimEakin

    JimEakin Formula Junior

    Jun 13, 2015
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    Mountain Living
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    Great that there is an app for this. When I was checking, I plucked the belts and listened to the sound. Then I used a tone generator app to play the expected sound and used my brain to compare.
     
  12. JimEakin

    JimEakin Formula Junior

    Jun 13, 2015
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    I just downloaded the app. According to the license agreement, they collect usage and location data for this. I uninstalled immediately.
     
  13. RedNeck

    RedNeck F1 Veteran
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    Jul 8, 2016
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    I used the Gates App. It worked well. I think they all state that they use location data
     
  14. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

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    Why? Affraid Mueller is going to accuse you of collaborating with the Russians to fix the election? It's belt tension data...
     
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  15. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

    Mar 25, 2014
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    So I just did the 456. I used the 308 method to set the initial tension (stop where the tension is the least and tensioner most engaged, then tighten the nut). Then I rotated to the highest tension spot by meter. The right bank was spot on, but the left bank needed some help.


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  16. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
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    Sixteen revolutions if I remember correctly.
     
  17. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

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  18. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

    Mar 25, 2014
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    I switched to the Gates app so I wouldn't have to push Start and Stop all the time. Gates is harder to capture a pic though, but I only did that at the end. I bought a $10 microphone from Amazon. Worked great except the I had to close the Gates app, unplug the microphone, then open the app, and plug in the microphone to get it to start each time the app shut down. To stop it from shutting down all the time I changed my privacy setting to 5 mins. Clipped the microphone on the allen heads on the motor within the belt loop.


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  19. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

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    So is that how to get the tension to climb? Just keep rotating the motor? Rather than levering the bearing?
     
  20. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
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    No.........16 revolutions of the engine to get your marks on cams and belts to line up again. You would not want to spin the engine 16 times without the tensioner tightened. I always turn the engine until all the marks line up again to make sure somewhere the belt didn't jump a tooth.
     
  21. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

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    Got it.
     
  22. mwr4440

    mwr4440 Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Thanx Glass.

    I heard the number was much higher.

    Glad I didn't post some crap keeping it alive.
     
  23. scowman

    scowman Formula 3

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    Curious why this is necessary. If cam gears on both banks are marked in relation to TDC, Cylinder 1 how could you not know everything is still lined up by two crank revolutions? It’s possible one bank could skip a tooth but two banks? If just one bank slips all four cam gears will not line up on tdc. Only if both banks skip the same number of teeth would it be possible to line up a tooth off. What is the probability of that?
     
  24. andyww

    andyww F1 Rookie

    Feb 7, 2011
    2,775
    London
    This would be very unlikely unless there was something major wrong with the belt which would be unlikely on a new belt. The tension at a given pluck-point depends on engine position within 2 rotations for sure owing to varying camshaft loading but not belt position.
     

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