How tight should a cambelt be?

[silkencarpet62]

Hello all, got my 306 a year ago and it was about time I changed the cambelt on it (no paperwork for the last time it got done...)

Just wondering if anyone has an answer to how tight the cambelt should be and any guidance for this.

I have made it as tight as it can go but when I started it was a bit squeaky, my current thought is that over time this will go as the belt stretches a little into place.

(1.4L engine 2001)

[welshpug]

on the longest run you should be able to turn it 45 degrees without excessive force by fingers.

"as tight as it'll go" is a surefire way to wear stuff out super fast, do not run it like this!

[Mighty306]

^^ Agree with what Welshpug said. It's a toothed belt, not an aux belt. It needs some tension but not a stupid amount. The Peugeot manual refers to a Seem meter to measure tension but no such thing seems to exist outside of a Peugeot workshop so above rule of thumb is what most people use. (Some say make sure you can't twist the belt more than 90 degrees max on its longest run, and they presumably mean when you're putting some effort in to it).