Examination
On Accord and Prelude models, check the drive belts at least every 50,000 kilometers or every 24 months. Determine the belt tension at the midpoint between the pulleys by gently pressing it with your thumb. The belt should have a travel of about 6 mm with a belt length of 178-254 mm and 13 mm with 330-406 mm. If the belt travel is more or less, adjust the tension.
When adjusting the preload, do not try to make it as tight as possible. Excessive belt tension will cause premature wear of the drive components. With properly adjusted belt travel, the drive components will run quietly.
Checking and adjusting the tension
Before adjusting, inspect the belt for cracks or wear. Make sure that there is no grease or oil on its surface. A worn belt will be perfectly smooth and shiny from slipping; a belt in good condition will have some visible fabric structure. Cracks will start from the inside of the belt and scatter outward. Replace the belt at the first sign of cracking or severe fraying.
1. Not too much pressure on the belt in the middle between the pulleys. The belt should deflect approximately 13 mm. The deflection should be slightly less on a new belt, as the spring will be lost fairly quickly in the first half hour or so of operation.
2. If you need to adjust the belt tension on a 1984 Accord, loosen the adjusting bolt and move the sync generator outward. On all other models, loosen the top mounting bolt, then turn the outboard sync generator adjusting nut. This will allow you to effortlessly move the sync generator.
3. When the belt tension is correctly set, tighten the top mounting bolt. Recheck the tension and adjust if necessary.
4. If the air conditioning compressor belt needs adjustment, tighten it by turning the adjusting bolt. Depending on the model, either the compressor or the idler pulley can be acted on in this way.
Do not apply excessive force to either the casing or the components.