# Belt Tension on 2000 Sonata

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** belts\
**Created:** [March 5, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043 "2014-03-05T00:02:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![simmojb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/simmojb/32/2843_2.png) [@simmojb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/simmojb)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043/1 "2014-03-05T00:02:49Z")

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Hi all!

I am a weekend (aka wannabe) mechanic, and have just changed out an alternator on a 2000 Sonata. My question is this: since it doesn’t have a tensioner (it uses the screw setup–if I was a real mechanic, I would know the official name for that thing), how do I know if I have over-tensioned the belt, short of it going bad on me?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043/2 "2014-03-05T01:01:01Z")

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As you tighten the jackscrew, check the belt deflection at the greatest distance between two pulley’s. The deflection should be about an inch.

Tester

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**Author:** ![simmojb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/simmojb/32/2843_2.png) [@simmojb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/simmojb)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043/3 "2014-03-05T01:02:24Z")

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Thanks!

By deflection, do you mean give (as in pressing down on the belt)?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043/4 "2014-03-05T01:03:13Z")

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Yep!

Tester

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![simmojb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/simmojb/32/2843_2.png) [@simmojb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/simmojb)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043/5 "2014-03-05T01:05:27Z")

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Awesome, thanks again!

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 10:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/belt-tension-on-2000-sonata/84043/6 "2014-03-05T10:07:28Z")

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That’s an inch total, not an inch each way.  
Another common way of determining proper tension on a system without a tensioner is to twist the belt by hand, You should be able to twist it about 3/4 of the way around and no more.