AndyC wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 17:23
Actually, thinking about it, for the mechanical gauge they are both the same setting, it's different settings if using the resonant frequency method.
Sorry, I'm late to this thread...
Yes, when using a Borroughs gauge, use the same '95' tension for both the trapezoidal and HTD round tooth belts. One size fits all the OEM black belts (the modern Gates Racing Blue belts use a lower tension - 82-85).
The HTD belt's taller tooth/ deeper engagement requires less tension than the trapezoidal belt. The Borroughs gauge is 'thickness sensitive', and the HTD belt is thicker than the trapezoidal. Using the same '95' tension with the HTD belt results in a 'real' strand tension that is something lower than 95, closer to 90. I'm not sure what the ideal HTD tension would have been, but Lotus felt that whatever '95' Borroughs produced was close enough. Being able to carry forward the same Borroughs gauge and tension spec for all OEM black belts was was convenient both in terms of no new tool required, and no added confusion over which tool & tension to use.
The Lotus Burroughs gauge was calibrated using a trapezoidal belt back in the day, and it was that gauge & calibration that was carried forward. If your engine has an HTD belt, and you ever send your Borroughs gauge in to be re-calibrated, then send along a length of trapezoidal belt on which to calibrate it. If you calibrate it to 95 with a HTD belt (even if that's what is on your engine), then the gauge will read higher than Lotus spec by about ~5.
Both the original Borroughs, and the later cantilever Boroughs were calibrated on trapezoidal tooth belts.
Regards,
Tim Engel