Belt tension question
 

I installed a new serpentine belt and thought I could feel the proper tension. This model has the manual adjustment where with the tension idler pivot loose you crank in tension on an adjustment nut near the water pump. Very nice design.

I have no idea where I'm at for tension, the belt seemingly has proper deflection at the longest point but there is no index or marker scale. I'd hate to be too tight and eat accessory bearings. I can feel the tension using a 12mm T-handle socket noticing resistance as I pull her up. Using a ratchet you could easily banjo the belt to a high C.

Looking on-line, there are hand-held belt tension gauges out there by Gates and Dayco. Anyone see the need or is there old-school method?

The general rule of thumb is you should be able to depress the belt about 1/2 of an inch on the longest stretch of belt on the pulley system. No more than 1" though.

not sure which tensioner you have, but I suspect that you have the one that to adjust, you loosen the 10mm hex at the center of the tensioner, then adjust tension via the long shafted piece near/above the water pump. If this is so, the technique is to adjust the tension to where the pointer, (small white plastic piece), moves from the right to the left along a triangular indicator scale. This white plastic piece may be missing from your tensioner, and therefore, you would not know how much to adjust. If it is there, all it needs to be is aligned with the left edge of the triangle, then the tensioner will be where it needs to be, it's automatic from there. Of course, you'd then need to retighten the 10mm insert hex bolt...