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MG MGF Technical - 60 K - Cam belt tensioner

At 60K and after having the cam belts changed my car whined. The mechanic had written on the job sheet that the tensioner was noisey (but the garage forgot to tell me). Anyway, after an argument they changed the tensioner and the problem has gone away.
They gave me the old tensioner which felt really rough when turned but only had slight play in the bearing. It looks as if dirt had got into the bearing and ruined it.
It might be worth considering having the tensioner changed with the belts.
Keith

Keith you had a very lucky escape!

if that tensioner had let go your engine would have detonated! UTTERLY DESTROYED! I have seen one and it isnt a pretty sight!

You should ALWAYS change the tensioner with the cam belt. Any sort of roughness even the slightest grittiness = dead tensioner.

Personally I cant beleive that he mechanic/garage would let the car go with an audibly failing belt tensioner!
They must be pretty Cr@p/stupid!


Neil

A very good call Keith - see what happens when the tensioner fails (as on Don's engine!): http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/common_problems/CoH/tensioner_failure.htm
Rob Bell

"It might be worth considering having the tensioner changed with the belts."
At 60k I would say essential, include alternator belt with that as well.



mike

I recently had my cam belt and alternator belt changed, and when I asked the garage to do the tensioner as well they said that it was included in the 'cam belt kit', after reading the above I do hope that it was included...?
John Bowler

The cambelt tensioner on my F failed at around 156K. When I queried the diagnosis and the fact that they had changed the belt at 120k the garage stated that the tensioner was inspected but they did not think that the tensioner needed replacement!

When I had the belt replaced on my ZS, needless to say, I insisted on having the tensioner replaced!

Ralph
Ralph

This thread was discussed between 17/02/2006 and 19/02/2006

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