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MG MGF Technical - Failed Cam Belt Tensioner

I recently had the mis fortune to suffer a cam belt tensioner failure while on the martello tour run. The tensioner fell to bits and the car ground to a halt.

My engine had 16 bent valves...ouch !!

Wondered if anyone else has heard of this or was it a one off....could be a lesson for all....replace the tensioner at the same time as the Cam Belt !

Don
D Kimberley

not totally uncommon - did you get a telltale squeel before it went?
Will Munns

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt! :(

I traded the remains of the car in for a ZS180, since I was quoted over 1.5k for the repair (on a very tired engine) or over 3k for a new engine.

Will, there was no squeal. Just a sudden loss of power and a lot of noise from the engine.

Ralph
Ralph

Nop, no squeal or tell tale signs...doh I did the rebuild myself so didn't cost as much but still expensive !!

don
D Kimberley

Don, what kind of mileage had your engine done when the tensioner faied?

Ralph
Ralph

Ouch!!!!

Thanks for the heads up on the tensioner though. Isn't this part usually replaced as part of the 5year/60k cam belt service?
Rob Bell

Not as a rule - so it depends on who does the work.
(strictly I think the manual says replace it whenever the belts are off)
Will Munns

On the Rover maintenance sheet (for later MGF models), it only says to replace cam belt no note of the tensioner, also the interval at which they need to be replaced has been altered for later models.

Cambelt : 100.000km
Rear camshaft belt (VVC) : 100.000km
Spark Plugs : 100.000km
Gearbox oil: 175.000km
Fuel Filter : 100.000km
Airbags : from 10 to 15 years
Antifreeze (OAT): 4 years
Thierry

>Isn't this part usually replaced as part of the 5year/60k cam belt service?

No, nor the 120k service :(

According to the dealer that I use they only inspect the tensioner. They only replace it if it looks like its about to fall apart. Makes more work and earns more money for the dealer if they have to repair the engine rather than just fit a part that involves no extra labour charges.

Ralph
Ralph

I'll get mine replaced at the next cam belt service - thanks chaps :o)
Rob Bell

BTW - was it a manual or self-adjusting tensioner Don?
Rob Bell

Tensioners on vvc's are manual. I spoke to an mg dealer in caterham who said they had only sold 2 tensioners in the past year, so thought i was unlucky. Milage on my car is 49k belt had been changed 11k miles ago but not the tensioner, I beleive these are only inspected.

don
D Kimberley

This thread was discussed between 20/07/2004 and 21/07/2004

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