Ginge !

iTrader: (1)

the reason why you DO change the tensioners is the same reason why you change the oil when changing the filter,,,, the tensioner may be fine so far,,,, but that WILL fail before the belt,,, on older cars i understand,,,,, sort of as the car aint gonna live for another 2 years anyway but on a newer car its a false economy as if that bearing fails,,,,,,, its gonna **** the engine the same way

may aswell leave the belt if it looks fine too then ???

stupid idea im afraid

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

It is not the tensioner, the noise is definately coming from a specific idler. Remove the idler and the noise goes (btw this idler is not fitted to the classics only the newage cars). Re-fit the old idler or a new idler and it comes back. Trying a different belt when the tappets are done.

Ginge! as far as replacing the idlers and tensioners with the belt, subaru idlers and tensioners generally last longer than the belt and rarely fail. If other cars are made in such a way that they fail so early then so be it, but a cambelt change from subaru and several well know specialists only includes tensioner changes if they they are showing signs of wear. The tensioners are known to last at least one belt change, if not more. It all comes down to understanding your marque!

Ginge !

iTrader: (1)

thats my point,, will last the age of 1 belt,,,, will it last the age of TWO belts though ??

so what is next to fail ???

the answer is the tensioner, there is a reason why they make cambelt kits,,,,,,, its not just about money these kits

change cambelt ever 5 years average,,,,, would you recomend a tensioner every 10 years then ???

dotn give me rubbish about knowing the brand,,, the tensioners are made by different companys as are the belts,,,,,, i know this cause i sell car parts for a living,,,,, i aint some aprentice joiner

BAD advice telling people they dont need to change a 30 quid tensioner on there 300 quid cambelt job,,, specialist or not you wont PERSONALLY warranty that should the tensioner fail would you ???

Dave Y

iTrader: (52)

so what sort of price should we be paying for a cambelt kit?

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On most engines where the cambelt has failed its usually down to a tensioner/roller bearing collapsing due to age, which causes the belt to then get chucked off.
Its rare to see the belt actually snap.

scoobyboy

tensioners on these do leak and it's quite common and does cause all sorts of noises, we always quote for a tensioner when we do a belt because they are known to be fragile.

moff1888

I have just had mine done on MY99 UK Turbo, it was due at 90K which i thought I had done when I came back from The Falklands. As it happened I didn't do it then and only noticed recently as it was due the 100K service. I had done 11K miles before getting it changed, bad admin indeed but still ran fine.

Lucky, perhaps, but its all good none the less.

rob 666

iTrader: (1)

had mine done when the car had done 33,000 miles at 6 years old also had to replace tensioner(was very slightly weeping)£300 ish all in done by subaru main dealer,worth it fr the peace of mind