tensioner wont hold tension, need help please

[leggomieggo10]

alright, im trying to get this damn car ready for the meet on sunday, just when i thought i had it i was wrong.. i bought a 60k for a 92 3000 sl, got a GOOD 3sx tensioner not a shitty advance tensioner.

when i time the car it holds fine, even when i spin the crank by hand it holds fine, but when i start the car the tensioner i guess you could say loses tension. i figured i got a bad tensioner so put the old back one, that was holding perfect tension, an it did the same exact thing.

i was lucky, no bent valves. im not doing anything any differently than the dozens of 60k ive done before.

I dont know what it could be, i need help if i want to make it to the meet.

thanks guys

heres a pic of what the tensioner looks like after the cars been started an ran for about 30 sec.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa168/leggomieggo10/102_0823.jpg

[$$$PIT]

I can't see the tensioner rod at all. Is it the pic or is it all the way in?

[SpdDmnVR4]

I just had to replace mine with a New OEM one. I had a OEM one on it that failed last weekend with only 9000 miles on it. They do go bad. All I can say is that you either have the tension on the belt too tight and it's pushing the plunger back in, or you have two failed tensioners on your hands.

[GTwizard]

bad tensioners. It happens. Only had 1 bad tensioner from mitsu. Most all other brand tensioners I have ever used failed. That beck arnley crap don't last 3 months. Mitsu only.

[Deathstrike]

Just replied to your post on 3sofflorida. Take a look. Tensioner pulley looks a bit past the 12 o'clock point in addition to no plunger

[leggomieggo10]

i would go with two bad tensioners except the fact that the old one was holding tension before i did the 60k, so its a good tensioner. an the plunger is pushed back into the tensioner.

[green-lantern]

It compresses while it’s running?

[SpdDmnVR4]

You are describing the exact same symptoms as me. I tried turning the car over by hand and it would hold tension. The minute you started the car, the plunger would push back inside until you turned the car off and rotated the crank by hand again. And somehow, your old tensioner failed while sitting in your garage.

I recommend getting a new OEM mitsu tensioner. They are more expensive, but I have heard nothing but bad about Beck/arnley and other knockoffs

[leggomieggo10]

yes, its compressing when i start the car.

and ill say it again, this is NOT a shitty tensioner from advance, both of my tensioners are from 3sx.

[$$$PIT]

Well, wherever they came from "They no good". :(

[green-lantern]

yes, its compressing when i start the car.

and ill say it again, this is NOT a shitty tensioner from advance, both of my tensioners are from 3sx.

Honestly just because 3sx sells them doesn't mean they are good. They will give people the option to buy a cheap aftermarket one because some want that option. When it comes to 60-120k parts I'll only use stock mitsu. Did you buy the stock one from them or did you get the aftermarket one from them?


Edit: Like this?

http://www.3sx.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=26864

[leggomieggo10]

i didnt skimp on the tensioner lol. its the oem mitsu tensioner.

[green-lantern]

i didnt skimp on the tensioner lol. its the oem mitsu tensioner.

It looks like you have it tensioned right, looks like the pulley was adjusted the right way. Very weird! I don't want you to risk harm to your engine but I'd love to see a vid of this happening.

Have you let the engine sit for a few at TDC before you pulled the pin? I wonder if you got it too tight.

[Ninja Performance]

I have run into bad out of the bag OEM tensioners. It happens.
How many have tried this:
Solid Tensioner (http://www.ninjaperformance.com/product_info.php?cPath=383&products_id=2047)

-Chris

[DrGonzo]

The problem with the solid tensioner is that you have to keep an eye on the belt and adjust the tension so often as the belt slacks from age. Which can be a pain considering everything that has to be removed just to get to it!!! :( That is the purpose of the stock tensioner, so you don't have to keep adjusting it. If you don't mind having to keep and eye on the belt tension it would be a good way to go. Personally if I will most likely be going with a solid one at some point as I am always inside the engine and have something apart...LOL

Best bet, send it back to 3SX and have them send you a new one. it's getting to the point with OEM tensioners that they almost need to be tested out before they get shipped as more and more seem to be failing right out of the box.

[green-lantern]

Can you cut a hole in the timing cover and adjust it without pulling everything apart?

[DrGonzo]

I wondered that too but I thing the pulley and belts might be in the way. I'd also be worried about getting crap into the lower end with the hole cut there :eek:

Anyone got a pic of the lower end with everything installed besides the cover??

[n2nsanity]

i have a pic of my 3.5 before i put it in
its on my blog

tensioner pulley looks right to me, can't see the plunger in this pic tho
this is prob a stupid ? as you've done this more times than me
but did you put the pin back in before removing the old tensioner?
i think it's bad if it ever extends all the way out and may not hold pressure properly after
also, did you replace the belt? and with which one?

[Alex3000gt]

How are you tensioning the center of the pulley? Are you using a torque wrench with the proper spec? Or are you just pushing it until it "looks about right"?

The second option could potentially cause a hydraulic tensioner failure.

[SpdDmnVR4]

How are you tensioning the center of the pulley? Are you using a torque wrench with the proper spec? Or are you just pushing it until it "looks about right"?

The second option could potentially cause a hydraulic tensioner failure.

Im not sure I fully understand what you are saying. You tension the belt by turning the concentric pulley until the proper tension is put on the Hydraulic tensioner (So the pin slides in and out easily). It doesn't matter what you torque you put on the bolt going through the concentric pulley as long as the proper tension on the belt is achieved.

Maybe I misunderstood and you can explain more clearly.

[n2nsanity]

i agree. i've tried the tensioner pulley tool and suggested torque settings. i've done this a few times and it's usually a little off. the tool is helpful for setting the tensioner pulley, but i think being able to slide the shipping pin in and out before and after a few rotations is much more accurate.

any luck with this?

my best guess would be that you had the pin removed when the tensioner was removed

[Ninja Performance]

I never do it by torque, I always adjust so the pin is loose. Then rotate engine, let sit 5-10 minutes and make sure pin is still loose. And when I say loose I mean I can flick it and it spins.

-Chris

[n2nsanity]

I wondered that too but I thing the pulley and belts might be in the way. I'd also be worried about getting crap into the lower end with the hole cut there :eek:

Anyone got a pic of the lower end with everything installed besides the cover??

almost...
with a smaller crank pulley you can see the circle above it. this is where the tensioner pulley is. seems like it could work, but would be a tight fit
http://i51.tinypic.com/a1ha9j.jpg

[Emilie@GZP]

almost...
with a smaller crank pulley you can see the circle above it. this is where the tensioner pulley is. seems like it could work, but would be a tight fit
http://i51.tinypic.com/a1ha9j.jpg

Sorry, but that is CLEAN!!! :drool:

[stealthee]

Just had this issue today. Had a guy that I had sold parts too want me to do his 60k for him.

I drive to his place and he has all the new parts there ready to go. Get the old stuff off, put the new stuff on, line everything up, tension the belt. Its golden. Pull the pin, extension is perfect.

Go to turn the crank over twice to make sure everything is still lined up and I hear THWANG.

Fucking cam jumped. THWANG another cam jumps.

I look up at the tensioner and the mother fucker was pushed all the way back in. Pull it off and the hydraulic fluid was already leaking out.

It was so bad that I could depress the rod with my thumb. After calling around to parts stores with no luck at locating another tensioner he made the call to use his old one on the car.

Why can't the DOHC's have a simple spring tensioner like the SOHC's have?

[leggomieggo10]

well i still havent found a solution to my problem, so i made one. i took my old tensioner, put the pin back in it, jb welded the shit out of it. an its holding perfect tenssion so far lol. i check if just about everyday. but these hydraulic tensioners are the worst stupid ass idea ever.

hopefully my jbweld holds

[Alex3000gt]

well i still havent found a solution to my problem, so i made one. i took my old tensioner, put the pin back in it, jb welded the shit out of it. an its holding perfect tenssion so far lol. i check if just about everyday. but these hydraulic tensioners are the worst stupid ass idea ever.

hopefully my jbweld holds

Bad idea IMO.

[speedy25]

I look up at the tensioner and the mother fucker was pushed all the way back in. It was so bad that I could depress the rod with my thumb.

Had that happen to me as well. Luckily I checked it BEFORE installing, but we typically ASSUME new parts to be good. <sigh> Its just a SIGN OF THE TIMES. Everyone is quick to make something cheaper than it was before and of course do it with no long term testing so it fails almost instantly. I even read about a guy with a NEW distributor in his Toyota and it still wouldnt run, but a used one from the junkyard cured his problem! Even OEM parts arent immune to this. Look at all the oil pump problems that popped up when people put new ones in for their 130k.

Check whatever you are installing over CAREFULLY no matter what it is.

-SP

[ViperZ]

I'd just go with a solid tensioner and a kevlar belt