after reading some peoples complications i have decided to stay with the hydraulic tensioner. i have been looking at some ebay ones but it almost seems like they are not reausable indicated by notes like these:


NOTE: Please be advised that the hydraulic tensioner comes with the pulling pin shown in the picture below. Once the pin is pulled off, the hydraulic tensioner will be automatically locked and no longer can be used. Hence, when installing the hydraulic tensioner, it is absolutely necessary that you install it in place with the pulling pin still attached. ONLY when you are certainly sure that everything fits, then you can pull off the pin. If you are in doubt when trying to install the hydraulic tensioner, please ask for professional help.

seller is mizumoauto

any1 know if its true its a one time thing?????????


any1 using an ebay topline that knows its reusable by means of a vise???

thx

IIRC you can reset them with a vise...

However, for the record, you NEVER reuse one when doing a timing belt change.

Originally posted by teklein
IIRC you can reset them with a vise... However, for the record, you NEVER reuse one when doing a timing belt change.

I have.

honestly the only tensioner I have that's bad was in the garage during the fire, I have yet to have a hydraulic unit go bad on me

a hydraulic tensioner is basically a aluminum body, with a seal a piston a spring and a hydraulic fluid, in most cases its a thin weight gear oil or standard weight oil. when the seal goes bad the fluid leaks out and the tensioner looses its ability to resist downward motions, and thus the force of the timing belt whipping around, the pulley no longer keeps tension on the belt and it jumps timing.

most ppl or companies will tell you once u pull the pin the warranty is void and the tensioner is "used", however at every dealership ive ever worked at, especially on warranty jobs we reuse the hydrolic tensioners.

once u pull the pin and the plunger extends outward, if u need to reset the tensioner, stick it in a vise and SLOWLY turn the vice until the plunger is collapsed enough for you to slid the pin back in. if at any time the seal around the plunger gets wet, i would refrain from reusing that tensioner.

oops i guess i was beat to the punch while i was typing....

I was just at Long Beach Mitsu today talking with a mechanic about the mechanical tensioner. He claimed it was superior to the hydraulic one IF it is installed properly. I'm still going with the mechanical.

Originally posted by Nemo
I was just at Long Beach Mitsu today talking with a mechanic about the mechanical tensioner. He claimed it was superior to the hydraulic one IF it is installed properly. I'm still going with the mechanical.

Yes, that is also what I have read. I have been researching this for a few weeks, and the only problems that I have read about have been related to wrong installation. You are going to have to modify the rear timing belt cover like it says on the page.

Please do not use a eBay item for something as critical as this.

do a search for "mechanical tensioner" on this forum. There is loads of info!

PartsDinosaur Store

If you like, go to Parts Dinosaur and type:
420a mechanical tensioner
in the search window.

There's a youtube video towards the bottom of the page showing how to set the tension. As it sets up a wire comes over the top of the bearing til it just touches the belt. It looks really simple.

Originally posted by Nemo
PartsDinosaur Store There's a youtube video towards the bottom of the page showing how to set the tension.

Cool!
I shot that video for Bruce when I did one of my tensioner installs becuse I knew the parts were getting a bad reputation simply because people were not installing them correctly.

There are a few other minor issues some people miss like trimming a little of the plastic belt cover so that the tensioner sits completely flat against the mounting bosses.
Here are the still pics if you decide to go mechanical.
http://www.partsdinosaur.com/page6.html

wow, that's awesome! Thanks for that. I found it very comforting and simple. Good shooting man.

thx for all the detailed explanations guys,app and keep it up :P

The only reason that the mechanical is "better" is because its a more even tension on the belt vs the hydraulic(there is a graph on a link on the partsdinosaur web page telling you this) and the mechanical is cheaper.

Use the mechanical tensioner and make sure it is on correctly.

Nice Step By Step Write up on Parts Dinosaur....

I figured we were always stuck with the hydraulic tensioner...
A+

I didn't have time to do the belt myself, and my mechanic has been doing these for several years. He said usually the hydraulic tensioners go bad and he doesn't recommend reusing them but in my case, it was pristine and he said it looked and operated good as new. So I had him reuse it. No issues. I still have the mechanical one I ordered, though, and had him trim the cover and all so when I do my next change I'll use the mechanical tensioner.

So hopefully that answers your question that they CAN be reused.

Originally posted by Mike431635
I didn't have time to do the belt myself, and my mechanic has been doing these for several years. He said usually the hydraulic tensioners go bad and he doesn't recommend reusing them but in my case, it was pristine and he said it looked and operated good as new. So I had him reuse it. No issues. I still have the mechanical one I ordered, though, and had him trim the cover and all so when I do my next change I'll use the mechanical tensioner. So hopefully that answers your question that they CAN be reused.

They CAN be reused, but is it worth it? If that tensioner fails, there is high possibility of lots of damage being done. Personally, I think it is worth a little extra money to buy a new one.

I think I bought a new tensioner for around $60 new from the parts store so they aren't real expensive.