Pleasant Surprise| Off-Topic Discussion forum |

Ojala Reader
9/13/12 11:21 a.m.

Automotive that is...

My friend Jeff received a diagnosis on his MK III Range rover that the timing tensioner was kaput. The mechanic quoted him just over $900. So Jeff asked me to look at the Range Rover just in case.

While I was originally expecting bucketloads of pain and suffering I am absolutely floored how easy that job was. The tensioner on the motor was on the passenger front side. All I needed was a deep socket on an extension. It turns out that the tensioner is accessed externally and is basically just a spring loaded tube that gets pressurized with oil. The inside of the tube got gunked up.

Jeff is bringing the case of Affligem tripel today to celebrate the victory...

N Sperlo PowerDork
9/13/12 11:24 a.m.

Some got it right. Others. Far from it.

DukeOfUndersteer UltimaDork
9/13/12 11:27 a.m.

Hooray for simplicity!

Anti-stance SuperDork
9/13/12 11:31 a.m.

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: Hooray for simplicity!

This!

Now go enjoy some victory beer tonight.

cwh PowerDork
9/13/12 11:32 a.m.

Try that on a 1.6 Sentra. Not so fun.

belteshazzar UltraDork
9/13/12 11:44 a.m.

i was pleasantly surprised when my bmw tensioner was this way as well.

Ojala Reader
9/13/12 11:45 a.m.

I dont know of any other external tensioners and I am wondering if all BMWs are this way. Subaru timing belt and tensioners are easy (to me), but that still involves taking off the radiator, the accessory belts, and the plastic timing cover.

DukeOfUndersteer UltimaDork
9/13/12 11:52 a.m.

Volvo's B5254T is pretty simple. Just a long extension an a 12mm bolt IIRC. Bolt it in and pull the pin!

pinchvalve UltimaDork
9/13/12 11:59 a.m.

Cotton Dork
9/13/12 12:22 p.m.

Ojala wrote: I dont know of any other external tensioners and I am wondering if all BMWs are this way. Subaru timing belt and tensioners are easy (to me), but that still involves taking off the radiator, the accessory belts, and the plastic timing cover.

changing the tensioner on my BMW bike is a 5 minute job.....which is good because the originals are pretty much guaranteed to be garbage.

z31maniac PowerDork
9/13/12 12:57 p.m.

Ojala wrote: I dont know of any other external tensioners and I am wondering if all BMWs are this way. Subaru timing belt and tensioners are easy (to me), but that still involves taking off the radiator, the accessory belts, and the plastic timing cover.

Depends, on the E36 motors, the tensioner for the big chain is on the side an easily accessed, the tensioner for the chain connecting the two cams is still inside.