Mechanical tensioner pulley - cheap replacement

[al_r]

If you need to replace the pulley on the mechanical tensioner, BMW will tell you
a) the pulley is not available separately
b) the complete mechanical tensioner is no longer available; but you can 'upgrade' to the hydraulic tensioner ass'y for ~$120...

Gates (or AC Delco) part # 38018 is a replacement pulley for the 'old style' mechanical tensioner.
Available at almost any auto parts store for ~$15.
The pulley is ~70mm OD, 17mm ID (actual bearing), ~26mm wide.
Fits 2000+ Chrysler Town & Country 3.3L.

I would assume this would fit most mechanical BMW tensioners - both my A/C and main belt tensioner pulleys are the same, as are the three E36s I checked.

Only gotcha is the old protective cap will not snap in; since the bearing is sealed (seals are red), who cares?

[Vipsa]

Autohausaz.com has a new mechanical tensioner with the pulley for $50. Ignore my previous post. They stock the pulley for the hydraulic tensioner for $15.

[Jason5driver]

I had my tensioner replaced 2 months ago with the OEM mechanical tensioner.

The new mechanical tensioner failed!

It was making metal on metal sounds.
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/Jason5driver/Engine%20Pinging/?action=view&current=CIMG4231.flv

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/Jason5driver/Engine%20Pinging/?action=view&current=CIMG4232.flv

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/Jason5driver/Engine%20Pinging/?action=view&current=CIMG4230.flv

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/Jason5driver/Engine%20Pinging/?action=view&current=CIMG4233.flv

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/Jason5driver/Engine%20Pinging/?action=view&current=CIMG4234.flv

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/Jason5driver/Engine%20Pinging/?action=view&current=CIMG4235.flv

I recently had the mechanical tensioner replaced again with the OEM hydraulic tensioner.
If you go to a BMW dealer's website (Tischer, Crown, etc.), and put in the mechanical tensioner, their site will tell you that the mechanical tensioner is SUPERSEDED by the hydraulic tensioner.
You can buy the OEM hydraulic tensioner from Tischer BMW for approx. $55.
Money well worth spent!

RealOEM link #21:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DT43&mospid=47584&btnr=11_2190&hg=11&fg=18&hl=26

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?action=searchCatalogOEM&siteid=214672

[DuffmanE39]

^^I told you it was the tensioner. :) :D

[Jason5driver]

^^I told you it was the tensioner. :) :D


Indeed!
Yes, thank you!

I thought for sure my clicking metal sound was from the butterfly valve on the Disa valve, but no, it was the failed mechanical tensioner that was just replaced a couple of months ago.

I didn't think it could have been the tensioner, because it was just replaced!
However, I did not know that there was a mechanical and a hydraulic tensioner.
BMW stopped with the mechanical tensioners because of the high failure rates, from what my mechanic told me.
BMW went back to the hydraulic tensioners.

[82bmw633]

I replaced my mechanical tensioners with the same type. Very easy to r&r. They're self-adjusting. I thought the hydraulics required adjusting to achieve proper belt tension. Don't know why the mechanical tensioners would fail - it's just a bigass coil spring.

[LBCD]

cool, thanks for the info as I will need this done soon.