Please help and thank you for your thoughts on this.
The question: Will the hydraulic portion of the timing tensioner fail if the pulley portion is left disconnected and the SUV is driven for a time?
Now for those who you might want to know the back story...
Shop screwed up hiring a wreckless tech (who he is now fired) that left my timing tensioner pulley disconnected when he put the sport back together after a warrantied water pump failure. (I had to pay labor, but not parts)
Tensioner ate through the timing cover made a wonderful clattering noise.
Shop replaced timing cover on their dime, but not the tensioner. While it was at the shop I expressed my concerns that the tensioner had been exposed to stresses beyond what its designed for and I thought it could fail due to this. (being left disconnected daily driver and eating through timing cover). Owner said now everything looks good the tensioner is fine. Truck is buttoned up.
A few days later, the clatter noise that cued me in to the situation to begin with, is back. Only at start up for a minute or so, and only intermittently. I inform shop and since its not every time, service clerk wants it videoed. As they need to hear it to diagnose. Well like all things it never does it when you are videoing.
Then I notice AC is out. Investigation shows the pulley bolt is only finger tight and the belt is slopping. Tighten it up... pray that is the noise. No joy... noise comes back.
Then the other day the clatter comes and stays. Now finally I can prove the noise exists to the shop. Noise is horrid and with research I'm 99% sure its the tensioner. I have the truck towed. I don't want to risk it skipping timing or throwing the belt. Sure enough the tensioner is dead.
Now the fun begins... The shop says they only left the pulley part disconnected before, but the hydraulic part failed. Since they did not leave the hydraulic part loose, its not their fault.
-I say, "but I told you to replace the pulley assembly."
-"Yes I remember" he says, "but it looked and acted fine."
-"Yes" I say, "but I told you I was worried it had stress from rubbing through the cover and being forced to ride at a odd angle."
-"Well the hydraulic part is separate", he says.
-I retort, "OK, but don't you think that the pulley portion being disconnected and not making proper contact would effect the hydraulics"...
-"well" he says...
So it was punted back to me to research..
I'm learning these motors bit by bit, but I have never had to use a tensioner like this. I need to know from you guys who have been there and done that...
Will the hydraulic portion of the timing tensioner fail if the pulley portion is left disconnected and the SUV is driven for a time?
After this the wife is buying a new car, so our daily driver is not constantly at the shop. As for me...Lesson learned... the next job I'm doing on my own or finding a Mitsu only shop!
