after about 2 years, the timing belt tensioner broke a 2nd time - lost all the hydraulics, so now the engine has a bad knock. I got a free replacement after the first one broke, but is this common? this one is Beck Arnley 024-1205, I thought this was a good brand, but not getting another! what brand tensioner will last 5 years? I have torn down this engine 3 times in last 2 years. annoying, but I guess I am getting good at it...

Also, what is a good brand for the hydraulic valve lifters? I think I will replace them as well... I replaced 3 of them last time, but others getting noisy now...

thanks!

OEM Mitsubishi

I think your looking at car part brands the wrong way.

Kraft foods is both a brand and producer. Shop Rite is just a brand reselling Kraft. Sometimes the producer makes a product tailored to the buyers needs, or more importantly price goals. More often, its actually cheaper to keep a production line running longer than to retool, hence the key food cheese ends up being the exact same product as the more recognized brand.

Beck arnley is indeed a reputable brand as they TEND to source from quality producers. I received flenor (made in Germany) ball joints from them, costing less than ones advertised as flenor on the box. I also bought timing chain components to find parts made by the oem for mitsu. I even once ordered two of something (forget what) from Beck and found two different products make to two different specs in the boxes. One being Japanese and one Chinese.

Even worst is when you have brands like AC Delco and Motorcraft. You think your going to the dealer to get Oem but its just more outsourced parts. Unless it says GMC oem, its not, and even then who knows if they stopped making their own or switched oem at some point. (One dude on here wanted gen2 uca and was considering AC Delco. Based on the picture it was the exact same product as the ones on ebay for a third of the price. Guy didn't want to hear it)


tl,dr; If you were satisfied with the tensioner the car came with, find out who the one was and buy it. If you can't or don't have the time, Just buy it from the dealer. If you weren't happy with oem, find out if anyone produces an improved or updated design and buy that.

Ya know, it's tempting to look at, say, a DNJ brand timing component kit (for a 3.5 DOHC), including the water pump front half and the tensioner that costs $132.99 and then turn around and see that the dealer I use is getting $116.15 for just the tensioner. Having now heard of more than a couple of tensioner failures here recently, I'll spring for the OEM and cross my fingers.

Hope you get things fixed.

John B.

One problem with mitsu is a lot of what they do is either proprietary (2.6 fuel injectors, for one) or very hush hush if it's not (like still not being 100% sure if the oem 2.6 water pump is raisin or gmb). It makes it very difficult to find oem parts without the dealer.

I can't find out much as to where dnj gets their parts from, but it looks like they strive for the lowest cost over anything else. I used them for complete engine gasket kit. Can't beat $50 for everything. Most of it is paper, rubber, or cork aka tough to mess up. The stuff that can go wrong such as head gasket and rear main seal I got from felpro as they actually make and research their own products. So I agree, don't use dnj for timing kits.

Just recently did my sisters elantra timing belt. Many on the board insisted on dealer only. Did some research and found out gmb bearings and gates belts are oem. Rock auto for 100. Too bad its not as easy with mitsu parts to find the oem and buy on rock auto.

Mitsu on alot of motors uses a 'rubber bladder tensioner' ..As does Subaru Dodge Toyota and Alfa started the 'booby trap RBT' <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />..They can and will rot the rubber bladder... I want a OEM tensioner but not from Dealer stock do to having been setting for ever ... You just have to open all the boxes and look at a few of them and fine a 'fresh one' thats not cheap low rent ... I have come to see the parts makers will buy from who ever to get the order filled ...

Know one know theres a 'very' strict way of getting a RBT sucked back in once you have pulled the pin ..Right ...We all know this ...Right..???????????????,,........ No ..most don't.. ,..... So heres a Haztoys trick ... Set your new belt and all with a old tensioner... Once you have all the cam timing on right that on a good day takes three trys .. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />...You hand roll your motor a time or three to see all is on time ...Then.... Get some help to wholed the cams and pull the old tensioner out and install the new tensioner ... Now you have just install a new tensioner and never had to push in the bladder to fast and dick up the tensioner ... No ......Is this Greek ,,,,?

Not sure what Mother Mitsu says on there RBT ..But I have been dealing in the Subaru world the last few years and Suby had a big old long way to push the tensioner back in place and not kill it ...Only pull the pin on a RBT ones if you can keep from it ... Timing belts from dealers can be older then I like ...

But thats just what works for me ...

Captain Gear Box

Hazardous Toys inc

What about Aisin branded timing sets? Any experience with those?

$239 @ Rockauto:
AISIN Water Pump, KOYO Idler Bearing, KOYO Tensioner Bearing, NTN Hydraulic Tensioner, Mitsuboshi Timing Belt

From my research, Mitsuboshi is OEM to Toyota. Gates is OEM to Mitsubishi. This should be a good kit.

I got the auto parts store to replace the failed beck arnley tensioner with one made by ITM. I attached a picture of the culprit. you could push in the pin with your finger! The parts store tells me even factory mitsubishi parts are bought from the lowest bidder, so they don't think there will be any difference. anyway, got it all back together, runs great!

thats good info on the RBT - to not push it in too fast and damage the bladder - I didn't know that. I managed to install the new tensioner with pin in and adjusted the torque on the tension pulley so that after hand cranking 4 turns the pin could easily be removed and inserted again - so never had to push it back in.

btw, the worst part of disassembly in the past was getting the AC compressor off to remove the compressor bracket so you could remove the Accessory bracket. I found that using a 13mm ratchet combination wrench made it pretty easy - in case any of you have to do this job...

thanks for your advice, guys! btw, that Aisin kit sounds great with good price - I will look into that one next time!

Might be the lowest bidder in a sense - but that "price" is always associated to an annual quantity and usually to the project life or a defined time frame. Typically 5 years or more. There is a HUGE TON more testing and validation with OEM to assure that the components last and preform. Not so with aftermarket.