Proper Timing Belt Tensioner?

[royAdler]

I have a '92 325ic.

I picked up a Gates timing belt kit from O'Reilly. The tensioner it came with does not have the Z 127 stamped on it.

The Bentley specifically says make sure to use a tensioner with 'Z 127' stamped on it. I have read this elsewhere too.

Is this something that maybe went by the wayside over time? Should an aftermarket part have the Z-127?

Can a few people weigh-in and tell me if the tensioner they used had it or not?


Thanks

[IveGotIssues666]

After a quick look on www.ecstuning.com link here:

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E30-325i-M20_2.5L/Search/SiteSearch/Timing_Belt/ES209844/

They have 4 tensioners Genuine BMW, MTC, URO and INA you could choose from and the only one I could see with a Z - 127 stamp was the INA tensioner EVEN the Genuine BMW one doesnt look like it has it.

I also have a PEX tensioner I pyurchased from www.autohausaz.com and it does not have the Z - 127 stamp. I know 127 is the number of teeth on the belt not sure about what the Z signifies.

You should be fine with the Gates Tensioner I have used them before The ONLY tensioner listed above I would stay clear of IMO is the URO one (Really not too fond of the quality of their products) They are cheap for a reason...

I have seen before a 128 tooth belts listed over at www.rockauto.com made by Good Year and a company called CLEVITE / PERFECT CIRCLE

I'm not sure if there was tensioner design changes where the pulley was slightly larger at one point to accomodate the extra tooth in those belts but as far as I know the 127 tooth belt is correct which is what your Gates one is and I would just use their supplied tensioner.

Jared

[SpecM]

I have used a gates belt and tensioner before, it worked fine

[digger]

i got one from BAV Auto its the genuine and has the Z127 with SKF bearing i believe it costs alot more than an INA one etc.

[Jdesign]

Well This might not be the place to ask but I just had a Gates tensioner and it snapped right at the base of the pulley where it meets the backing plate that bolts it to the motor. What gives?!? I thought gates was a good brand?

Anyways what brand pulley do you guys think is the best quality?

[digger]

get the genuine one from BAV or email BMA parts its alot more than others though.

[Cabriolet]

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=TB-131-K1-M21&catalog_description=&Timing%2520Belt%2520Kit%252C%2520%2533%2532%2535%252Fe%252Fes%252Fi%252Fis%252FiC%252FiX%2520%2528%2531%2539%2538%2534%252D%2539%2531%2529%2520

$38 and it gets to your house in 2 days. why do people buy other weird stuff?

[Jdesign]

Hmmm. It looks nothing like the stock BMW item. besides having a SKF bearing what makes it better?

[Jdesign]

Oh well I bought it anyways.

[digger]

i bought one of those from pelican and what came was the INA tensioner and it did not have an SKF bearing at all. pilcan say the one with SKF bearing is NLA

[Sirotto]

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...2531%2529%2520

$38 and it gets to your house in 2 days. why do people buy other weird stuff?

I agree with you. The gates belt and tensioner seems to be a false hope. I feel that it just gives owners the sense of being ok with negelect. Why woudl anybody risk and engine failue over a few bucks.

OEM or Contitech kit. The conti is a known, accepted supplier.

[estoguy]

The contitech kit I got for mine last summer came with the Z-127 stamp tensioner.

[SmokeE30]

Well This might not be the place to ask but I just had a Gates tensioner and it snapped right at the base of the pulley where it meets the backing plate that bolts it to the motor. What gives?!? I thought gates was a good brand?

Anyways what brand pulley do you guys think is the best quality?

We always reccomend using bmw OEM tensioners for this exact reason. Aftermarket ones fail like that by pulling away from the backing plate. We weld any aftermarket tensioners we have to use to avoid that problem.

[Jdesign]

We always reccomend using bmw OEM tensioners for this exact reason. Aftermarket ones fail like that by pulling away from the backing plate. We weld any aftermarket tensioners we have to use to avoid that problem.

This would have been good to know a few months back :roll:

[Jdesign]

Btw here is the carnage of a bad tensioner and what a nice quality one looks like next to it.