[alfa] Re: mechanical tensioners

[Tony Martie <tony@xxxxxxxx>]

original post:

> Gerry,
>
> Your picture illustrates the exact same failure I experienced. This 
> should
> be sent to the mechanical guru who writes for Alfa Centro, IAP, and 
> anyone
> else who supplies these tensioners. As some people know, springs can 
> suffer
> from a condition known as Hydrogen embrittlement. Generally resulting 
> from
> electroplating, but also from other sources. The cure is "normalizing";
> heating the part to drive out the Hydrogen molecules from intergranular
> structure of the metal. Maybe we have all suffered from periodic 
> episodes of
> poor normalizing of tensioner springs. Whatever the root cause, this 
> type of
> tensioner failure is real, not the result of poor installation, and 
> the cost
> has been monumental to the Alfa community.
>
> Market thinking: The replacement cars for our Milanos are a '00 VW 
> Jetta
> (with a non-interference engine) and a '91 Spider Veloce (with a cam 
> chain).
>
> George Schweikle
What a coincidence that you mention the 2000 Jetta in response to 
failed tensioners.
I just had to replace the tensioner on my g-friends POS 2000 Jetta VR6 
with 38K miles on the clock!  It wasn't a little broken spring either, 
the bearing on this thing self-destructed (like completely gone).  It 
is endlessly shocking what can and will fail on these "reliable German 
automobiles"(auto transmission is starting to flake out again, it's 
been replaced twice already.
fabulous).
I trust my tired old '78 Spider more than that car.
Speaking of Spiders, I am in the market for a nice series 4 with an 
automatic trans. for my girl (to replace the German garbage with).


Tony Martie
'78 Spider
Dallas, TX
http://tmpd.net
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