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1998 Chevrolet Cavalier

Question: Timing tensioner and serpentine elt issues

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Tina Marie, 2.2L 4 Cylinder, Hale, MI, January 12, 2011, 05:02
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every 3 months the timing tensioner goes out and i have to replace it. want to what may be causing this to happen.
Also ive went through 3 serpentine belts in 3 days. I followed the diagram (started with crank, ended with tensioner) double checked the positioning and when I started it, the new belt got chewed up. help!

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  • Answer #1

    Superbob January 12, 2011, 07:11
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    In a Chevy 2.2 liter engine there is no timing belt tensioner because the engine uses a timing chain. A timing chain tensioner is a big job. If the chain tensioner is wearing out in 3 months there's something wrong and you need to find a mechanic who can put one correctly or find the cause of the failures.
    I don't think you are talking about a 'timing tensioner' but rather a drive belt tensioner. That shouldn't be going bad very often either. There's a parts problem, a tensioner alignment problem or a mechanic problem.
    If you are eating up drive belts, then something is misrouted, the belt is rubbing on something, or there's a driven component (like the alternator), that's siezing up and burning up the belt. With the belt off, check to see that all the driven parts are rotating freely.
    It's not easy to get a serpentine belt on right the first few times you do it. I remember my first experiences.

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    Tina Marie, January 12, 2011, 10:28
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    i took another look and as it turns out the crank gear was sticking out a tad past the other gears. probably from putting the new time chain, gears and timing tensioner on and got overlooked. yes, it is a time chain (sorry) and it is the time chain tensioner that keeps going out, I've taken my car to two different certified mechanics and they just say "whoever did it last must have done it wrong" but 3 months later, apparently they did it wrong too. no one can give me an explanation as to what is wrong with my car to keep going through the tensioner so quickly.

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    Visitor, February 07, 2011, 09:59

    my car is doing same thing im going to study block and see if poor lubrication of the idler is the problem some times the idler pieces get chewed up and clogs the oil pump sump screen. im going to pull the pan on mine and see if sump is full of plastic and replace oil pump car runs great till idler gives up. Mine bent a valve the last time i had to have head reapired. i do all my own repair work im a ase cert truck tech.

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