I currently have a mechanical belt tensioner, which is making the belts whistle like crazy at idle. Should I replace it with another mechanical one, or should I go for the hydraulic retrofit, which is kinda expensive.(!)
Just get the mechanical. First make sure that the one you have is really shot. Take the belt off and spray it with carburetor cleaner. Clean all the pulleys for that matter. Then check out the pulley on the tensioner...spin it. If it makes noise (scoreboard noise) and it is kinda wobbly. Then you could get away with just replacing the pulley~$15 on eBay. My Z3 has has both the surpentine belt and the ac mechanical tensioners. I am at 100000miles now and so far only thing I've done is lubricated the barrings which is another thing I can share with you if you want to get away from purchasing a tensioner pulley.
I gotta educate everybody!
NEVER EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER buy Chinese crap!!!
All Chinese parts are crap. Notice I did not say Chinese Made, as in Apple, Sony, etc.
I said Chinese parts from the Chinese directly to you.
Many have gone before you and had fails, fails, and more fails.
Waste your labor 'cause you'll do it all over again,
And RISK your whole engine if the cooling system fails. One overheat can warp your head. Get oil in the coolant, and blow your engine.
Soooo, wanna save thirty bucks here? Guess how much a salvage engine costs?
I did my moral duty. I told you so.
I care more about you than the Chinese do.
Buy name brand parts for your originally expensive car using one of these competitive vendors:
Mechanical one is fine. That is what I'm using on my boosted car
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