what's with those defective chain tensioners?

[friendly_jacek]

such a simple part, but failing left and right wiping out engines.
i just bought OEM ACDelco one for 2.2 ecotec, this is the 3rd revision, this time made in germany.

well known case in point: http://www.classaction.org/mini-cooper-timing-chain

 

[HerrStig]

Made in Germany may be no guarantee. Has BMW fixed that little plastic impeller water pump problem yet?

 

[OneEyeJack]

Someone at work had their whole engine destroyed in their Mini when the vacuum pump that is evidently driven off the cam chain failed and ate the chain tensioner. I guess this pump was tacked on when they supercharged the engine and needed vacuum for the brakes. His car is now a shop queen and the word is that it will be fixed someday soon. All you have to do is mention "Mini" and watch his face turn red.

 

[NHGUY]

MINI=British built car with German owners.Worst of both worlds.

 

[artificialist]

How does "Made in Germany" ensure that it is a good product?

Ever read about the timing chains on a VW VR6 engine?

 

[rjundi]

Country of manufacture is irrelevant. The engineering around the tensioner or somewhere else is causing the issue.

 

[carock]

The timing chain tensioner really needs to be a rotating chain sprocket mounted on a hydraulically dampened tension spring. Problem solved. The tensioner "blades" are simply guaranteed to fail. Some engineer convinces management this is all they need to spend and it just does not work reliably.