Lancia Beta Forum

Chris Bastow ex betacar 'italpartman' is selling tensioners on ebay has anyone tried one out? I ask because they are narrower than standard and checking out the part number on the one my friend bought reveals that it is a timing belt tensioner for a montecarlo or various other Fiat engined twin cams. Chris reckons this works OK but it would concern me that there would be an increased risk of the belt creeping off the pulley. On another subject anyone tried to take a standard tensioner apart? it looks like it is a bearing within an outer sleeve but I am not sure? if so is it possible to renew the bearing and what spec is it? 

I haven't tried Chris's tensioners but Guy Croft has SKF tensioners for 1 inch belts for the twin cams. I fitted one of those to my 131 and it looks a very high quality part.

(http://www.131mirafiori.com/photos/bearing.jpg)

that looks like the same part except the 'betacar' one is by breda lorett, kind of intriguing as to why the Beta uses a different timing belt tensioner from 131/monte etc. but that is a diversion from the original question! This bearing is narrower than the original supercharger tensioner bearing which I find worrying, anyone with a vx tried one in anger? (that is a monte/131 timing belt tensioner used as a supercharger/alternator tensioner on a volumex)

I think I've worked out what the originals were a lot of internet research as usual but I think it is skf vkm 22160/ quinton hazell QTT170/ DAYCO ATB2052 hopefully I will confirm in a week or so if I order one

I can confirm that qtt170 does seem to be the right part, actually a Breda bearing in Q&H box