Hydraulic Tensioner??

[Smudgemanuk]

I have only just heard about z3's having hydraulic tensioners
So I have a few questions

How do I know if my Zed has a hydraulic tensioner?

Do I need a different aux belt if I have a hydraulic tensioner?

Thanks Chris

 

[Mike Fishwick]

Post-October 1998 models (M52tu) have a small hydraulic damper on the tensioner. Tensioning is by a spring, not a hydraulic cylinder which is pressurised by oil pressure.

 

[Andyboy]

There is no hard and fast answer to this. TU cars SHOULD have the hydro tensioner according to realm etc but I've seen plenty with the vastly better spring loaded job from the contemporary E46 323i/328i. The last two 2.0 M52 Z3's I dismantled had this. One was 1999 V, the other 2000 W.

The hydro thing isn't oil pressure fed as such. It's a sealed shock absorber with a spring inside. I've fought these b*****d things to the death trying to cure belt squeal on the, M42's etc.