[alfa] v6 tensioner

["Allen Mitchell" <allenom@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello-
I know that we go around and around about this subject every 3.5 months or 
so, but I feel complelled to speak up.  With regard to the question about 
theperson who has had multiple jumped timing experiences: Have all the 
jumped timing incidents occurred with the SAME tensioner, or a new one each 
time?  If the former, then there is pretty clearly something wrong with the 
one you have and you should get rid of it.  If the latter, then bad (or 
good) luck, and I would buy lottery tickets or a lot of life insurance.
Let's face it, there are a lot of people who have had trouble free 
experiences with the mechanical tensioner, the hydraulic tensioner, and the 
Zat fixed tensioner.  HOWEVER, the consequences of jumped timing are 
SIGNIFICANT, and can be the death knell for someone's Alfa experience.
Thus, I ask this question:

Has anyone ever suffered a jumped timing incident with the ZAT TENSIONER???

If anyone has ever had a problem, please let us know.  I have not, and use 
them on all three V6 engines I operate.  I know that there will be input 
about the "un-hydraulic-ed" tensioner, too.

Ok, now my jumped timing story.
I went to SCCA driving school in 2002, with my ITS-prepped GTV6.  I had run 
short on time, and had cut several corners, including checking my valve lash 
before the school.  I had replaced my water pump a WHILE before (as in 
years), and had not checked the cam belt timing since.  I was using the 
hydraulic tensioner.  Well, the car was dog slow at the shool, not just 
because of the dorky front ride height, stock everything, grossly overweight 
configuration, and my inexperience.  When I "graduated" and went home, I 
finally got around to checking the valve lash, and discovered to my horror 
that the cam timing was off by 1 notch on  one of the pulleys.  Who knows 
when it happened.  Anyway, I know now that one notch of the cam pulley is 
over 8 degrees of cam timing, and it is not a good thing.

Thanks,

Al
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