Is my Tensioner knackered
 

I have a MY99 UK Turbo and i have the revised tension with the green mark on it.

I pressed the pin in today with a hydraulic press and the guage on the press did not register any resistance in my tensioner knackered??

I don't think it is advisable to reuse the 99 - 00 tensioners either.. get a new one..

Its the revised model.

There was a thread a few weeks ago and someone who had done a few said you could take the belt cover off and watch the tensioner to see if ok with engine running.
I've got a belt change soon on my 99 UK, only 34k miles but I'm thinking of changing the tensioner.
Oh, that thread also said something about keeping the tensioner vertical when compressing.

What i do is kinda use the belt to compress the tensioner.... and then you need a very strong pin to put through the retaining pin hole to hold it off-tension....

Av done all that. Think am just gonna buy a new to make double sure its working.

Cheers guys

The manual I have says it should need about 294N (30kgf, 66lbs) of pressure and you need to apply it through a vertical press, taking over 3 minutes to compress the tensioner.

NOTE:
• Always use a vertical type pressing tool to move
the adjuster rod down.
• Do not use a lateral type vise.
• Push the adjuster rod vertically.
• Be sure to slowly move the adjuster rod down applying
a pressure of 294 N (30 kgf, 66 lb).
• Press-in the push adjuster rod gradually taking
more than 3 minutes.
• Do not allow press pressure to exceed 9,807 N
(1,000 kgf, 2,205 lb).
• Press the adjuster rod as far as the end surface
of cylinder. Do not press the adjuster rod into the
cylinder. Doing so may damage the cylinder.
• Do not release the press pressure until stopper
pin is completely inserted.

Belt change was on my 95 WRX and not having a vertical press I broke all the rules and used a horizontal vice, turned by hand :-0

I aligned the pin holes before compressing and then it took minimal effort to stick a pin through when compressed.

Have had no problems since I did the belt change (well not with the belt and associated parts anyway!)

Thats the same info i used when pressing it back in but my hydrualic press registered no resistance and the rod just went straight back

AFAIK currently the tensioners come precompressed with the pin in place so you only need to take off the pin during installation!
May be I am wrong though but when mechanic changed mine (WRX - faulty from the factory) it was already with the pin inserted!

Yes that is correct!