Hello, I have an '06 6 speed manual MCS that I bought about 3 weeks ago with 78k on it. I must say I LOVE driving this car! But, my question is, how can you tell if the tensioner is going bad? The last couple days I've driven it I get the slight hint of burning rubber if I'm on it past 5k on the tach or down shift while passing slower cars. Is this a sign of belt slippage due to the tensioner weakening or is it something else?

 

make sure you check your crank pulley too, if you pull your passenger wheel off and take the plastic trim, see if you can pull on it if there is any play its about to blow up. and i mean blow up. happened to me was not a pretty sight

 

Burnt rubber smell often points to what phil said: CRANK PULLEY. Go ATI Super Damper.

 

Good to know. Looks like I need to find some info on changing it out. I've seen the posts about the ATI pully. Will it be more reliable than the factory?

 

That's not burning rubber that's your car running rich..as it is designed to do. Every mini when you get on it smells a little.... Mine does it all the time. You are fine... It's the cars way of avoiding damage from a lean condition.

If you want to check it...pull off the passenger wheel release the tension on the belt and tug on the pulley...but the crank pulley exploding will throw codes and lights.

 

When my belt tensioner started going bad, I could watch it bounce around on the belt when the motor was idling. With the new tensioner...no bouncing.