What causes a random bent cam gear.

[g4ebguy90]

I have read alot of threads, but people just say to replace it, which I plan on doing.

I want to know why the intake cam gear on these cars bend. I drove this car for a while... One day at start up it made a small chirping noise, it contiuned through out the day. I always thought it was a acc. belt.

Well 2 weeks later it was driving me and my gf crazy so, I decided to investigate, found the PS belt rubbing, so I took it off. No fix...

Took of the cam cover and told my gf to crank it, bout 5 seconds later I ran to the front seat myself , screaming, turned off the car, all to the sight of my gf's WTF face.

The timing belt was moving back and fourth VERY close to the edge of the gear, I started it again briefly and noticed the intake cam gear was wobbling, I retorqued it and it still wobbles. So apprently it is bent in some way or another, I just don't no how. Car runs fine.

Any ideas? only thing I noticed was that the cam cover for the top seemed to rub a bit on the gear, but it's plastic I can't believe it would bend a hard metal gear.

 

[1990AWD]

This thread is so full of win!

 

[1991 awd talon]

oh forgot to mention when i was at the shootout i saw one of the vendors had that tool but it was plastic or polyw/e? so the cam tool and the tensioner were 40 from them and i paid 40$ for both shipped to my door from this guy! and its aluminum! great tool cant wait to try it out!

 

[g4ebguy90]

Bent, timing belt tensioner o_0. Looked like a ebay special. It was green.

The idler pulley was making a little noise and seemed to be starting to seperate somehow. Green to.

Cam gear seemed fine, but I replaced anyways.

I got the new *mitsubishi belt* and mitsubishi idler and tensioner pulleys on, and the timing belt walk is gone .