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HardxWood · 11-24-2009, 06:05 PM

I looked on realoem.com and saw the two setups for my VIN - both with what appear to be mechanical tensioners. One had two idlers, the other just one. Mine is the one-idler setup, which realoem.com seems to indicate goes with a 70-amp alternator while the two-idler setup goes with an 80-amp unit. Don't know what was on there originally - only that it was Valeo - nor do I know exactly what the reman'd Valeo on there now is, amp-wise. Checking out a bunch of parts sites (Bavauto, etc. it does look to me like you can't get just the pulley for the mechanical tensioner - you have to get the whole thing at >$50 instead of just the pulley at <$20. Typical...

11-24-2009, 06:05 PM	#5
HardxWood Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 9 '98 BMW 318ti California Ed. iTrader: (0) Photo Gallery	Looks Like the Whole Deal... I looked on realoem.com and saw the two setups for my VIN - both with what appear to be mechanical tensioners. One had two idlers, the other just one. Mine is the one-idler setup, which realoem.com seems to indicate goes with a 70-amp alternator while the two-idler setup goes with an 80-amp unit. Don't know what was on there originally - only that it was Valeo - nor do I know exactly what the reman'd Valeo on there now is, amp-wise. Checking out a bunch of parts sites (Bavauto, etc. it does look to me like you can't get just the pulley for the mechanical tensioner - you have to get the whole thing at >$50 instead of just the pulley at <$20. Typical...