New Timing Belt Sprocket Bearing Wiggles?

[geek500]

Hi all, I'm still in the assembly stage of rebuilding my engine (2.5L DOHC), but I've come across a weird issue. The new timing belt kit that came with my reman'd block, I just broke into it the other day to start putting the new sprockets on. The first sprocket one I opened, I bolted it on loosely just to see how it looked and feel the bearing, and to my surprise it wiggles. I'm not joking, this brand new never used sprocket, the bearing wiggles like a worn out bearing, though it's still tight when you spin it like a fresh bearing should be. I don't know about you but I'm getting a red flag about this, does anyone have any ideas on whether or not to use it?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

David

[987687]

It's pretty black and white to me, if any of the idlers have play, they need to be replaced. Doesn't matter if it's brand new or not, play is play. It'll throw all its grease and fail in short order.

[Olnick]

Who did you buy the Timing Belt Kit from?  What brand was the sprocket?

[idosubaru]

can't see it ourselves but sounds like you're headed in the right direction to noitce and question it - i wouldn't even consider using it. 

they're like $30 or something, why even think about it.  

not that it matters, but the sprocket is hands down the most common one to fail too. 

[geek500]

Well so for the time being, I'm just gonna use those sprockets (Turns out they're all a little wobbly, but the tensioner seems fine) and watch them carefully and replace them with the good ones in a month or two. For those who were asking about the brand and stuff, I got the kit with bundled with my reman'd short block, it's from a company called Preferred Components inc., (PCI). I watched a Youtube video about replacing the timing belt idlers from the All-Wheel-Drive Auto place in Seattle, and he mentioned that these sprockets with the green bearing seals aren't very good so that kinda confirms my suspicions that they need to be replaced. The reason I'm holding off on the good sprockets is that I need to get the car running and don't want to wait another two weeks to get those sprockets. I know that sounds bad but it's a complicated situation. Thank you all for the suggestions!

[Fairtax4me]

The cheaper idlers with the single row ball bearings tend to feel a little loose. Nothing wrong with them. It's just how they are.