OMG, THE POWER IS BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN GUYS!!
I took out the crappy GATES one and there was fluid leaking out of it. I don't care at this point anymore but I installed the INA one and went for a test drive on the highway and the power is definitely back for sure. I don't have to press down until I hear a click anymore, it's literally back to normal where I would step on the pedal 50-60% and it automatically goes into a high rev/downshifts unlike the Gates one where it would slowly/gradually build up speed.
Also, this time, I only removed the splash shield cover and I did not disassemble the entire wheel well splash shield and outer fender like last time. I can definitely see why people would have trouble trying to access the serpentine belt and performing the replacement, you are losing at least 20-40% of the view on your right hand side where the other pulleys are and you have a piece of plastic in your face. It's doable, but I had to use my hand to feel if the serpentine belt was lining up with the A/C Compressor pulley grooves. Very annoying, but I did it when it was getting dark so it was hard to see.
I would highly recommend anyone replacing this to either buy the INA one on RockAuto or get the OEM INA one from Mazda and to skip the GATES one completely.
When I was doing my research on "belt tensioners," I couldn't really find much information on whether or not a different brand would make a huge difference/performance impact but now I know after owning (3). If you go on Google, this is really the only thing that it says:
A tensioner maintains the correct amount of tension on the belt at all times throughout its duty cycle. It also helps protect other components such as the alternator and water pump from undue stress and premature failure. In addition, a tensioner is a relatively inexpensive part to replace.
This diagram below illustrates how I feel using both. It's not supposed to be 100% accurate but it gives you an idea at the very least:
I did not disconnect my battery this time prior to yesterdays spark plug change. It has been as-is so this is a direct comparison between two belt tensioners. I'm really trying to think of some theories of why the vehicles characteristics feel so different after the belt tensioner change.
Could it be related to:
- The type of fluid being used as a lubricant inside?
- The rubber boot material that's different? The GATES one looks much more durable and more stiff looking compared to the INA one which is a very soft/supple rubber. I'm thinking that this is a very likely possibility.
I know that OEM hardware are typically tuned to work the best with our vehicle and using aftermarket parts
may make a difference but I just can't wrap my head around this belt tensioner.