Let's use the 80mm idler pulley for a DiscoII as an example.

Atlantic British has http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/PQR101150KG.cfm which is a genuine part for $52.95.

Atlantic British also has http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/PQR101150K.cfm which is not a genuine part for $42.95

What is the real difference? What am I getting for $10 more if I choose the genuine part? Can you really go wrong with the less expensive pulley?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

http://www.rovahfarm.com/DiscoIEnginePage3.htm

Listed as a D2 part, but 70mm. Half price.

 

The D2 uses a 70mm and a 80mm. I just bought a 70mm from the dealer for $42. It wasn't much more then Atlantic British, and I needed it that day. They wanted $107 for the 80mm! So I will order the 80mm from AB. I would stick with genuine parts for idlers. I changed mine at 180,000 they last a long time.

Willie

 

That's the tough part. How do you know which parts should be genuine and which parts can go either way? I just want to know that I am getting a truely better product for the increase in price. If they're both similar in quality then it really does come down to price.

 

It has come to my attention with my age and getting aroundness and repairing my own cars for years that OEM is usually a better quality than aftermarket UNLESS it is a domestic in which case all of the domestic replacement parts that I have used last no longer than their original.
Case in point, I had a Oldsmobile that I bought brand new in '95, at 36,000 miles the alternator went bad.
Just inside the warranty since the warranty does not actually kick in until you take delivery and it was a demo so it had 1,000 miles on it when I bought it.
Alternator was replaced under warranty, and guess what?
37,000 miles later I was at AutoZone buying a rebuilt alt.

The alt on my Rover lasted 160,000 miles before it went bad.

I would buy the Rover pulley for $10, if it was $30 more then no.

 

If it's just squealing from a knackered bearing, remove the bearing and take it to NAPA and get a new one for $10-$15.
I haven't looked at a DII idler and it might not be a removable bearing, but I bet it is.

 

Thank you for the advice.