Need some advice/recommendation really.

Last year i renewed my aux belt and tensioner in line with the service schedule.
the tensioner i took off had some rough play in it. got the new one and was not free spinning. put it on the car and it whined. signs of grease around the seals too so not sure if it was leaking. anyway i sent it back and got another one.
these are both boxed fiat OE items from an ebay power seller for italian car parts.
the one i took off was made in france, the one i got to replace it was made in turkey and the exchange one was made in hungary!

ive got a noise coming from the motor. its not there on idle but if you rev the motor to say 1500rpm the noise kicks in like a whirr then as you lift off the noise stops before the revs settle back to idle. ive checked the water pump and power steering pump and ruled those out. cant hear them making any noises. so i think its the alternator bearings (although the noise doesnt sound much like the bearings have gone) or ive got another poor quality tensioner.

Should I be trying a Gates or a Dayco tensioner as I get the feeling these are the best makes (assuming you actually get an original not a rip off copy!)?

anyone else had similar woes?

thanks

Best way to determine the source of the noise is probably an engine stethoscope (or a long screwdriver used as an engine stethoscope -- blunt end to ear!).

Can't really speak to your "power seller" but there are -- at least -- 2 well known FIAT specialists offering discounts to FF members -- Shop4Parts and eurocarcare.net.