carerra chain tensioners needed or not?

greg bradbury · 05-29-2006, 02:13 AM

Most people seem to say that you need to upgrade to the carrera pressure fed chain tensioners as a matter of fact. Some say that its not necessary for the later SC's as they had an different style bushing arrangement that prevented seizing. I have an '83 model and I am doing the valve guides but don't really want to spring for a $650 upgrade at this stage (my motor only has 80,000 miles up).

What do you guys think. Has anyone out there got high millage cars with the non pressure tensioners? Has anyone got a bad story to tell about tensioners or is it just a lot of hype?

Eagledriver · 05-29-2006, 06:03 AM

I think it's a good mod but in your situation I think I'd install rebuilt original tensioners with guards and call it good for another 80,000 miles.

-Andy

john walker's workshop · 05-29-2006, 07:37 AM

there are still thousands of cars running just fine with the original units, but use tensioner guards if you keep them. remove the top circlip, and the collar and spring beneath it and check that the outer o-ring on the aluminum disc isn't popped out. any freeplay in the piston needs to be bled out. rebuild kits are available.

greg bradbury · 06-02-2006, 04:52 PM

Thanks John and Andy, I will look into the kits you mentioned. The latest bad news is that when I pulled the motor down I found that both the cam shafts have one lobe that has the hardenning chipped, sort of delaminated. Only a small area of about 1/8" square but still enough to make the cams unserviceable. I don't know if they are worth repairing or not.