Chain housing loose stud for tensioner

justinp71 · 04-19-2007, 09:06 PM

I pulled off my right side chain tensioner housing and thethe shaft that holds the tensioner slid right out. The housing cover has a hole on it also that appears to support the shaft from that side.

Can I just jb weld the shaft in, or should I look for a new housing?

Henry Schmidt · Henry Schmidt's Garage

We have made the shaft larger by hard weld and machining the shaft and pressing it back in.
Another housing may make more sense.
JB weld will probably fail after a short time.

022spa · 04-20-2007, 12:58 PM

Henry does the same go for shafts that are very galled? They can be removed hard welded grownd and then reilstalled? I assume yes. Is this standard practice? One of my chain boxes has a shaft that concerns me. Do most of the porsche specialty machine shops do this? Or, is this another Supertec specialty?

Henry Schmidt · Henry Schmidt's Garage

We generally just replace the box if there is more than a loose condition involved.
We have plenty.

Repairing the box is an option when time or availability of a replacement box is an issue.

022spa · 04-20-2007, 01:44 PM

So, Replace the entire box if the shaft looks questionable?
Any way to determine what is questionable. Microfinish?
I think that anything that can be felt with a fingernail or a lead pencil is 64 microinch?

022spa · 04-20-2007, 02:04 PM

The shaft in qestion looks like a chewed up dog toy.

022spa · 04-20-2007, 02:06 PM

sorry for the spelling, i amd too proud to use the spell checker.

Henry Schmidt · Henry Schmidt's Garage

It's tyme for mi red pensil, so we can inshure proppur spelling.

022spa · 04-20-2007, 03:12 PM

I was even trying extra hard on the last reply but even messed that one up. Hooked on phonics worked for me.

KTL · 04-23-2007, 02:34 PM

Seems that extra boxes are quite common and you can probably find one on the classifieds. Or one of the resident engine gurus with their supply of spares can sell you one.

I agree a shaft that slides right out is bad news. They're pressed into (or heat-fitted) into the box so they shouldn't slide out. They're not affixed to the box with adhesive. The goop on the back is simply to seal the opening to avoid leakage or weeping.

A shaft that is galled so bad it looks like a chewed dog toy is even worse news. Before putting a new box on the engine, be sure to look at other components to see what might be the cause. Chain parallelism? Poor oiling (update your tensioner arms)? Poor chain tension?

304065 · 04-23-2007, 02:49 PM

Here is a good thread on the subject.

What do I do about this (idler arm)?

022spa · 04-23-2007, 04:39 PM

Chewed dog toy might have been a bit of an overstatement. But it does look like the pictures in the attached forum link and the arms did stick when i tried to remove them. Yeah i will either make some shafts or buy some new boxes. Probably 17-4 Ph and have it chrome coated or some other gall resistant dry film lube.
Thanks,