chain tensioners
 

Hey Guys, I am in the process of putting my pressure fed tensioners back on. I went to prime them and noticed 2 things
1. the small clip that goes in the side is missing from both tensioners
2 one of them will only depress a little(1/8") the other has full movement.
So do I absolutely need the clips and is the lack of travel in the one a problem or do I order 2 new ones and be done with it? What say you.
thanks
John

Edit okay read the next paragraph so I am clear on the pins but what about the movement? my engine did have a rattling sound when first starting up. I just want to make sure that the parts that are on the engin are fully operational.

I'm not an expert on them but on mine they popped out to fully extended when I removed them. I had to use a vise to compress them and they went in slowly. It could be that the oil has come out of the one that compresses easily or it could be broken. Hopefully someone can tell us how to prime them.

-Andy

Submerge in a tub of motor oil and push in the pistons, then release. Repeat until all the air bubbles stop. The tensioners should be very hard to compress.

Yeah one was, the other I could do with my fingers, I put them in a tub of oil and compressed them, and used a nail to keep them compressed. I wonder about the one that I could do with my fingers even after priming it.

You shouldn't be able to compress with your fingers after you primed them....unless you're the Incredible Hulk. It needs a rebuild.

Well, the truth be known, 25 years after introduction, there is a failure rate. You need to compress them to get them reinstalled but I would question if you have one that came out soft it probably should be replaced as you build because there is too much work to install then on start up if you find you have chain noise.
Bruce