Solid Chain Tensioners- Don't Fit with Wide Idlers?
 

Is there a trick to making these fit correctly when the engine has the updated/wider idler arms, which have the bronze bushings in them?

Engine previously had unbushed narrow idler arms (one of which seized and prompted the rebuild) and Carrera tensioners with spacers. I removed the narrow idlers and installed some factory wide idlers. With the wide idlers, the Carrera tensioner piston aligns properly with the tip of the idler arm. Meaning the piston is generally centered on the tip.

Never had a problem with Carrera tensioners on my cars, but I figured the solid tensioners on a race engine would eliminate a potential tensioner failure. So I go to put the solid tensioner in place and its too far offset outboard from the idler arm. It needs to sit further inboard but cannot due to the width of the idler arm. As a cross-check, I took off the wide idler arm and installed the old narrow idler. Sure enough, the fit is more like what it should be.

I'm certainly not going to switch back to the narrow idlers, just to use the solid tensioner. I would rather run the Carrera tensioners, or the previous generation self contained hydraulic tensioner with collar stops.

Just wondering what others have experienced in this situation.

Thanks,
Kevin

Tensioners
 

Kevin, we mfg. both style of solid tensioners, if you have the ability you can machine the area to the dimension of the 3.2 carrera style and use with the wider pivots, but take a look at our web site JBRacing.com
Mike Bruns

Thanks for the response Mike. I picked up a set of used solid tensioners for cheap, so I can machine them down w/out putting too much cost into them.

I hadn't realized there were two versions for the wide & narrow idlers. Thanks for the confirmation of that difference. I've seen some of the solid tensioners people make include the spacer ring, similar to the ring included in the Carrera chain tensioner upgrade kit. My solid tensioner is a big hefty one and doesn't need that spacer.