What are "Solid timing chain tensioners"?

[H.G.P.]

I have not seen these advertised much? Are these widely used?

Thank you.

[svandamme]

never heard of that term , maybe they mean the racing mechanical variant , i had those in my engine when i bought it :

right



left one compared to the hydraulic one i just installed

[alex jelepis]

Wayne's rebuild and performance book suggests using them temporarily during re-builds, but I have seen them advertised as Bullit Tensoners for e permanent use as well.

How do you adjust the tension once they are fitted? Is there a screw which increases the tensioner as you turn onto the idler arm?

Alex

[H.G.P.]

I did a search on tensioners and they came up. I'll see if I can find the link.

[chuckw951]

Stomkiracing sells them for $65/pair

http://www.stomskiracing.com/products.html



Email Steven, stomracing@aol.com, he can tell you about them if your search through the forum doesn't help.

[cstreit]

It's a manual adjust. Some people use them in racing motors permanently, but they need to be adjusted often, and the motor has to be good and warm before you go anywhere so the engine expansion takes up the slack.

[H.G.P.]

They are list here down the page:
http://www.mpdonline.com/porsche.htm#Solid%20Timing%20Chain%20Tensioners

[Grady Clay]

This is probably one from the early ‘70s.
I use it when adjusting cam timing.



Solid tensioners are OK for race engines where you replace
the chains, sprockets and jack shaft regularly.
For normal use they are a no-fail alternative but
unnecessarily stress and wear the valve train drive parts.

There is a tool that measures chain tension.
I’ll see if I can find the info.


Best,
Grady

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by Grady Clay
This is probably one from the early ‘70s.
I use it when adjusting cam timing.

For normal use they are a no-fail alternative but
unnecessarily stress and wear the valve train drive parts.

There is a tool that measures chain tension.
I’ll see if I can find the info.


Best,
Grady

After dismanteling the chain housing/tensioners/housing parts, I could see visible areas where the chains ran into the housing (stretched chains? bad tensioners?).

Why would a solid tensioner stress and wear the valve train?

Thanks!

[svandamme]

Originally posted by H.G.P.
After dismanteling the chain housing/tensioners/housing parts, I could see visible areas where the chains ran into the housing (stretched chains? bad tensioners?).

Why would a solid tensioner stress and wear the valve train?

Thanks!

they don't move... so if the engine changes dimensions ( hot - cold ) it doesn't change with it like spring or hydraulic tensioners do...


so you either have a chain that is to tight or to loose , depending on your engine temp...

[alex jelepis]

Grady,

Any luck finding out about the tool for measuring early tensioner tension?

Thanks,

Alex

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by svandamme
they don't move... so if the engine changes dimensions ( hot - cold ) it doesn't change with it like spring or hydraulic tensioners do...

so you either have a chain that is to tight or to loose , depending on your engine temp...

What about in-between?

And how does one know if a "regular" tensioner isn't adjusting under normal instances? ( The tensioner is never seen while driving)

[svandamme]

if you set it inbetween , then it will be off for both temps , but just right for a half warmed up engined


a regular tensioner will apply a certain pressure to the chain
it doesn't matter how hot or cold the engine is , the pressure will be similar .. more or less

the solid one , doesn't apply pressure at all, it's just set to a certain location, and that location will usually be in the way of the chain , causing a pressure... but if the chain is stretching ( heat or old age ) then the solid tensioner isn't doing anything to counter it

i think the logical way is to say a solid tensioner does not make the tension , its the chain that tensions around the tensioner
( i know , this is crappy tech terminology )
while a spring or hydraulic tensioner , tensions the chain , if the chain changes then the tensioner will tension more


the hydraulic tensioner has an even bigger advantage, because it has both a spring ... and oil pressure , the higher the more revs, the more pressure , the more the tensioner tensions the chain




i don't think the problem is setting it for hot or cold engine
the problem is that the chain over time stretches, due to the heat cycles and wear and tear..

a normal tensioner , will just keep pushing at the chain
while with a mechanical one , the chain will stop tensioning around the sprocket , because the tensioner does not move

hence the very frequent checkups required