I Think I just Joined the Collapsed Tensioner Club

[Jeff Higgins]

The motor is too hot to dig into it right now, but I think I just lost my left side chain tensioner. Thank God for the little safety collars; I've been running the original pre-Carrera style tensioners with the stop collars on them. I was also very close to home, so I got back succesfully.

The sound it is making is very much a chain dragging and slapping on a ramp kind of sound. It happens on the decel from 2000 rpm down to idle and continues to make the sound at idle. When slowly reving the engine from idle, so it is pulling tension on the chain, the sound goes away completely. When sitting at idle, it pops erratically through the exhaust and the left side intake stacks. At higher rpm's it clears up nicely and runs as always.

So, I will pull the chain cover off tomorrow when I get home from work. I'm pretty sure what I will find, but is there any chance it could be something else? What if one of the ramps wore through and broke off? Is there enough travel in one of the old style tensioners to make up for that? Or would the chain have too much slop for it to provide tension even at full extension?

[Jeff Higgins]

Suspicions confirmed; the left tensioner can be fully depressed to the stop collar with one finger. The right tensioner takes some effort with a big pair of channel locks. The ramps look brand new and thankfully the collar did its job and the chain did not jump.

So, now what? I don't like the pressure fed tensioners as an option; that leaves me with another set of the mechanicals with collars or with solids.

I see the only currently available mechanicals have the narrow bushing, requiring a shim or replacement of the tensioner bracket with the new wider one, which would be the prefered option over the shim. That adds up to over $425 a side for all new parts. $850 for new tensioners - yikes.

I could rebuild mine. The local dealership says he has one kit and can probably get another. They are only about $30 each. How successful can I expect to be in rebuilding these? Will they last, or am I just buying time?

I've read everything on this site about solid tensioners. Talk about either loving them or hating them; opinons and experiences are all over the map. I'm actually leaning towards them, even after reading the horror stories about ruined timing components brought about by the tensioners set too tight. I understand that when cold they will be loose and noisy, but I can live with that. So, those of you that actually run them successfully, how tight do you set them cold? I have read half an inch of play in the chain with it cold is about right.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Any compelling reasons for not going with the solids, keeping in mind I'm willing to deal with the periodic adjustment and noise?

[Craig 930 RS]

Rebuild what you have and be done with it....its what I'd do if the pressure tens were not an option