Advice on Valve Covers and Tensioners

Tomorrow the drive train comes out to do some work on the transmission. While it is out, I want to clean up a couple of oil leaks on the engine as well. The car is a 70T with a stock 2.2.

Two questions:

1) What is the best way to eliminate the oil leaking from both my lower valve covers. Is there a good way to seal up the existing covers or do I need to replace them with the 930 covers?

2) The tensioners have not been updated. Should I go to the pressure fed tensioners, or simply install safety collars on my existing ones that currently seem to be working fine?

Thanks...Tim

I went through the same stuff a couple of years ago. I bit the bullet and got the 930 valve covers and haven't had a drip since. With respect to the tensioners, I went with the old style and the guards and I haven't looked back. Hope that helps...

Hi Tim. Happy holidays, and best wishes for the new year. Is Canada Y2K ready?

Why not just solve the leaking by getting the 930/Carrera valve covers, along with the latest gaskets? The VC's currently seem to go for about $70 per set, not bad. If your VC's are original, it would seem like its time for new ones.

I like the pressure fed tensioners, but it does seem like in the last few years the collars seem to have become more popular, especially if you use the 80 and up idler arms, which have improved geometry which supposedly prevents binding and helps to prevent tensioner failure. The thing that I don't really like about the collars is this: How do you know if the tensioner has failed? You might be driving around with a semi loose chain for a long time, and this does not seem good.

The only downside to the pressure feds seems to be cost. If I had your car (which is a very nice car!), I would spend the $$ for the tensioners, esp. if you are going to have the engine out of the car anyways (making labor to install the pressure feds a non-issue).

Take care.

Brian

Having experinced the dreaded chain-dragging 'growl' from a collapsed tensioner, and thankfully no damage, I would recommend the pressure-fed tensioner update AND the chain-wheel carrier update, too. This is presumably a car you want to drive for a long time, trouble-free, right? If you don't already have a copy of Bruce Anderson's 'Performance Handbook,' get one and read about the tensioner troubles over the years! Since you are about to have the engine out, take care of this potential major headache, NOW!

The 930 lower valve covers and the 'latest' green-silicone bead gaskets are the answer to pesky oil leaks! Do yourself a favor and update them.

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Thanks for the info. Looks like new valve covers. As far as tensioners are concerned, the voice seems split (by the way, I have Bruce Anderson's book, great info). The big issue is cost ($350 US works out to over $500 Can). I will pull off the chain covers over the next week or two and see what is there and what kind of shape everything is in.

Thanks!!!! Tim

How did the tensioner/chain rail inspection go? I suspect the chain rails need to be replaced if they have never been done before, as those early two piece metal/bonded rubber rails are notorious for 'chunking' due to old age!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa