Chain Tensioner question

[911mnypt]

Doing a tare down to replace a few broken studs and was wondering if my chain tensioner was shot. I can slid my finders under the right side chain and there is considerable play in it. The Tensioners piston is retracted all the way down. The left side is tight and has no play in it.

[snbush67]

There is no way you should be able to do that without screaming in pain. I would say yes that the tensioner is toast.

[snbush67]

And your chain is worn or your engine has shrunk. You are very lucky to have caught this. Was your engine making any noises?

I assume those are stock tensioners and not the updated oil fed tensioners?

Shane

[aadrew10]

Indeed

[carrera turbo]

correct me if im wrong but doesnt the tensioner tighten up with oil pressure?

thanks guys

ed

[carrera turbo]

snbush67{quote}

I assume those are stock tensioners and not the updated oil fed tensioners?

aww i didnt catch that the first time i read the post.

cheers ed

[911mnypt]

Yes, they are stock tensioners and I did hear a low grumbling coming from that side. I will be replacing them....

Oil fed tensioners tighten up with pressure when the motor is running and stock ones are pressured filled on their own?

Thank you...
Richard

[dtw]

Can see in the photo - the tensioner plunger is fully collapsed. Good catch, grasshopper.

[BURN-BROS]

Originally Posted by carrera turbo

snbush67{quote}

I assume those are stock tensioners and not the updated oil fed tensioners?
cheers ed

I personally do not consider the oil fed tensioner as an upgrade.

What's nice about the stock ones is the ability to rebuild them. Which with any servicable part, should be done.


The real update is the wide tensioner arms, as these were the source of most of the premature failures of the tensioners. This update occured at the end of the 3.0 liters around 1983.

I would source the wide arms, modify your tensioners to accept the wider arms, rebuild the tensioners and buy chain savers for a cheap insurance. Once done you will be good for many trouble free miles.

[Dejathoris]

Any experience to back-up your personal thoughts on this? I bought a '72 911 that supposedly had the engine rebuilt/blue-printed about 15K miles/3 owners ago, but I can not obtain confirmation other than the ad (by a well-known local Porsche mechanic that owned the car) what exactly was done. I would think that the tensioners should not fail if rebuilt or replaced only 15K miles ago, but I have read so much about the consequences of failure I am on the fence about spending the big bucks to replace with the Carrera upgrade.

[80-911SC]

Originally Posted by Dejathoris

Any experience to back-up your personal thoughts on this? I bought a '72 911 that supposedly had the engine rebuilt/blue-printed about 15K miles/3 owners ago, but I can not obtain confirmation other than the ad (by a well-known local Porsche mechanic that owned the car) what exactly was done. I would think that the tensioners should not fail if rebuilt or replaced only 15K miles ago, but I have read so much about the consequences of failure I am on the fence about spending the big bucks to replace with the Carrera upgrade.

if built by a well know mechanic, why don't you ask him ??
and as far as 15k to fail, as with mist mechanical devices they have a probable service life , they may go out early or late you could drop a tensioner almost immediately or at 100k just depends

[Dejathoris]

Thanks. I had previously left two voice-mails with him and the guy he sold it to (before me) but no reply from either, which is why I was hoping someone here had some experience with failure rates. I read every posting here about the subject, and there seems to be no definitive answer.

[jstobo]

I bought my 69 with 30,000 miles. Sometime before 40,000 a tensioner went. No problem -replaced but did not change out the ramps. BIG MISTAKE. The old ramps were rubber and the oil made them very hard and brittle over time. Well 40,000 miles later another tensionor went but this time as the chain slapped it broke a piece of a ramp off and it fell into the intermediate gears. Chain slipped and bent valves. Now have Carrea tensioners. I like them better.

[Rednine11]

I still run the old style tensioners with Hydra Stops or whatever they're called.