Would you buy a used tensioner upgrade kit?

[The Dude]

Price for a new kit has doubled in the past year it seems like.

I see used kits popping up now and then.

Thanks Pelican.
Landon

[Nostril Cheese]

I'd just rebuild the stock tensioners or put collar stops on. The hydraulic tensioners arent really needed.

[manbridge 74]

Beware the cheap Chinese knock offs.......

[snbush67]

Yes, you have a better chance of finding OEM tensioners used. As stated by Jeff above the Chinese knockoffs are crap and have weak nipple cages that break easily.

[The Dude]

I have my old set of tensioners. Nothing wrong with them as far as I know.

Was just wondering if I should invest in a used set of the pressure fed version.

Thx for the inputs.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by The Dude

I have my old set of tensioners. Nothing wrong with them as far as I know.

Was just wondering if I should invest in a used set of the pressure fed version.

Thx for the inputs.

Simple answer? No. Just put collar stops on.

[///Criss]

Blyguy has a set he bought but didn't need. PM him he might let them go for a fair price.

[tharbert]

I don't agree about the collars. When I bought my car, I had to fish out one of those broken collars from my sump. There's an alternative of placing shims inside the tensioner so it can't collapse and you have the added insurance of not fragging your engine from a broken collar. There's a great how-to write-up that maybe someone with better search foo can find.

Uesd Carrera tensioners show up regularly in the want adds. Good option in my book...

[HarryD]

Yes, you have a better chance of finding OEM tensioners used. As stated by Jeff above the Chinese knockoffs are crap and have weak nipple cages that break easily.

Your mean like the one in this post?
Chain Tensioner Piece Fell Out. What to Do?

[Sunroof]

.ask anyone who has experienced failed tensioners and valve crash! Pretty costly repair for cheap insurance. I personnally, have never gone without the oil fed tensioners in my 1973.5T (2.4), 1974 911 (2.7) and my 1979 911SC (3.0). Peace of mind................

Bob

[pors1968]

Try grip911 i know he sale a couple of these kit on used parts forums

[snbush67]

Shops that don't recommend Carrera Tensioner Update?

Originally Posted by aigel

All right folks, I thought I should write this up, since I have done this to my engine and believe that it is an easy and highly valuable upgrade: Fail safing the pressure fed tensioners, the "Jerry Woods mod". I'll be happy to submit this as a tech article if it is desired:

Jerry Woods uses a special tweak to limit travel on the oil fed tensioners. According to Jerry, oil fed tensioners can see very rare failures caused by oscillations of the chains if an engine runs at very high rpm and then abruptly drops to low rpm. Timing can jump and this can lead to terminal engine damage.

For this modification, disassemble the chain tensioners by taking out the grenade pin and then the c clip retainer pin. Remove the spring. (Figure 1) Put it back together with the spring removed and install the tensioner. Measure the total travel between the collapsed tensioner and the fully tensioned idler arm as indicated in Figure 2.

Now remove the tensioner again and limit the total available travel to 1/8" by installing a piece of tubing into the bottom of the tensioner that is 1/8" shorter than the measured total travel. The tubing has to be 5/8" outer diameter and about 1.5 mm wall thickness. This has to be a hollow cylinder, becase oil is flowing through it and the spring has to go through it also, to keep the forces the same. Hydraulic tubing is a good choice but I had found bronze bushings at the hardware store that had the perfect dimensions. Figure 3 shows this limiting tubing cut to length, together with the piston and spring, before it is installed back into the tensioner housing.

Throw away the grenade pin and the C clip retainer because they will not fit with the limited travel, and are not needed once the tensioner is installed. In the unlikely case that you ever have to take apart a Jerry Woods assembled engine, you will notice that the tensioners have the c-clip missing and the tensioner piston travel is limited. According to Jerry, all his engines (even the stock rebuilds) get this final tweak to race proof oil fed chain tensioners.

Figure 1


Figure 2


Figure 3

[Mighty2.0]

"Invest" in a used set of tensioners? No. Waste of money.

[Iciclehead]

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

Beware the cheap Chinese knock offs.......

There are cheap Chinese take offs of the tensioners? I had hoped that our little market was too small to attract those guys....who are not always known for their quality.

Holey Merde!

[The Dude]

Spirited debate over the years...

Thx for the links.

L

[Dr J]

I got a used set from a reputable seller here at Pelican. I also did the Jerry Woods mod outlined above. No collars needed. It's been two years and it worked out well for me. My old mechanical tensioners were working fine and had the collars placed by the PO. I just wanted the upgrade since I was supercharging.

[sballard]

Is it possible to easily ID if you have the cheap knockoffs? Is the part number the same or different?

I replaced my original tensioners in 2006 with ones from Pelican although I am sure that I didn't pay anywhere near the current $1K asking price.