80 sc chain tensioner replacement

[beany]

I am on the cusp of which choice to make regarding the chain tensioner replacement in my 80 SC. After reviewing a lot of posts replacing them or just rebuilding them I still am not sure which to choose. When I review pictures, some have the piston extended a lot and some have the piston hardly extended at all. Which way is the correct way, and which is a failed tensioner? I do not want to spend the $400.00 for the parts if I do not need them. Thanks

[GaryR]

I just pulled a failed tensioner out of my brand new 3.2, you can't go by the length of the piston showing, we knew mine was bad because the chain had slop until we pushed on the tensioner arm and it moved out. Thing is it took VERY little pressure to push the piston in and that is the problem, there should be a lot of pressure on there..

[carl74344]

I think this one failed