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Daves911L Daves911L is online now
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If you have an earlier 2 liter with the sandcast aluminum chain boxes and covers, you can modify the covers for the later style tensioners. Not difficult, just requires a little careful thought and machining for the oil feed fitting on the tensioner to protrude through the cover. The cover isn't thick enough to provide a sealing surface for the o-ring, so you would have to weld (or otherwise fasten) an aluminum ring there to provide sealing. Nothing else has to be done.

But why go to this bother. The pressure fed tensioners are not necessarily more reliable than the sealed tensioners. Each has its own problems. On cars I've had with pressure fed tensioners I've often noticed light rattles at certain RPM. While I wouldn't throw them away if I had them, I sure wouldn't rush out and buy a set to "upgrade" sealed tensioners.

Use the latest style sealed tensioner, and the wide style idler arms and you should have little trouble. Every two years, spend a Saturday servicing the tensioners. Replace the seals. Use American size o-rings from your FLAP store as they will be a little thicker than OEM and much cheaper. Refill with oil, bleed, compress, and re-install. They will last forever this way. You can use the guards for peace of mind. But in my opinion they are unnecessary and may lull you into neglecting your semi-annual maintenance. This has been my practice for well over 30 years and I have never ever had a sealed tensioner failure.
Old 02-20-2013, 05:26 AM
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