question with chain tensioner sprocket and spacer

[x98boardwell]

I'm in the middle of putting back together the 3.2 after a rebuild on my 87.

I am finished with cam timing and about to install my chain tensioners. The issue that I'm running into is not having (cannot find) the spacers which slide onto the shaft where the sprocket for chain tensioning rides on before I install the tensioner itself.

Its been months since i tore it apart and now having trouble remembering if I even had them? There is definitely a space between the tensioner and the sprocket and I know that shouldn't have that much freedom to slide in and out correct?

The tensioner bottoms out based on the threaded shaft where you actually tighten it down onto so there can't be an issue there.

My question is from what the pics are telling me below is that these spacers were only used with tensioner #930.105.053.00. My tensioner is 930.105.547.4R. Is this a superseded number that Pelican isn't aware?

My confusion had led me to put up this post to be sure I need them... which I'm thinking I must have tossed them in the garbage with the scrap main bearings and other items and just didn't realize it. Thanks for any help!!

Bryan

Ps. I added a couple pics of the progress in exchange for the help!!

[Walt Fricke]

Well, as long as this is an original 1987 engine, you can't lose what was never there. For the 3.2s Porsche had updated the idler arms so that their pivots stick out on one side, allowing a wider idler bearing. No need for (or place for) spacers. I think your picture shows the wide idlers.

If you use the earlier idlers with the pressure fed tensioners, you need a spacer. But your engine should have the wider idlers. Don't you have our host Wayne's book on rebuilding 911s? He's got pictures of all this stuff, including a side by side comparison of idlers, older vs newer. If not, for shame - buy it.

The idler will self center on the chain, so a bit of slop doesn't matter.

[x98boardwell]

I have the book, it shows them yes but not in terms of which motor needs (at least from what I've seen).

I apologize if I was not explaining myself correctly. Once the tensioner is on all the way there is a gap or space where it appears a spacer would go. Are you telling me that the 8mm gap (guessing) that is between the sprocket and the tensioner eyelet is supposed to be that large? I'm thinking I had the spacers and tossed them which would be horrible but it doesn't seem like it can be right any other way.. right..? Thanks for the input!

PS.. yes this is a true 87 and the motor had never come out from what I can tell based on motor, dirt, wear, etc..

[Walt Fricke]

No spacers.

You can download, from Porsche, the parts catalog for your car. The exploded diagrams aren't quite like a shop manual, but are very useful. No spacers in sight there.

It looks like you replaced the cam chain gears? But not the idler gears? In theory the idler doesn't do much but keep the chain from going slack as RPMs change and so on (pretty important, but it doesn't really take much of a strain the way the chain does pulling the cams toward the IS shaft), but it looks like there is a fair amount of wear on the side of that idler. Did you check the drive and driven gear parallelism? But photos can be deceiving.

[Klax]

FWIW, I’m at the same stage of rebuild on my 87 Carrera and I don’t have spacers.

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by x98boardwell

I'm in the middle of putting back together the 3.2 after a rebuild on my 87.

I am finished with cam timing and about to install my chain tensioners. The issue that I'm running into is not having (cannot find) the spacers which slide onto the shaft where the sprocket for chain tensioning rides on before I install the tensioner itself.

Its been months since i tore it apart and now having trouble remembering if I even had them? There is definitely a space between the tensioner and the sprocket and I know that shouldn't have that much freedom to slide in and out correct?

The tensioner bottoms out based on the threaded shaft where you actually tighten it down onto so there can't be an issue there.

My question is from what the pics are telling me below is that these spacers were only used with tensioner #930.105.053.00. My tensioner is 930.105.547.4R. Is this a superseded number that Pelican isn't aware?

Bryan,

You have the new wider idler gear/s in your engine. These don’t need the spacers like the early narrow idler gears used in ‘78~’79 SC’s and earlier models. Factory engines equipped with hydraulic tensioners came with the wider idlers gears.

Tony

[x98boardwell]

Yup... have confirmed now that there isn't a spacer and all together and doing well.

I was just confused by the space but after further investigation it wasn't as big as I had originally thought. All rocker arms are in and adjusted accordingly. Should be sealing it up here with the valve and chain box covers shortly.

Thanks again and sorry for the false alarm.