Are These Chain Tensioners Useless?

[mikedsilva]

Someone sent me an engine to put together... he bought it as supposedly complete but fully disassembled....

The chain tensioners are missing the little cap.. first pic shows the ones I received...
Second pic is a spare tensioner I have that shows the cap.

Am I looking to buy new tensioners because of this?

[Flat6pac]

Mike, Just to make it safe, replace the two, expensive but it’s your labor if you need to replace after the build.
Bruce

[proporsche]

there is a guy in France who posted this video how to rebuild them and replace the nipple with bleeder screw.I am about to do some of them (i have like 6 pieces) so i will see ,when i get to it...how it works.Seams doable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtutSc_sJUo

Ivan

[Mike Czech]

Wow. I just watched the video and it looks like an ingenious solution. Luckily my tensioners are fine, but I like his idea.

[mikedsilva]

Originally Posted by proporsche

there is a guy in France who posted this video how to rebuild them and replace the nipple with bleeder screw.I am about to do some of them (i have like 6 pieces) so i will see ,when i get to it...how it works.Seams doable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtutSc_sJUo

Ivan

interesting... so my tensioners are missing the small cap, ball and spring.. not sure why someone pulled them apart...

I think I will have to recommend my client buy 2 new tensioners to be safe.

[Marwil]

When you get the new ones, you can install a stainless wire accross the top to keep the bleed nipple in place, just in case, as they pop out pretty easily. I also use the Jerry Woods mod and prefill the tensioner with a syringe.

[proporsche]

Marwil..interesting, on your pic the c clip on top of the pin is removed --the reason? To fill it up..?
Ivan

[proporsche]

I took 3 of mine apart today (my top nipples are ok) .Remove the bottom c clip and removed the plug and the pin .Filled with oil a put together...i will test it when i get a chance .....
Also i took one apart from the top cleaned filled with oil ..put together ...after i took one good one i have and test it compare the others, it did same resistance when compressed....
Ivan

[targa72e]

One other part that is important for these to work correctly. The top of the piston has to be able to bleed out air. You will notice that the cap is pressed into the piston. The cap can be pressed out. It has threads for air to escape and a small vent at the top (circled in red).



If the threads have filled with gunk over time there will be no way for the air to blead out the top and the tensioner and it will be soft. You can knock the cap out from the inside, clean the threads and press it back into the piston.
john

[proporsche]

Originally Posted by targa72e

One other part that is important for these to work correctly. The top of the piston has to be able to bleed out air. You will notice that the cap is pressed into the piston. The cap can be pressed out. It has threads for air to escape and a small vent at the top (circled in red).



If the threads have filled with gunk over time there will be no way for the air to blead out the top and the tensioner and it will be soft. You can knock the cap out from the inside, clean the threads and press it back into the piston.
john

Good point, i will check manana on it..i did hear the air coming out through..
thanx
Ivan

[garibaldi]

You can also consider these as well.
https://www.joeanselmomotorsports.com/products/sebro-chain-tensioner-fix-it-kit-911-65-83-early-style?_pos=1&_sid=9008bfdf2&_ss=r

[proporsche]

Originally Posted by garibaldi

You can also consider these as well.
https://www.joeanselmomotorsports.com/products/sebro-chain-tensioner-fix-it-kit-911-65-83-early-style?_pos=1&_sid=9008bfdf2&_ss=r

ok how do you remove the nipple part and what does this one plate do?

maybe a good solution for Mike..for me,i just wonder..

thanx

Ivan

[garibaldi]

Originally Posted by proporsche

ok how do you remove the nipple part and what does this one plate do?

maybe a good solution for Mike..for me,i just wonder..

thanx

Ivan

You just pop that stamped POS cage out, its not held in there very well (Which is what usually causes the issue to begin with) You will see that those metal fingers barely grip the ID of that port in some cases. All is does is contain the check valve guts which is a small ball and a spring. It's often when that retaining cage dislodges and out comes the spring and ball and the tensioner partially collapses from dumping out the oil pressure its being fed. The methods discussed are all intended to keep it all together, be it some safety wire bridged across the top like a belt, or that guy in your video using a bleeder nipple, or the discs I referenced. In the case of these, you remove the ****ty failure prone retaining cage, but keep the spring and ball in place, and these discs get driven into the recess with a friction fit (can also peen the housing too if you like) and it serves as a better retaining means for the guts of that check valve.

[proporsche]

Originally Posted by garibaldi

You just pop that stamped POS cage out, its not held in there very well (Which is what usually causes the issue to begin with) You will see that those metal fingers barely grip the ID of that port in some cases. All is does is contain the check valve guts which is a small ball and a spring. It's often when that retaining cage dislodges and out comes the spring and ball and the tensioner partially collapses from dumping out the oil pressure its being fed. The methods discussed are all intended to keep it all together, be it some safety wire bridged across the top like a belt, or that guy in your video using a bleeder nipple, or the discs I referenced. In the case of these, you remove the ****ty failure prone retaining cage, but keep the spring and ball in place, and these discs get driven into the recess with a friction fit (can also peen the housing too if you like) and it serves as a better retaining means for the guts of that check valve.

Cool thanx a lot..to be quiet honest if i have seen collapsed chain tensioner, it had never missing the retainer and the ball with spring.For some reason it just gave up.It happened to me too.In a long drive through Europe (about 1300 km ) i heard the chain noise collapsed -kept it on higher rpm until i got back home to France.Took it out , all in place but totally soft .Actually never opened it since i had in my stash 2 new once...
thanx for the info
Ivan

[Marwil]

Sorry, been involved with my garage build. Due to the Jerry Woods mod the pin can't be inserted. The mod involves inserting a small section of pipe into the piston cylinder to limit the compression of the piston in case of tensioner failure. The pipe/bushing prevents the piston from compressing fully and therefor prevents insertion of the pin.