WPMitchell

Is it possible to replace the chain tensioners without dropping the engine? Any assistance is appreciated. - Thanks!

ricks993

Yes you can replace the chain tensioners without removing the engine. Why are your replacing them??

trophy

You will have to drop the back of the engine and remove the engine carrier etc. You cannot get the RH chain cover off without removing the engine carrier and A/C mount.

What symptoms are you seeing that makes you think they need replacing?

Top-Gun

I re and re'd my RH side chain tensioner (the one facing down) with the engine carrier and AC mount in place. I believe I had to remove the RH muffler and a heat shield that utilizes one of the chain housing mount fasteners. After that its a tight squeeze but doable, had to do mine as the gasket was leaking pretty bad.

OverBoosted28

mpruden

I think you guys are talking about two different things. The chain cover is different from the chain tensioner and its cover, right?

I'm researching this for other reasons and it seems that the tensioner cover is much easier to access. You need to remove the cat, right muffler, and heat shield.

Now, it's time to watch the World Series.

WPMitchell

As to why I believe it is a chain tensioner and I'll try no to make this too drawn out...

I needed a new clutch and to replace the rear and front main seals...which I did. Well, since I had the engine out, I decided to replace the chains, guides and the gaskets. What I did not replace was the tensioners. Not that they even needed to be, so I though. However, I can't, with 100% certainty, recall if I put them back correctly.

Flash Forward: I reinstall the engine with all new seals into my immaculately clean engine compartment.
Man am I feeling great about this! I fire off the engine and for 30 seconds the engine hums perfectly.
A job well done! WAIT!

After 30 seconds or so I start to hear a tapping noise...30 seconds after that the tapping noise turns into a clacking noise...and 30 seconds after that...the clacking has become so loud I may have soiled myself...just a little. I shut the engine off and collapse into a ball. The shame of my own german heritage.

I do manage to grab a stethoscope out of the tool bin and locate the point of the noise. The chain tensioner on the passenger side. It sounds like two mechanical rabbits in love.

So, My reasoning for the chain tensioner as the culprit is based on the belief that i installed it incorrectly.
Other than that, I have no clue what could be causing the sound.

Any...and I do mean any opinion or tip would be helpful at this point. I just need to get this car back on the road.

Mike J

Not sure why you actually changed the chains, but that can be a challenge without taking more apart than just the chain covers off - there are several spots where their may be issues:

- if you replaced the chains, then you must of used a split chain, and the split joint is not connected properly and is striking something in the case
- if you replaced the ramps then its possible the pivot is not correct, or you put the ramps in the wrong position or wrong ramps entirely, and they are not pressuring the chains
- you had to retime the cams if you replaced the chains, so its possible that you did not retime them correctly - not likely to cause the noise you talking about though, and sounds like the engine is running
- did you put the chain tensioner in upside down? - they are oriented and need to be put in the correct direction

I would start by taking it all apart again and check the work. I would not run it if its making those sort of noises until I at least visually checked it.

Cheers,

Mike

WPMitchell

Thanks Mike!
I did use a split chain. it is correctly installed. The chain guides are correctly installed on each side. The timing was also done correctly. And all of that is why I'm leaning towards the tensioners as the problem.
I will try to sort it out tomorrow and report back.

WPMitchell

It WAS the passenger side tensioner...I installed it upside down. The car started right up. Now it just runs a bit rough at idle. I'm sure I can at least get that straightened out this weekend.

Thanks Everyone!

Vandit

Nipple w/ the pinhole pointed toward the cap.

Tensioners are side specific and if you go by visual, w/o noting the nipple, you will get it wrong, because they are appearance is opposite of their respective correct orientation.

Mike J

Ha, my fourth point above - great stuff and good news!

Cheers,

Mike

Chris Ryan

Here it is several year later and I had the same experience - engine out gaskets, plugs, etc - (nothing too serious or internal). After reinstalling and making all the connections, I was happy to hear the engine start and run smoothly. Shut it off after about a minute and spent a couple of days on some suspension work. Once finished, started the car again and after 2 minutes our so the dreaded tapping and clacking noise described in posts above started up. Obviously dismayed at the thought of an engine rebuild (for some unknown reason). After reading these posts describing a quiet running engine (when started cold) getting noisy after a couple of minutes, decided to check the tensioners. I had changed the gaskets on the chain tensioner caps, and was sure I had reinstalled everything correctly. After resigning myself to pulling the rear bumper, exhaust , rear tin, etc to get at the left tensioner, decided to check the right one first (accessible from under the car just by removing the heat shield that covers that side's chain cover. Sure enough - I too had installed that tensioner wrong - with the hole in the nipple NOT facing the cover. Put it all back correctly and as luck would have it I must have installed the left one correctly because the engine sounds perfect now and I don't have to attack that one. Thank you for keeping these threads alive ....

boomboomthump

The tensioner is labeled on each end... in German

Oben = up
Unten = down

ed devinney

Hmph, I read that, understood perfectly, and still installed one upside down. Glad to see I'm not (too) special...