Sprint Timing chain tensioner made in India

[Rosco]

I recently purchased a new timing chain tensioner for my Sprint motor rebuild from Rimmers. (Have to say it was super fast delivery from UK to NZ) its a ROLON brand made in India. Question I have, has any one used them and what are they like in terms of long term performance?

[xvivalve]

Mine that separated immediately it was used was not ROLON and was not supplied by Rimmers.

The replacement, yet to be used, is ROLON but was not supplied by Rimmers or Fitchetts

[straylight]

SPRINTPARTS supply the Rolon tensioners so I'd say they would be good 'uns. They race with them after all. I replaced my (good nick) Rolon with another Rolon as a matter of course during an engine rebuild.

If you aren't familiar with the whole "release the spring ratchet thing" to apply tension, just ask. There is a trick to it and the Rolon tensioner doesn't work the way it is described in the workshop manual.

stu

[trackerjack]

SPRINTPARTS supply the Rolon tensioners so I'd say they would be good 'uns. They race with them after all. I replaced my (good nick) Rolon with another Rolon as a matter of course during an engine rebuild.

If you aren't familiar with the whole "release the spring ratchet thing" to apply tension, just ask. There is a trick to it and the Rolon tensioner doesn't work the way it is described in the workshop manual.

stu

Elucidate

[Carl]

Are these the ones that need an Allen key to release the tensioner spring ? Far better IMO.

[straylight]

yup, as Carl said. the Rolon has a hole in the body, behind the ratchet and spring, that you insert a small screwdriver/alan key into to release the spring. There is a bolt that then seals the hole off.

Faffing about with a homemade plastic spacer has absolutely no effect on them. I remember 20 minutes of playing Mr Bean, trying all sorts of fast pulling actions, to get the ratchet tensioner to release. No matter how I held my tongue, nothing happened.

stu

[Jon Tilson]

Fitted one to an 8 valve yesterday.

The spacer leaves a gap...so you take out the spacer, press it down and it realeses Zebedeee style...booiiiiinnggg.

The spring isnt that strong so its hard to tell it has released. But Ive never had one stay down and locked...the chain vibration would soon have it go pop.
Its hard enough getting them to stay down.
The old sort used to have the allen key plug in the bottom. Long time since I've seen one of those.
Jonners

[jeroensprint]

Alway's check if there's a little oilway in it because they are hydrolic. The spring is only for keeping it in place when there's no oil yet and it is for the self adjusting system. Sometimes there's no oil hole in them and these won't work.

Jeroen

[Jon Tilson]

We've had this debate before and I beg to differ...

The early ones with the oil path are all well and good, but its the ratchet that keeps the chain tight. The spring just clicks the ratchet round when it can and stops it pushing back in more than a tooths worth. the oil is for lube only...and no way generates enough hydraulic pressure to keep the slipper out against the chain. I blew through one yesterday...the hole is minute...

Ive fitted the non oil hole chain tensioners to several cars with good results...none have been back anyway.

Jonners

[Rosco]

Thanks to all who have posted a comment in response to my original question. So my take on the discussion thus far is these Rolon timing chain tensioners are okay? Like Jonners I struggle with the concept of these being oil pressure reliant to make them work! From my observations and experience the spring actuates the slipper pad and keeps it in contact with the timing chain and the ratchet mechanisim stops it being pushed back into the tensioner housing.

[straylight]

last time:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=12063&p=115973&hili ... er#p115973

complete with pics.

and before that:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6588&p=62572&hilit= ... ner#p62572

Jonners, you were swayed last time, now you've regressed again

The bleed hole needs to be small so that not a lot of pressure is lost as oil squirts through it to lubricate the chain and slipper.

The oil pressure comes in at the back of the plunger. The actual surface area of the back of the plunger rod provides about 6lb of force at 30psi. That is substantially more than the spring provides. If there is no hole for lubricating the slipper, that force goes up slightly.

trackerjack, you were winding this up weren't you

simply slipping out the spacer does nothing to release the tensioner ratchet on this type of timing chain tensioner.

stu

[Jon Tilson]

Yes you are right...I do seem to have regressed.

In my defence I fitted one with the oil hole in preference to one without on Monday...

I took a while to convince myself that the locked in spring/slipper had in fact sprung out when I pushed it down to release it.

So i n this cae the oil pressure will help it on its way...

The oil hole ones clearly use a combination...but the ones with no oil passage still seem to work okay. Perhaps the oil gets down inside the tensioner plunger through the hole in the top, and becomes incompressible...so both work. Next time I take a blind one off...I'll see if its full of oil.

Jonners

[jeroensprint]

Perhaps the oil gets down inside the tensioner plunger through the hole in the top, and becomes incompressible...so both work. Next time I take a blind one off...I'll see if its full of oil.

Jonners

I'm glad you were not an engineer at BL at that time. Even a blind one can see this is not going to happen.

Jeroen

[Jon Tilson]

Ho ho...
In case you hadn't grasped that peculiar english expression...like a blind alley is an alley with no exit...

A blind tensioner is one with no oil hole....

Or are you just having a giraffe at my expense....

Jonners

[trackerjack]

My stag which used the same type of tensioner wore the ratchet away and on startup rattled like a goodun..................................until the oil pressure pushed the tensioner into place.
The ratchet is to take up wear so that jumped chains can not happen
I have fitted loads in Sprints and Stags with the spacer remove it push it down and never had a problem.