Sprint timing chain help please

[Covsprint]

Evening all. I booked my sprint in for a timing chain replacement with a local specialist a while ago. The chain was getting a little noisy and there was evidence of wear in the chain too, so I was advised. Otherwise it ran well, and wasn't excessively noisy. I just wanted to get it done prior to the round Britain run in October.
I will leave aside the other problems when I collected it two weeks ago, but the engine was a lot more noisy than before. The specialist has done sprint timing chains before, so he should know what he is doing.
His words to me today were as follows:

The only problem I can find is the chain running very close to the head and rear chain guide on the long part of the chain and looks as if its touching the head. All I can think is the chain is too wide and sloppy on the gears. Timing is spot on and tensioner works fine.

Has anyone got any words of wisdom that I can pass on?

I am no expert, but I know it sounds many times worse than it did before, and as far as I know, the only things that have been replaced are the chain, guides, tensioner, and the crank pulley.

Thank you.

[gmsclassics]

I assume his comments today mean he has had the car back to have a look, but probably only by taking off the cam cover.

Other than the unlikely event that he has been supplied with / fitted the incorrect chain, it points to incorrect assembly somewhere, as I read his statement as meaning the chain is loose.

When doing this job, you do have to set up the curved guide correctly and tighten its bolts?

When fitting the tensioner, it is set so that the chain can be fitted etc, then when the engine runs it releases and applies tension. Maybe that hasn't happened. It also relies on oil pressure and there is a small hole on the rear of the tensioner to allow oil in. Maybe that isn't aligned or is blocked.

There have been occurrences recently of the rubber face of the tensioner falling off. The chain then rubs on metal and won't tension fully. Produces a lot of rattling chain noise.

Only solution will be to remove the pulley and front cover and have a look at all of the above. Peering in the top will never solve this one. My advice would be not to drive the car anywhere until this is fixed.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get on.

Geoff

[Covsprint]

Thanks Geoff.

Further message today, as I pointed him in the direction of this very forum....

"The chain is a little loose on the long side now, and tensioner is well out. Tensioner has failed as its able to push back down into the hole. Chain has stretched too."

He has a new chain and tensioner in stock, so he is going to try with those.

I will pass your comments on though. Thanks again.

[xvivalve]

A new chain has stretched??? Sounds more like it wasn't properly tensioned or the chain guides not sufficiently torqued and that's why its now lose...

What mileage is the engine? Its possible that the sprockets are worn to the extent the rollers of the chain no longer sit comfortably within them, but I've only seen this on very high mileage and/or neglected engines. I certainly wouldn't advocate changing sprockets without visual evidence of wear and if its wear to the point of noise generation its quite visually obvious if they have both in the profile and thickness of the tooth.

[Jon Tilson]

If he can push the tensioner back in, then its ratchet has failed and it needs replacing.
Look at the other recent posts on here re tensioners and get a Reynolds one.

If its loose and rattly it isn't right. Even if he did the job right and has done it before it has been done wrong with duff parts.

If you supplied the parts and didnt realise it was a duff tensioner it exonerates him a bit, but I now won't do this job
unless I know where the tensioner came from.

Jonners

[Covsprint]

Thanks Alun and Jon. Who sells Reynolds tensioners?

[Jon Tilson]

Alun is on the case trying to source them as we write I think.

In the meantime you can pay the full Jaguar price of about 45 quid.

Jonners

[Covsprint]

Alun saves the day as always!

With hindsight, I would have paid £45 no problem. However, it now has another (used) tensioner on and I will find out the results later today / Monday. If its still no good, I will get a jag unit.

Thanks for the support as always.

M

[Covsprint]

Doesn't the club have a substantial reserve for this kind of thing?

[xvivalve]

I hope to have stock of 'Reynolds' Jag tensioners sometime this week...

[Covsprint]

Excellent! I am told that the new chain and tensioner are 'as quiet as a mouse', but I think that is what I was told last time. If it still sounds like a bag of nails, I will be in touch.
Cheers.

[Dolly racer 33]

Perhaps not as much a specialist as you thought!!!