Advice on my tensioner please

[73sprint]

Having noted comments on the rolon item I have taken a look at mine on the sprint.I Have had chain clatter from cold which quiets down when warmed up, when I turn the engine over via the crank bolt I see that the tensioner moves in and out by approx 2-3 mm. I have removed it and noted the the spacer plate does not have an oil hole ?just 2 mounting holes. The lubrication doesn't come from the block does it ? Also the chain slackens and then tightens on each revolution ?

[Jon Tilson]

There has to be an oil feed into the tensioner body.

If there isn't then fit another one that does. Sometimes the hole is quite small and just in the body.

Jonners

[73sprint]

Yes there is a tiny hole in the body but if the plate without a hole is sandwiched between the block and tensioner then no oil feed ?

[Jon Tilson]

I guess you could drill a hole in the plate but yes it does need an oil feed.

Jonners

[trackerjack]

Hi I think some Rolons have been made with the transfer hole omitted and also some where the hole is too small.
You can enlarge or drill the back plate easily.
I expect the movement as the engine is turned is due to cam load as opposed to any item running out of true......I hope!
The tensioner is little more than a piston that gets its oil from the main oil gallery and this is then forced by hydraulic pressure onto the chain and the small hole in the pad leaks oil onto the chain.

A Stag has a much larger run than the Sprint/TR7/1850 and when I fit those I let it bed in for a thousand miles or so and then reset the tensioner using the 1mm spacer.

The ratchet is there so that the tensioner is always close to the chain so as to have only slight slack before the piston acts.

Who would have thought that such a simple device could be so difficult to manufacture

[73sprint]

How far should the tensioner be out of the body ?. Mine measures approx 15 mm. Does this indicate that the chain has stretched ?.

[Jon Tilson]

I would say that's well out. How worn are the guides?

Quite honestly its cheap enough to do the lot for peace of mind...

Jonners