Tension(er) headache...

[Kaleid]

Not to underestimate the importance of Carrera tensioners, but how many of you have actually done this upgrade? I've heard enough warnings to warrant actually getting this done,, but I'm not sure if I should pull the trigger...is it more appropriate after a certain amount of mileage or just a good idea in general...thoughts/opinions?

[kenikh]

It's a good idea, BUT, if you take your covers off and everything looks good on your solid tensioners, you could delay the expense indefinitely by using safety collars. If you inspect them every other valve adjustment you should be safe. Me, I'm lazy; I use Carrera tensioners.

[NiceT]

When I faced this too on a low mileage 73.5T, I went with new 930 tensioners with safety collars. The logic was the 930 tensioners were better and it would be many miles before the risk of a failure set in so the collars were the back up. I have read of new pressure fed tensioners failing even as soon as right away. I am confident in this decision and it was good advice from a fellow board member.

Daron

[kenikh]

930 tensioners are very, very nice alternatives. Good call. If I decided to ge stealth on my '69, that is the way I'd go.

[rick2]

Solid mechanical tensioners NEVER fail.


http://www.performanceproducts.com/p...rs&part=103478

[Paul Schooley]

I'm running solid mechanicals on mine at this time. No real issues with it.

[Kaleid]

So the housing stays the same no matter which option (pressure fed or 930) you go for? Just the internals are changed?

[thorsten73]

No, the covers of the housing are obviously new, they have to have the outlets for the oil lines you will see, as you will the cut out sheetmetal around the engine...
Same look as a 84 Carrera or so...
Can't hide that conversion - but I think it is a good investment for a driver.
Scott Hendry at Scotts Independent in Anaheim did mine and I am really happy with it!

[NiceT]

Kaleid,
NO change is necessary with the 930 tensioners. There is an additional spacer which is a Porsche part
but no modifications for this update. It's just a better tensioner than the early ones. The collars were added as cheap insurance.

Daron

[Zeke]

I do know that new chains stretch a bit and then settle down and get longer over time at a very slow rate. Using solid tensioners would warrant adjustment with each valve adjustment in the begining of a new engine's life.

And, safety collars don't fit Carrera tensioners, so if there is a failure, it will be a complete failure because, as I understand it, the springs in the things won't work on their own. They just hold the chains when the motor is silent.

I would rather have the 930's or rebuilt stock ones and the collars. Just my .02 and I could very well be wrong about a detail or 2 here.