Carrera chain tensioner upgrade

[r14]

I have 73 E w/ 38000miles ,very original car. The car is running good, but my mechanic recommends chain tension er upgrade .I know its good for the car, but Is it going to d evaluate very original car? What would be cost to do? Thank you.

[SRL]

I would think of it as an insurance policy that adds to the value. First, I think many prospective buyers will consider it something that should already be done to the cars. Second, it's not as if the upgrade can't pretty easily be put back to stock (never heard of someone doing it, but I'm sure there's a "purist" out there who would). For me, the things that really devalue classic cars are things that can't easily be put back to how they "should" be.

[gumby1953]

Don't do the update

You say she's got 38K...and about 40 years of sittin. The 930 Tensioners are better than the OG ones (will you own it more than 38K and for how many years). Remember it ain't cheap doing the late update ....and you will have to do a little cutting on your sheet-metal too. Plus, they look like A_ S when you have an OG car! Trust the good ol' Tensioners........I have trusted them since 1971 and never had a failure in a street or racing application. Everything wears out, replace them every 40K or when an open minded Tech tells you too!

Besides, who will Guarantee anything these days anyway!

I might not be right all the time....but.......

Kevin gunnarracing.com

[Frank Beck]

Kevin, you're going to get grief for that cuz someone's going to have a story about their friend's sister's brother's partner's car that bent the valves because of a failed 930 tensioner.
My vote: Hands down mechanical. We've been using them for 40 years, they NEVER, EVER fail, they don't "loosen" the chain case pins like some suggest, engine looks stock, and they're cheap.

The way we use our cars anymore, so what if you have to go in every 40-50k and re-adjust; that beats replacing. Oil fed tensioners are sooo overrated. They fail much more often than you hear, the small steel lines crack occaionally, and like Kevin says, look terrible.

This issue is more folklore than anything. We do a butt load of early cars and I haven't seen a failed tensioner actually cause engine damage since the early eighties.

[r14]

Thank you guys for the replies. I have to sleep on this.

[Harvey Weidman]

I agree with Kevin and Franks comments and have done both. I recommend 930 with savers. The best of both worlds. My own cars use mechanical and seldom need adjusting.
I do want to make the challenge about the actual failure rate. Have you ever personally experienced damage from a failed tenisoner on a street engine? (not a race car, story or a friend etc...)
I have been around 911s now for 40 years and never seen damage from a tenisoner failure. I have seen many collapse and they came in the service drive with a customer complaint of scraping sound, but no damage. I'm sure there are some but I agree the problem is way overrated. JMHO
H

[Eminence Gris]

On an original car, i would use the 930 tensioners. To Frank's very valid point about the nervous potential buyers, I'd also add the "collars" that prevent collapse to the point of timing change. You get the best of both worlds: a reliable tensioner with 'hydraulic effect' and a mechanical insurance policy...

[RSTarga]

Well Harvey, I personally experienced a chain tensioner failure on my 73 2.4S, and it was disastrous. The car was only 2 years old (25,000 mi.)but I had left it siting for a few weeks, I started it and was going to enjoy a Sunday cruise. It was fully warmed up and the first time I got on it I heard a tremendous clatter and loss of power.
Pretty much all of my valves and rockers had to be replaced, a couple of pistons too.
Since then I've run the 930 tensioner without a problem, car now has 130,000mi. 20,000 since last top end job. It was converted to 2.7 RS specs at about 85,000. So the 930 tensioner has worked well for me.

I agree with Kevin and Franks comments and have done both. I recommend 930 with savers. The best of both worlds. My own cars use mechanical and seldom need adjusting.
I do want to make the challenge about the actual failure rate. Have you ever personally experienced damage from a failed tenisoner on a street engine? (not a race car, story or a friend etc...)
I have been around 911s now for 40 years and never seen damage from a tenisoner failure. I have seen many collapse and they came in the service drive with a customer complaint of scraping sound, but no damage. I'm sure there are some but I agree the problem is way overrated. JMHO
H

[r14]

Thank you for more reply. I am leaning toward 930 tension er.

[ajwans]

Get the wide idler arms to go with the 930 tensioner.

andy