Anyone not yet Changed Tensioners?

[Irish911]

I am curious if anyone still has the original chain tensioner in their car. If so, is there any reason, other than it ain't broke, why you haven't changed it. I have my engine out at the moment and while you don't need it out to do this exchange I am looking at putting in the upgraded tensioner while it is out. This got me thinking about how many original tensioners are still being used.

[jim amato]

i purchased my 67 in 2005 @ 65k miles, the paperwork trail that i recieved with car never showed tensioners being serviced. on the advice of ex-stoddard mech, we inspected and found #9011055151r, open reservoir tensioners still in service, on his advice we installed 053 tensioners and guards,

[ESully]

I wish I had changed mine sooner. I had to replace 2 exhaust valves when the chain slipped.

[beh911]

My Feb 69 production car had the open cup type. They were removed in 1980. I still have them put away for whatever reason (I save everything about this car).

You should get rid of yours. No upside to having the longest tenured prone to failure component of the aircooled flat six on your engine... only downside potential from here

[Irish911]

Yes, I will be changing mine. Man, someone is making some money on those kits. Sully, what was your milage when the tensioner gave way? I have 59K on the speedo but I don't know if its been around the block already once. Could an original tensioner last that long?

[Irish911]

Still interested in knowing if anyone still has their original chain tensioner installed and what mileage they have on the car?

[ESully]

My tensioner failed at about 126,000 miies, I had just bought the car 2 months earlier. I feel lucky, no major damage and having a fresh top end done with tensioner update I feel confident with the car now. I would have done the top end soon anyway.

[KS Carrera]

My one experience with tensioner failure was on a Porsche press car – a new 911SC back in 1978. The car had covered less than 5,000 miles when the tensioner failed while cruising at 70mph on the motor(free)way. It's one of those components that fails when it feels like – or can live on. There is no half way...

[WM711]

How much are the kits now?

[Silverbullit]

I'm currently rebuilding '67 S motor 360029 (about 80k miles) still has the open-cup tensioners and aluminum/plastic ramps. Brian