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Chain tensioner & Hydraulic lifter (tappet) replacement

ELA

Well-known member
Joined
30 Aug 2011
Messages
1,423
Just before I order up all the parts and tools, has anyone replaced these before?
Is there a likely culprit out of the 3 fitted or a simple way to diagnose. I have a slight rattle and I notice my RPM level jumping around a little recently at idle. Is it normal to just replace all 3?
Many thanks :thumb:
 
Sorry Richard, I don't know, but this is a job I'm expecting to be doing myself in the next 18 months, so please do detail your experiences on hear so I can learn from them.
Good luck.
 
If one is on its way, I think logic would suggest its probably best to replace all three anyway. Easy to change although not sure how hard they are to get to when the engine is in the car. I removed mine when the engine was out.
 
http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=115643&highlight=chain+tensioners


You would do them for a rattle but not really for an erratic idle fault , that sounds more like the throttle body needs cleaning or an air leak .

Is the rattle more from one bank ?

Is it at the tensioner ? screwdriver on it and listen , you could do this for both lower tensioners but a bit iffy trying it on the top one as its pretty close to the belt and under the compressor.

Could it be a tappet if more central perhaps.
 
ELA

I think from memory you have a rebuilt engine don't you? Do you have any notes on what was replaced internally? Your engine may still have the earlier style of tensioners so believe this is a worthwhile mod.

There's the question of replacing them without checking the cam timing which can be done I think with the right approach and care.

If my memory is correct the early tensioners weren't spring loaded so could become slack if the engine was left idle for long periods (oil contained inside leaked away and would take a second or so to repressurise at startup).

Do you have constant rattle at idle?




:thumb:
 
Demort said:
http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=115643&highlight=chain+tensioners


You would do them for a rattle but not really for an erratic idle fault , that sounds more like the throttle body needs cleaning or an air leak .

Is the rattle more from one bank ?

Is it at the tensioner ? screwdriver on it and listen , you could do this for both lower tensioners but a bit iffy trying it on the top one as its pretty close to the belt and under the compressor.

Could it be a tappet if more central perhaps.

I picked the car up recently and it appeared to be down quite a bit on power. The noise has been there for some time now (a rattle) which appears to be constantly rather than just 1-2 secs on start up. I did try recently to isolate by using a screwdriver on each tensioner but couldn't really identify the origin. The engine had a full Hartech rebuild 25K miles ago where all chains and guides were replaced. I phoned Hartech and they said they don't think they replaced the tensioners during the rebuild.
I also noticed the erratic idle briefly for a second or so (one-off).
I really need to get out and bed the new LSD in but I really don't want to drive it until I have resolved this issue first.
Also is this the right tool kit for the 3.4l. It doesn't mention anything about 3.4 or 3.6l in the description???
 
Martin996RSR said:
Sorry Richard, I don't know, but this is a job I'm expecting to be doing myself in the next 18 months, so please do detail your experiences on hear so I can learn from them.
Good luck.

Of course Martin, I'll take loads of pics and try to write a guide of sorts ;)
 
Harv said:
ELA

I think from memory you have a rebuilt engine don't you? Do you have any notes on what was replaced internally? Your engine may still have the earlier style of tensioners so believe this is a worthwhile mod.

There's the question of replacing them without checking the cam timing which can be done I think with the right approach and care.

If my memory is correct the early tensioners weren't spring loaded so could become slack if the engine was left idle for long periods (oil contained inside leaked away and would take a second or so to repressurise at startup).

Do you have constant rattle at idle?

Yes mate, constant rattle at idle :thumb

Also just found this video I did last time
 
Mine has a rattle at idle that will come and go, mine also had a full rebuild at Hartech.

When I got the car back Grant mentioned the rattle at idle and told me that it's absolutely nothing to worry and that some just do that, funnily enough mine didn't have that rattle prior to going in but with new timing chains/guide rails I presume there will likely be more tension against the tensioners and if there a little worn this could well account for said rattle.

Oddly enough I had mine out today and there was not a noise from it but if it's sat any length of time I do get the rattle at idle.

Watching with interest.
 
Im afraid i tend to just look at the engine and use the tools based on that ..

You can always pop out the green cam bungs and have a look .. x1 cam slot and its early type .. x2 and its later type .

But the early type engines use the tools in your link so something like upto 2001 the later type is this ..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-C...796446&hash=item3d183c34c2:g:m-IAAOSw3mpXGWXc

For doing the tensioners then both kits have more items than needed .. if you check the first link i posted there are pictures of the tools as you only need the cam locking tool .

If the tensioners havent been changed then i would certainly advise it .. ive seen the results of a failure and it aint pretty .

I dont think this is your lack of power fault though , cam timing would have to be way out to do that i feel and i assume this is more of a sudden thing that happened rather than it has been down on power for ages ?
 
Just listened to that sound clip .. does the car run more lumpy when cold and gets better as it warms up ?

As it could also be a tappet and it sounds more from Bank 2 ..

I would be useing a screwdriver on the cam cover that side whilst reving it next to see if that was were the noise is coming from .

EDIT .. thats not a very pleasent noise so i think finding it before driving it is advised .
 
Demort said:
Just listened to that sound clip .. does the car run more lumpy when cold and gets better as it warms up ?

As it could also be a tappet and it sounds more from Bank 2 ..

I would be useing a screwdriver on the cam cover that side whilst reving it next to see if that was were the noise is coming from .

EDIT .. thats not a very pleasent noise so i think finding it before driving it is advised .

Thanks Demort, I have just raised the car 30cm so hopefully if I can find someone to help out tomorrow to gently rev the car whilst I try to diagnose where it is coming from. The noise I wasn't particularly bothered about as Hartech also mentioned sometimes you can chase noises, strip an engine and still not have any luck. It was just that I felt the lack of urgency since I last drove it that has me more concerned.

Many thanks Ragpicker, I'll update after a few more tests ;)
 
That noise doesnt sound pleasent .. theres a rattle on it that i really dont like .. so basically im saying to try and find it before any miles are put on the car .

It may not be a big problem , it may be tensioners .. but im thinking tappets atm .. but either way i dont like noises when there shouldn,t be any and theres something about that one that i feel uncomfortable about .

More lumpty / misfire when cold would indicate a tappet .
 

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