What happens to a timing chain when oil wears out?
When the tensioner wears or becomes gummed up with old oil, the timing chain can slap around destroying the guide rails. The tensioner is a hydraulic device rather than just a sprung piston – the action of the tensioner relies on the condition of the piston and cylinder.
When to replace the timing chain tensioner on a V8?
Replacing the timing chain tensioner is highly recommended to increase the life of the V8’s, in particular the integrity of the timing chain guide rails. When the tensioner wears or becomes gummed up with old oil, the timing chain can slap around destroying the guide rails.
Where is the tensioner on the M60 timing chain?
The timing chain on the M60, M62 and M62TU is tensioned by a single tensioner that acts on guide rails as shown above (the tensioner is part # 20). When I got the new one out of the box it looked like this: Yes, the piston is pushed right inside the cylinder…..so I gave it a squash……. ….and the piston came flying out!
Is the tensioner a sprung piston or a Sprung Spring?
The tensioner is a hydraulic device rather than just a sprung piston – the action of the tensioner relies on the condition of the piston and cylinder. The spring is much too weedy to take the large forces exerted on it by the camshafts (which are accelerated and de-accelerated by the valve springs via the tappets).
The timing chain on the M60, M62 and M62TU is tensioned by a single tensioner that acts on guide rails as shown above (the tensioner is part # 20). When I got the new one out of the box it looked like this: Yes, the piston is pushed right inside the cylinder…..so I gave it a squash……. ….and the piston came flying out!
When the tensioner wears or becomes gummed up with old oil, the timing chain can slap around destroying the guide rails. The tensioner is a hydraulic device rather than just a sprung piston – the action of the tensioner relies on the condition of the piston and cylinder.
Replacing the timing chain tensioner is highly recommended to increase the life of the V8’s, in particular the integrity of the timing chain guide rails. When the tensioner wears or becomes gummed up with old oil, the timing chain can slap around destroying the guide rails.
The tensioner is a hydraulic device rather than just a sprung piston – the action of the tensioner relies on the condition of the piston and cylinder. The spring is much too weedy to take the large forces exerted on it by the camshafts (which are accelerated and de-accelerated by the valve springs via the tappets).