[Shotimes] ticking under front valve cover

[Mark D. Mallory]

Interesting bit of info... From the looks of my tensioner I could have sworn
the grooves were from wear.  Then again I was looking at everything in place
on the engine.

Always nice to learn something new!  Good luck with the hip!

Mark Mallory
Toledo, Ohio
'95 SHO MTX

>-----Original Message-----
>From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net
>[mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Donald Mallinson
>Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 4:31 PM
>To: shotimes@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: [Shotimes] ticking under front valve cover
>
>
>Mark,
>
>Odd thing is that my '89 started this rattling/ticking noise
>(located right at the bump where the chain/tensioner
>mechanism is on the V6) about 70,000 miles.  At 140,000
>miles I replaced the tensioner.  There are grooves in this
>tensioner, but they are there from the factory, and my old
>tensioner (still have it) had a black pad that showed ZERO
>wear.  I bet you couldn't find any real wear with a microscope.
>
>The new tensioner was smoother and made of a white material.
>
>As it happens, when I got my new hip joints, I told the
>doctor that if this wore out and my cam chain tensioner
>never did, then they needed to make the hips from the same
>stuff!
>
>I have tried thicker oil, and it didn't make any difference
>in my car, helped hot idle oil pressure a tiny bit though.
>
>Don M.
>
>Mark D. Mallory wrote:
>>>Oh yeah.....tensioners make noise when they are worn.  They keep
>>>working.  As Don M.
>>>has said, if you replace them, they might quiet down, or they
>>>might not.  His
>>>didn't.  If you want to quiet them down a bit, use thicker oil.
>>>
>>>Get in it and DRIVE IT!!!
>>
>>
>> To help clarify, it's not the tension mechanism itself that is
>wearing out.
>> There is a pad of hard plastic (not sure exactly what it's made
>of) that the
>> chain rides on.  Over time, the chain will wear a groove in the
>pad.  As the
>> grooves wear further down, the slop in the chain will increase ever so
>> slightly.  Eventually, the slop in the chain will allow the
>chain to "tick".
>>
>> Even with this wear and added slop, the tensioner will keep
>enough tension
>> on the chain that it will not jump the teeth on the cam sprockets.
>>
>> Mark Mallory
>> Toledo, Ohio
>> '95 SHO MTX
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