is it worth just changing the tensioner?

[Dazzler]

As above on my 22yh engine.
are they easy to change? do they fail? do they need setting etc?
found a genuine one for 20 quid ( not the 2.0 one that they now use )
im still not sure if my chain is noisey or not sadly.

 

[evocarlos]

if the chain is worn then all a new tensioner is going to do is just going to sit at the same place as the old one taking the old slack chain

main thing to look at is age and milage of the current engine and if its been looked after with regular oil changes

80k miles on the stock chain set gets you one of these


also the z20net style tensioner is now all thats supplied for the z22se/yh when getting a current timing chain kit any thing else is old stock

 

[Dazzler]

Yes it is old stock.
The car has done 75k with full history.
I just cant get my head around the fact that a chain needs replacing at all!
You dont hear of it from other manufactures.
I thought Vauxhall sorted this years ago!

My Carlton had 176k and thrashed relentlessly with no problems.

 

[evocarlos]

the old stock item can fall apart when the chain is really warn the net one is secured with a circlip
mine had done 55k with 4 oil changes a year and well looked after still had the a chain stretch and go noisy thats what they do
other manufactures use duplex chain they last a long time we have one outside that's 19 years old with a duplex chain

for the cost of a chain to be changed is still better that having a piston smash the valves in the head and make a right mess

there is another option just dont change the chains lol

vauxhall would never sort it there out to make money so they're going to make it a right pain to do the job and charge a fortune to do the work and get the parts

 

[Dazzler]

Indeed your right.
I should have done more homework and never brought the thing.

Just going to have to find the cash.

Wish you were a bit closer lol.
Mechanics map not showing anyone close either sadly.

 

[evocarlos]

i had no idea back in 2005 when i bought the coupe was told to just keep the oil changes regular
i've still got the car and very much like to drive it and if you ask al carson_sri i'm sure he will tell you its pretty quick to
my goal is now to make it last another 10 years

where are you based ?

 

[Dazzler]

Cambridge

 

[evocarlos]

yeah that is a bit of a trek
126 mi, 2 hours 22 mins

 

[carson_sri]

it was a bit off a shock to see the tensioner in bits like that and then the mess of the cam made matter worse because of the tensioner bits blocking the oil flow to the engine. I would have to say ignore what people say and if your worried about it get your chain fixed as soon as you can. i had many ppl say im mad getting chain done.

 

[carson_sri]

The rest of the tensioner in the oil sump.

 

[astra22bertoneauto]

I agree with evocarlos - get both your chains replaced, its not worth the cost if it goes Pete Tong! And it very easily can! Replacing/resetting the tensioner should only be done to get you out of a very big hole like getting the car home or to someone who can replace the chains.

I had a heartstopping moment last week when I thought my chain had slipped a few teeth. I later discovered that my map sensor had popped out of its hole so put it back in and EML went out.