Chain tensioner

[XfbodyX]

No I didnt, ive never heard of that can you elaborate on it a bit more?

 

[Mopar&vettedude]

I used a double roller with the tensioner on my last small block build. Worked fine, but yes, installing it can be a pain.

As already mentioned, make sure you have the oil slinger that slides onto the crank snout. This will toss oil up on to the chain while keeping it off the timing cover seal.

What was the trick then? Because as soon as the chain touches the tensioner it pushes it down and wont allow the cam sprocket to sit properly

 

[XfbodyX]

Here is how I install mine, I degree the cam with the chainset and no tensioner.

So then when I know what setting on the crank sprocket (I use the ones with mutli keyways vs using a offset key in the cam.)

I bolt the tension plate on and use just a hint of blue lock tight (optional)

When I take the cam gear off from the mock up I leave the cam in the same clocked area, and put a wood dowl anyplace in one of the holes above the lobes to keep the cam from moving back, even if the rear cam plug is in place.

I hang the chain on the gears and eyeball my dot to dot setting im gonna use.

Holding the cam gear with the chain in and the lower sprocket hanging in place (still dot to dot).

Start to slide the crank gear on (your still holding the whole setup) and when you get to the nylon tensionerer on your left that you have already pinned back slide the chain over the tensioner and if needed use a wooden block and just gently tap your crank gear further on the crank, soon you will be flush with the cam snout and the back of the cam gear and it just wants to go on but wont.

Looking straight on if you did all right you will see your cam gear keyway is right in line with the cam snout key.

Now you just need to tilt the top of the cam gear out a hair and use that wood block and give the cam gear a small tap right in the center (this is why you put the wood dowl in to keep the cam from moving back).

If your palm was not soft you could use it, wood works great.

After you get the cam gear to start use your lil wood block and two small taps on the crank gear, two small taps on the cam gear and repeat until crank gear is flush on crank and cam gear is nearly flush waiting for you to put the cam bolt in. (fuel pump eccentric if used) (tiny drop of blue locktite optional)

Takes less the 5 minutes, long ago I could monkey with one for an hour and say alot of bad words.

If really needed I could make a short vid tomorrow.

 

[89.Fifth]

Here is how I install mine, I degree the cam with the chainset and no tensioner.

So then when I know what setting on the crank sprocket (I use the ones with mutli keyways vs using a offset key in the cam.)

I bolt the tension plate on and use just a hint of blue lock tight (optional)

When I take the cam gear off from the mock up I leave the cam in the same clocked area, and put a wood dowl anyplace in one of the holes above the lobes to keep the cam from moving back, even if the rear cam plug is in place.

I hang the chain on the gears and eyeball my dot to dot setting im gonna use.

Holding the cam gear with the chain in and the lower sprocket hanging in place (still dot to dot).

Start to slide the crank gear on (your still holding the whole setup) and when you get to the nylon tensionerer on your left that you have already pinned back slide the chain over the tensioner and if needed use a wooden block and just gently tap your crank gear further on the crank, soon you will be flush with the cam snout and the back of the cam gear and it just wants to goon but wont.

Looking straight on if you did all right you will see your cam gear keyway is right in line with the cam snout key.

Now you just need to tilt the top of the cam gear out a hair and use that wood block and give the cam gear a small tap right in the center (this is why you put the wood dowl in to keep the cam from moving back).

If your palm was not soft you could use it, wood works great.

After you get the cam gear to start use your lil wood block and two small taps on the crank gear, two small taps on the cam gear and repeat until crank gear is flush on crank and cam gear is nearly flush waiting for you to put the cam bolt in. (fuel pump eccentric if used) (tiny drop of blue locktite optional)

Takes less the 5 minutes, long ago I could monkey with one for an hour and say alot of bad words.

If really needed I could make a short vid tomorrow.

Video would be very cool. Especially for future reference.

 

[Mopar&vettedude]

Ok. I'll try that. Thanks. I agree with 89, a video would cool if anyone else chose to do do this.

 

[XfbodyX]

I will do one up tomorrow, I thought it was Friday, yesterday.

Im sure others have good ways to do it as well but I will say if a person dont do them semi often or its the first time it can make one a bit testy.

Alot of the newer gearsets, like this SA gear street double roller deal has a bevel then a wider step before the correct ID the cam nose seats on.

If yours dont and it just a 90 degree you could take a small round file like a chain saw file and just put a tiny bevel on it to give it a glide path to start on correctly.

Remember if you us something other then the oem pin on the nylon part you can get it over just a hair furtherand it makes it easier, a small punch or a small diameter screwdriver (like a jewelers or a carb related one) wont bend and is long enough to leverage it over for just a hair more room. You cant use a nail or such it will bend, there is good tension on that nylon part.

 

[XfbodyX]

Here is getting rid of the oem pin, with the punch or screw driver you can get more wiggle room, esp if you have a helper who can pull on the screw driver, in a pinch ive tied a string to it and tied off some tension.

And my ref, to a wood block, this is my wood :0) not super big but works. Its not like im using a 4 ft 2x4.

 

[XfbodyX]

Ok I was gonna make a vid real quick but I dont have time to dig out the new cam now and this one was dirty as hell.

But lets pretend the cams in.

1st pic, wedge cam so it wont spin or move back. You wedging the wood in simply by hand, no harm will come.

2nd pic make sure your crank and cam is in the proper orientation.

3rd pic take gear set and set dot to dot or how you plan to install. (I soak chain overnight) then wipe as clean as I can get it.

4th pic If you have a friend to pull the lil screwdriver over great, I used some wadded up old door rubber. And you can see it all slides on and if the cam was there its dead on.

Also put a touch of lube or grease behind the tension plate where the cam rubs before install.

When Im more organized this weekend I will make a vid with the cam in it.

 

[Mopar&vettedude]

I will do one up tomorrow, I thought it was Friday, yesterday.

Im sure others have good ways to do it as well but I will say if a person dont do them semi often or its the first time it can make one a bit testy.

Alot of the newer gearsets, like this SA gear street double roller deal has a bevel then a wider step before the correct ID the cam nose seats on.

If yours dont and it just a 90 degree you could take a small round file like a chain saw file and just put a tiny bevel on it to give it a glide path to start on correctly.

Remember if you us something other then the oem pin on the nylon part you can get it over just a hair furtherand it makes it easier, a small punch or a small diameter screwdriver (like a jewelers or a carb related one) wont bend and is long enough to leverage it over for just a hair more room. You cant use a nail or such it will bend, there is good tension on that nylon part.

View attachment 40071

It worked perfectly! Thank you for the guidance.