Small block Timing Chain tensioneer help?

Does a tensioner have any drawbacks?

This is one of those questions that you're going to get a bunch of first hand, very smart, very experienced people with exactly opposite opinions. I only fit the first hand experience thing, but here it is. I put one in and ran a new rollmaster chain with billet sprockets. Ran the car 3-4 years up until last winter and pulled it apart. The spring side guide was broken at the pivot, the flat spring slid down to the bottom of the cover between the bottom sprocket and the cover on disassembly. The spring had almost eaten its way through the cover. The guide was not worn through or oil starved. I will not run another tensioner.

Pretty sure a tensioner on a rollmaster timing set was belt and suspenders thinking.

Factory used them for a reason, almost no one here, myself included, is using it for the same reason. I am using one because it has been my experience that today's timing chains go slack too fast. tired of timing chain replacements on a yearly interval.

probably! I just got tired of worring about it, so I threw everything I could at it. I have no idea why it broke.

I understand, I'm doing similar but running an Edelbrock timing set, had great luck with those over the years.

I like them although with limited use I dont know how they do with all chains over alot of miles.

In a weekend I can swap my rear springs, front coils, trans out of my street racer and go road racing with alot of on and off the gas from 2500 to 7500 and never a pop, snap, backfire, so I think they help.

I ran one when I still had a 360. You could certainly feel the difference in the chain tension after installing it. Took it apart after 20k for a leak and it was still as tight as the day I installed it.

I put one on my 360, but don't have alot of miles on it, so I can't say how it will do with my roller timing set?
I have been told, the roller timing chains can wear groves into the plastic guide, where the stock chains are more flat on the outer side?

Maybe because I have a pretty rough idle. It's constantly slapping the guide back when a cylinder misses. Just a WAG. I have no idea, I had heard the groove thing, but also heard it would stop wearing when it got to the rollers. No grooves in my broken one.

someone on here posted a pic of this happening a while back, but i don't remember who that was. it was stated this happened fairly quickly, but after it did, it stayed the same for xxx amount of time. not sure if it was mentioned what became of the "excess" material.