I'm in the process of putting a new timing chain in my 65 Poly and I was planning to use a chain tensioner. Are there any issues with these (plastic slides breaking, excessive chain wear, etc) or am I just being anal? I'm going with a double roller chain if that makes a difference.

Thanks
Frank

My buddy uses one,but he races his car,see's 6500-6800 rpm.stroked 340, w-5 head runs low 10's.They do come apart after about a year or so.we figure it's the rpm that are killing these so soon.These are factory chrysler parts.The factory does use them also,They wear out and break too,but it's usually alot of miles.The only way we know they break is by changing the oil and the tension springs are on the drain plug.(A magnetic drain plug)May of 2010 we replaced it and june of this year it's broke again.Got the broken peices out,running the car as is.timing has had no change.Will it last ?? Do they break-yes

Ran one for 300+ passes 6500+ rpm and some street driving no proplems. Thought about using it again on a freshen-up but for 38 bucks just bought a new one.

It's a great idea, most chain driven overhead cam engines have them with the plastic slides and they last for 100K or so. On your LA motor they'll keep the chain tight even when it starts to wear and get longer.

One thing I discovered, when I bought mine for the roller 318, was that they are not strictly a Mopar part. You can get them in Cloyes boxes, and another brand or two as well. They all look the same to me. Check Rock Auto to see what I mean.

I wonder if they have enough travel to tighten a stock length chain on a block with line-honed mains?

R.

My 360 got a new timing chain around the time people were starting to talk about the tensioner and I asked about it and a lot of people said not to bother with it. I don't know if there was any real reason or it was because it was a new thing so people were scared of it??? Either way I didn't bother with it and with the limited use that car gets the timing chain will probably never wear out anyway.

even a brand new chain will have a small amount of slack,if it didn't you would not be able to get it on.
The tensioner will take all that slack up for rock solid timing.

I've had mine on for about 12k miles, no problems!! i do like how it has the tang to direct the oil on to the chain better, i also enlarged the oil hole on the attaching bolt.

No personal experience with them.
I've read that you need to moly lube them on install so they don't get chewed up on initial start up, and that double rollers chew them up also. No smooth links on the outside?
Anyway, I'm sure you will get more replies.