Drag racer !!! Are you using them on your fresh builds?

Not me.

Some after market double roller chains will chew up the phenolic part of that adjuster. I used to use them, but don't anymore for that reason.

I do. Haven't had any issue with aftermarket chains. 2 motors currently. One hydraulic roller 224/.560, one solid 240/.570. Both been together for over 10 years.
Doug

Go with the Milidon gear drive and never worry about sloppy chains. Much more stable and bulletproof.

As simple as it may seem, this is 100% correct. 1 mile or 100k, you cam timing will be exactly the same.

I'm still waiting for actual PROOF that gear drives take HP or cause harmonics. I'm sure I'll be waiting til way past my death day.


The above only speaks to fixed idler 3 gear drives, or 2 gear drives (which require a reverse rotation cam). Not those crappy 4 gear things.

My shat never lasts long enough for the chain to get sloppy.

Sometimes you just can't argue with reality.

Good one.

I don't.I like the pro gear set.I do eye the milodon gear drive and the jessel belt drive.Just hate to drop that much coin.

I saw a magazine test where they tested a gear drive, belt drive and chain drive and none made any more or less power than the others maybe someone else remembers the article, I think it was a chevy test engine. Maybe after 100,000 miles a chain may retard the cam but not any race engines short life span. If the chain is worn enough to need a tensioner than perhaps it is really time for replacement.

i read that article some years back. i had the chain tensioner in last build for 8yrs no issues. its going back in the new build that is now under way.

tall deck = long = chain.. I have had great luck with them. and use them on all my builds that use a chain

Might it be most effective/useful in a situation where rpms are constantly changing, like road race or circle track?

Use it! If for nothing else but to dampen harmonics. Remember, this was the bandaid for the 3.9 non-countershaft V6. But being the 3.9 is essential a 5.2 with two cylinders lopped off, it fits and works. I believe it does offer more stable timing, and as JCC suggested, when on and off the power, really helps stabilize the chain backlash. It's cheap and works. Hell, even GM uses a tensioner on the LS motors!

Last time this was posted some real nightmare stories about their use came out. Come-on guys lets hear the other side of the story.

I have one in my SB stroker that I had anti-friction coating applied to on the touch surfaces.

I had one on my 408, after five years it barely showed any wear signs. I was going to reuse on my new build but there was no way it was going on.

All depends on which chain you use. I tried using the tensioner with a performance chain and the chain chewed it up very quickly. I don't think I'd bother using the tensioner on anything other than a stock type rebuild.

On a related note, the Cloyes tensioner is 1/2 price of the MP version.

I used once and after a few thousand miles I wanted to swap cams. Found the double roller chain and already worn away the "pad" on the tensioner thus I won't do it again.

I have used them, and seen mixed results.

On my turbo car the last time I took it apart (with a good timing chain), it had really chewed up the tensioner so I took it off.

Sort of surprising since they were factory installed pieces.

My take is that I think the better/tighter the chain, the more likely it is to chew up the tensioner.