Timing chain tensioner

I Is a timing chain tensioner worth installing. Small block 340. After installing a new roller chain there is still a slight bit of loose. I,m told that is common on some of the engines built back then. 1969. The tensioners I have seen seem to work best on the regular style chain not the roller. True or not true?. Thanking you in advance.

the tensioner came about for the chain harmonics seen on the 3.9l V6, which is essentially 3/4 of a 318. Nothing else, which ought not be an issue on the v8's, especially when you consider that Mopar didn't put them on the v8's of the same time frame.

prob. good without . they do make chains that are shorter.... usually for line bored blocks....

the tensioner came about for the chain harmonics seen on the 3.9l V6, which is essentially 3/4 of a 318. Nothing else, which ought not be an issue on the v8's, especially when you consider that Mopar didn't put them on the v8's of the same time frame. [/quote]

Ok, maybe not the same time frame, but today most if not all modern engines utilize them. I realize mopar v8s have MDS, and perhaps chrysler engineers thought it would be a good additional benefit, or maybe there's more?

And refresh my memory a second, did magnum v8s use tensioners?

Most modern engines are OHC and the tensioners are there for the same reason, to control chain/belt harmonics. I guarantee if these modern engine didn't need it, the factory didn't use it. I haven't seen a Magnum use one either.

Can you run one? If you want.

Mopar SB has one of the longest cam to crank distances of all V-8’s

Makes it tough on timing chains.

I added one to a new build and you could see it on the degree wheel.

We tried the chain tensioner with a roller chain and the chain destroyed the tensioner fairly quickly. I think they only work with the stock type chain that has a flat smooth backside.

I suspect that at speed the tensioner's effect on the LA cam timing would be minimal, if anything. It was the nature of the 239's odd crank setup that that cause the cam timing issues they were seeing. rather than come up with an even fire setup they just put in a tensioner to control the feed back from the firing impulses.

To my knowledge, the tensioner was only factory installed on the Magnum engines... NEVER on an LA engine.

I recently built a stroker LA 360, and with the tensioner installed, I caught the site of physical interference of the front SLINGER hitting the lower corner pad of the tensioner. I had to carefully die-grind away about 1/8" from the bottom of the tensioner lower corner pad to have clearance between the SLINGER and the TENSIONER.

NOTE: I later called Hughes Engine, whom I had purchased nearly all the parts for the engine, and described with pictures the interference... I was told, simply, that the TENSIONER was NEVER factory installed on any LA series engines. That kind of disturbed me... because there should have been a warning, or caution, included in the TENSIONER package when installing it... to observe for possible interference with the SLINGER and grind clearance to the TENSIONER lower pad if needed.

The package was meant as an upgrade not an add on to the factory assembly. When modifying existing systems, if you think that everything should be a mindless bolt on application, shame on you man. Last time I read, the site exclaims magnum engines and works on LA motors. "Works on"....

I put one one my 392 early Hemi and it worked fine. I used a double roller chain, and the plastic guides of the tensioner looked like new when I tore the engine down after Drag Week. I was kind of expecting to see some wear, but didn't.

joel, did you put the tensioner on your engine because of line boring and not being able to find a shorter timing chain ?

I put it in there because every time I take a used timing chain out it seems to have so much slop. I wanted to try and get the ignition timing as steady as possible. I'm not sure if the jiggly ignition timing issue is from timing chain flop or not but I figured I'd try it. It seemed to help

Same here. And same results.

Like I said, we did degreed the cam with AND without the tensioner... it changed things.

It seems like opinions on tensioner always jump back and forth. When there were first started to be a lot of talk about them around 2001ish I asked about them and people said there wasn't any reason to run one and I never did thinking that chains lasted for years without it and I didn't like the thought of potentially getting any of the nylon worn or broken off it and ending up in the oil. Then for the longest time it seemed everyone was swearing by them. Now lately it seems that there's no solid answer on them.

I think this is the first I've heard about them being problem with double roller.