Hey all,

I am about to install a new revised upper chain tensioner (NBC2031AA).
With the package I received all the additional parts; O-ring, housing gasket, 2 new bolts.

When reading the bulletin I have difficult to understand one part of it.
And i want to know if i need to change anything on the new tensioner before installing.

In the bulletin it says:

"Use a 3mm Allen wrench to wind back the tensioner ( clockwise ) until the snail engages in the park position.

Check that the mechanical tensioner within the piston is fully retracted."

Can somebody please explain to me if its good to go like it is now, or do i need to change something to it first?






- Maraud

 

That allen key portion is in the RETRACTED position as in that photo.

When I install them, I ALWAYS remove the camcover so I can "pre fire" the tensioner with a LARGE screwdriver, as apposed to allowing it to RATTLE and fire on its own. That RATTLE will wake the dead, trust me.

 

Grant, At what mileage do we approach a problem with this tensioner? And what kind of warning do we get? My engine sounds great and I'm not interested in pulling the cam cover again after finally getting it to seal the plug wells. I'm at about 138,000.

Thanks Grant

 

Thanks alot Grant for your answer.
I will install it next week, really helpfull to get all the information I need on this. I want that rattle gone, its driving me nuts.

My rattle grinding noise at cold/warm start occuring at 160.000km. The rattle at 1500-2000 rpm occured around 180.000km.

I am still using the original old tensioner.

- Maraud

 

Some cars got the rattle whilst still under factory warranty.

Others have never had an issue.

Mine started at about 140000kms. It had the update fitted already.

Fitted another Update unit, and it was better.

Eventually pulled the timing cover and fitted the lower blades, sorted the oil pump chain damper that had been messed with by some previous idiot, and sorted a sticky lower tensioner.

Now at 250000kms and silent, and still using 10W40 oil.

If you dont wat to mess with the camcover, fine, just turn the hearing aids OFF when you first fire it up, and "Blip" the throttle to get that unit to self fire. It will fire off, it is designed to, its just the horrid noise that irks me.

BUT, if you ever mess with the lower tensioner, same innards as the top one, it WILL NOT self fire. You MUST fire it off before refitting the timing cover.

This writeup from a while back might help a little.

AJ16 Top Timing Chain Tentioner Fiasco.doc

 

Ye excellent writeup, i read that a while ago before performing this fix.
Gave me a ton of information.