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Hello guys, just wanted to make sure I'm not fixing something that was not the problem. A while back I heard a clicking noise emanating from the front of the engine. My first thought was, "there is slack on my timing chain and is dancing around". So I took a screwdriver to the front of the A bank valve cover to listen and sure enough I heard the clicking noise most pronounced in that area and even felt it to. Luckily, when I took everything apart, my cams locking slots lined up perfectly when I installed the cam locks. I took a look around, and noticed that the secondary tensioner on the right side had no pressure on the chain guide with a Flathead. A friend of mine told me to only use snap on tools unless I wanted to ruin the engine, but I honestly feel he was having a go at me. Anyways, the left side did, I couldn't push it down at all. So I'm just wondering if its normal for these tensioners to lose that pressure when the car is off? I'm under the impression that they operate with the oil pressure. so I snapped a few pics for you guys to reassure me that what I'm replacing will indeed fix my issue. I am doing the whole job. And I also stuffed my scope down the spark plug holes to check that my valves didn't kiss the pistons. Is it normal for pistons to be this dirty/gunky?
WHAT I'M REPLACING
Chains secondary, primary
All tensioners
Guides
Water pump
Upgrading supercharger coolant pump to the bosch one
Installing larger lower crank pulley
Adding coolant reservior to suppport larger pulley upgrade
Well since you have it torn down that far, I would just replace the tensioners with the updated versions. You will probably find when reassembled you may still have the noise.
The updated have a spring to maintain tension until pressure oil builds up. But a common complaint is noise from the Variable Valve Timing. They to are oil pressure operated and have a tendency as they age to leak down.
The noise goes away within a few seconds after start up.
The metal body primary tensioners have a mechanical ratchet mechanism, but the plastic body ones rely on check valves and 'O'rings to hold position when no oil pressure is present.
I agree with avern1 that you should just install the later tensioners.
The metal body primary tensioners have a mechanical ratchet mechanism, but the plastic body ones rely on check valves and 'O'rings to hold position when no oil pressure is present.
I agree with avern1 that you should just install the later tensioners.
bob
Thanks bob! That answers why the tensioner was all the way down. Bad o-rings. I already ordered all the parts for the tensioner job. Were you implying that I should just change the tensioners? What do you think about all that gunk on my pistons Bob? Is that normal?
Well since you have it torn down that far, I would just replace the tensioners with the updated versions. You will probably find when reassembled you may still have the noise.
The updated have a spring to maintain tension until pressure oil builds up. But a common complaint is noise from the Variable Valve Timing. They to are oil pressure operated and have a tendency as they age to leak down.
The noise goes away within a few seconds after start up.
I have an Xjr, which in fact don't have VVT. So do you think if I switch out to updated tensioners, guides and what not, I won't get a noise since xjr's don't have VVT?
can't tell about the pistons, cuz I missed to take a look the last time when I had the opportunity to do so.
If you're doing the lot maybe you should consider upgrading the chains to the updated versions too. Till engine no. 0108122359 EAZ1286 and EAZ1269 had been used for chains - from that moment on, the upgraded versions AJ82290 and AJ82289 had been installed.
Dependent on the maintenance status over the years, type of previous use and the mileage of your car it is in the realms of possibility that the chains are worn/stretched a bit so that the engine develops a bit of a rattle.
I don't know for sure, if you have to replace the crank- and camshaft sprockets as well when upgrading the chains. I tend to say no, since there are upgrade kits with the upgraded tensioners, guides and chains available to buy and I never read that you've to order the sprockets too.
Hopefully another member can shed light on that question?!
But a common complaint is noise from the Variable Valve Timing. They to are oil pressure operated and have a tendency as they age to leak down.
You cannot use the 'silent-running-chains' without the new sprockets (the intake cam & crank sprockets), guides, oil pump and then you will need to install the newer upper/lower oil sump plates for the oil pickup tube.
Just put the original style parts back in the engine.
@Bob:
so the upgraded versions (AJ82290 and AJ82289) I mentioned above are the 'silent-running-chains' = morse style chains which are installed in the 4.2L models?
Didn't know that. I thought they are just reinforced and the 'silent-running-chains' came at first with the 4.2L models.
You cannot use the 'silent-running-chains' without the new sprockets (the intake cam & crank sprockets), guides, oil pump and then you will need to install the newer upper/lower oil sump plates for the oil pickup tube.
Just put the original style parts back in the engine.
bob
Originally Posted by xjr2014_de
Hi,
can't tell about the pistons, cuz I missed to take a look the last time when I had the opportunity to do so.
If you're doing the lot maybe you should consider upgrading the chains to the updated versions too. Till engine no. 0108122359 EAZ1286 and EAZ1269 had been used for chains - from that moment on, the upgraded versions AJ82290 and AJ82289 had been installed.
Dependent on the maintenance status over the years, type of previous use and the mileage of your car it is in the realms of possibility that the chains are worn/stretched a bit so that the engine develops a bit of a rattle.
I don't know for sure, if you have to replace the crank- and camshaft sprockets as well when upgrading the chains. I tend to say no, since there are upgrade kits with the upgraded tensioners, guides and chains available to buy and I never read that you've to order the sprockets too.
Hopefully another member can shed light on that question?!
No issue here, as the AJ27 SC has no VVT.
I'm confused now. From what I've read on here and on Blackonyx's amazingly helpful DIY pdf, there was no need to replace the sprockets. I already have the new parts. How would I distinguish whether or not the chains I have are the silent chains? I ordered the secondary chains from partsgeek (W0133-1614041) and the primary chains from christopher's (EAZ1269) I have all four chain guides by eurospare as well (NCA2025AB) (NCA1998AB) I really do hope everything I ordered fits. I felt like I got hit by a freight train of confusion when I read your guy's comments. Would anyone mind chiming in and letting me know if my cylinders look normal with that bit of black gunk? And one last thing I have yet to order my spark plugs. Can anyone post a link to the ones I should get? I've read multiple threads but, mention different kinds. I had the NGK's. Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to chime in thus far, really appreciate you guys!
The SILENT RUNNING/MORSE primary chains were installed on the later 4.0 V8 engines.
The oil pump has the pickup tube installed DIRECTLY to it instead of the oil passages in the upper sump plate as on the earlier engines. (hence the different oil pump with chain 'squirters')
The early AJ27 and the later AJ27 engines are compatible as a COMPLETE UNIT but some of the engine internals are different and cannot be swapped.
The carbon buildup on the pistons is not usually a problem and most people don't even know about it because it is UNSEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can use a small spray of water into the intake to clean the cylinders. There are chemicals to clean combustion chambers.
The SILENT RUNNING/MORSE primary chains were installed on the later 4.0 V8 engines.
The oil pump has the pickup tube installed DIRECTLY to it instead of the oil passages in the upper sump plate as on the earlier engines. (hence the different oil pump with chain 'squirters')
The early AJ27 and the later AJ27 engines are compatible as a COMPLETE UNIT but some of the engine internals are different and cannot be swapped.
The carbon buildup on the pistons is not usually a problem and most people don't even know about it because it is UNSEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can use a small spray of water into the intake to clean the cylinders. There are chemicals to clean combustion chambers.
bob
Bob, thanks for all your time and input. You really don't know how much I appreciate it. There has to be an implementation of a sort of thanks button that when pressed, you ship a beer to whom you gave thanks too. Bob, do you see any real advantage to upgrading all of the nessasary to get the updated chains and pump and what not? Those chain "squirters" do sound quite appealing
To install the newer oil pump on an engine up to 0108122359, you will need to remove the engine and find a later sump assy from engine 0108130000 onward with oil cooler in/out if you have a SuperCharged engine.
The oil sump assy will have the aperture for the oil pick-up tube. The early engine has the pump in/out on the sump assy and the pick-up tube bolts to the sump itself. (not through a hole in the sump)
It is NOT worth the effort to convert in my opinion.
01-30-2018, 06:26 PM
Was my primary tensioner the culprit?
From what I've read on here and on Blackonyx's amazingly helpful DIY pdf, there was no need to replace the sprockets. I already have the new parts. How would I distinguish whether or not the chains I have are the silent chains? I ordered the secondary chains from partsgeek (W0133-1614041) and the primary chains from christopher's (EAZ1269) I have all four chain guides by eurospare as well (NCA2025AB) (NCA1998AB) I really do hope everything I ordered fits. I felt like I got hit by a freight train of confusion when I read your guy's comments. Would anyone mind chiming in and letting me know if my cylinders look normal with that bit of black gunk? And one last thing I have yet to order my spark plugs. Can anyone post a link to the ones I should get? I've read multiple threads but, mention different kinds. I had the NGK's. Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to chime in thus far, really appreciate you guys! 
