TOPIC:

Does anyone know where this cam chain tensioner comes from? I was under the misguided impression that I had a manual cam chain tensioner due to the bolt located at the rear and after removing it I found that it is an automatic tensioner. Only thing written on it is 'Made in Japan'

Sure it's not a 13 one that someone has added a "beefier" top to it so the bolt has some meat to work with ?, seems strange that an auto one has a bolt at the end, it would have to stop the shaft coming back depending on the length of the bolt, anyway it's a nice looking one

kza13 wrote: Sure it's not a 13 one that someone has added a "beefier" top to it so the bolt has some meat to work with ?, seems strange that an auto one has a bolt at the end, it would have to stop the shaft coming back depending on the length of the bolt, anyway it's a nice looking one

If memory serves me right the trouble with the originals was that the ball-race setup that stops the pin from retracting failed and all of a sudden you have a slack cam chain, so I guess the bolt here is used to stop that occurring. Danger here is that thinking it is a manual setup you could loosen the bolts halfway and screw them back in again which would make your chain awful tight. The auto ones have to be pulled right out and reset.

There are a number of posts on this site related to drilling and tapping the backside of the original tensioner and installing a bolt and locknut. It's cheaper than buying the manual tensioner and just as effective. For some, this set up is even better than the manual tensioner since the spring is still used keeping the desired tension on the cam chain and all the bolt is doing is guaranteeing that the tensioner doesn't back off and cause internal damage in the engine. Some people are concerned that if they install the manual tensioner that they might over tension the chain causing premature strech of the chain and premature wear of the chain guides.

To each, his own I guess.