Just changed my upper chain tensioners

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naLS

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I'm new here and have been lurking the LS forums for almost a month looking for common problems with the LS. My car is a 2000 LS8 with 161,000 miles on it. The guy I bought it from said it was knocking. But when I heard it run it sounded more like slapping and on the top of the engine. I initally thought it was a rocker or something to that nature. Well after a few weeks google-ing this upper tensioner problem I decided to take my valve covers off.

At first glance it looked just like my 2004 TSX and my 2000 acura integra(difference is it is belt driven not chain). Chain driven with some type of tensioner. I was wondering why everyone was using these special tools to lock the camshaft in place. And then proceed to take the exhaust sprocket off. That made no sense to me because if you are not careful the chain can skip a tooth while it is in your hand.

So I decided to tackle this problem just like my other cars, I unbolted and removed all of the cam bearing caps and my brother lifted the end of the camshaft up slightly. I removed the cracked tensioner and put in the new metal tensioner in and buttoned everything back up. I changed both sides and had the car running in about 2 1/2 hrs. Car runs smooth with no rattling noise now. I did just the tensioners for the meantime until I get the funds to replace all of the chains and primary tensioners (just for my peace of mind), but for anyone just doing the secondary tensioners there is no need to rent or buy those "special" tools.

If anyone cares to mention anything else I should look for I would be glad to know.
 
Does the "slapping" noise from the chain tensioners only happen when it's running or all the time?
 
214rod said:
Does the "slapping" noise from the chain tensioners only happen when it's running or all the time?
Click to expand...

Maybe I read this wrong.... but why would anything inside the motor be doing anything of minor significance while the car is not running
 
No sure what you meant buy how I kept the cams from moving. I simply lifted the end of the cam, toke out the old tensioner, installed the new tensioner, put the cam back down, torqued the cam caps back down, verified the timing was correct i.e. on the passenger side the exhaust cam at 0 degrees and the intake at 140 degrees and on the drivers side the exhaust cam at 55 degrees and the intake 85 degrees. Once I double checked the timing was correct I put it all together and fired her up and the slapping was gone.

And the slapping was at idle and while driving. But I didn't drive the car more then 40miles because I didn't know what it was at first until I read up on what it was. It was a pretty easy job to do.
 
Here are some pics of it. The passenger side toke about 40mins to do. With the bare minimum removed. Did not use any special tools like the manuals says you need. I was off a tooth on the exhaust cam, which was an easy fix. Car runs great now :)

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NALS, Thanks for the post this is the best way to do this job without all the fancy tools ! and also mine is out of time as well.
 
i have a 2000 lincoln ls v8.Changed the secondery timing tenshioner because it was slapping.I didnt reset the timing because didnt no how so checked out other thing.Its coming up with po172 po172 bank 1 rich bank 2 lean.Took bank 1 valve cover off pull coil packs off found oil in ever spark plug tube,so replaced gaskets seams to be no oil in tubes so far.Still sounds like a diesal and run rough at idle.I think there is a timing problem still need some help with that.Plus the other day the oil dipstick was reading way over filled and know after i did the valve cover gasket its low i dont get it HELP
 
Replaced my uppers...

bought a kit that included new gaskets, upper tensioners and chains (w master links) and replaced my uppers using the cam removal technique. In retrospect wish I would have left the whole thing alone.
The startup rattle remains and now I have oil leaking into the spark plug recesses.
 
bil126 said:
i have a 2000 lincoln ls v8.Changed the secondery timing tenshioner because it was slapping.I didnt reset the timing because didnt no how so checked out other thing.Its coming up with po172 po172 bank 1 rich bank 2 lean.Took bank 1 valve cover off pull coil packs off found oil in ever spark plug tube,so replaced gaskets seams to be no oil in tubes so far.Still sounds like a diesal and run rough at idle.I think there is a timing problem still need some help with that.Plus the other day the oil dipstick was reading way over filled and know after i did the valve cover gasket its low i dont get it HELP
Click to expand...

To check the timing, take off the valve cover and rotate the engine until the flats on the cams line up. They're near the front of the cam. Should be a flat surface across the top of the head and both cams. If one is out of time, then the flat won't line up.

Are you sure it isn't water in the oil that raising the level? Or just a mistake?

Seriously failed COPs will also cause a rough idle. With the rich/lean error codes, some COP problems are a possibility. Well, with owning an LS, some COP problems are a possibility.
 
RCodePaul said:
bought a kit that included new gaskets, upper tensioners and chains (w master links) and replaced my uppers using the cam removal technique. In retrospect wish I would have left the whole thing alone.
The startup rattle remains and now I have oil leaking into the spark plug recesses.
Click to expand...

Isn't it great when you spend a lot of time and money just to end up where you were? After a few dozen hours of work, I may get to scrape all the fresh paint off the firewall of my Cutlass. Very excited.
 
Its a nasty job but I only replaced the tensioner the first time then the chain broke (should have replaced it the 1st time) and also 2 exhaust valves ! ;( reused all the gaskets and 7,000 miles later all still good ;)
 
RCodePaul said:
bought a kit that included new gaskets, upper tensioners and chains (w master links) and replaced my uppers using the cam removal technique. In retrospect wish I would have left the whole thing alone.
The startup rattle remains and now I have oil leaking into the spark plug recesses.
Click to expand...

Have you asked joegr or cammerfe about this issue? If not, I would.
 
bil126 said:
i have a 2000 lincoln ls v8.Changed the secondery timing tenshioner because it was slapping.I didnt reset the timing because didnt no how so checked out other thing.Its coming up with po172 po172 bank 1 rich bank 2 lean.Took bank 1 valve cover off pull coil packs off found oil in ever spark plug tube,so replaced gaskets seams to be no oil in tubes so far.Still sounds like a diesal and run rough at idle.I think there is a timing problem still need some help with that.Plus the other day the oil dipstick was reading way over filled and know after i did the valve cover gasket its low i dont get it HELP
Click to expand...

Same question to you. Have you spoken to joegr or cammerfe regarding your issue?
 
I got my tools and the major parts from Christopher's. Unfortunately, the primaries were different (my fault - I didn't check which chain type I had before ordering), and the tools didn't fit quite right. It's Jag stuff. So better than doing it without, but not perfect.

RCodePaul: It may be best to use the Ford gasket kit instead of aftermarket. Supposedly Ford had a revision to the gaskets, although I've no idea what that was.
 
+1. I used the Ford gasket kit. The only parts from Chris was the timing kit and the water pump. Not saying I would not have considered it but the engine builder in Cali had already ordered the gsskets through the dealer and I already had purchased the kit and water pump on my end since I knew they were the updated versions.
 
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