Replacing timing chain tensioner and more

[Michael Oritt]

I have still not completed this project and as with so many things Healey another issue (small I hope) has appeared that keeps the car up on jack stands:

After finally receiving the new timing-cover-with-lip-seal-conversion from DW I attempted to button everything up last weekend. Rather than glueing the fiber gasket to the inside of the timing cover before assembly with Yellow Peril or the like I (unwisely) opted for Permatex Ultra-Copper to use on both sides of the fiber gasket.

To make locating the cover easier I pushed the inner shoulder of the front pulley into the lip seal and started the pulley onto the crank snout. TWorking from I slid the cover/seal back against the front plate and began loosely fastening the cover down starting at the top.

It was not easy accessing the bolts and by the time I got to the bottom I found that the gasket had sagged perhaps 3/8" and though I finally succeeded in getting the gasket back under the flange with small flat tools, etc. I had the feeling that I might have damaged it in the process, creating a new path for oil leaks. Plus I found that several of the bottom bolts were soft, undoubtedly by someone's having overtightened them in the past (who could that have been?).

So, I removed everything and ordered a new gasket and fasteners from BCS and will start over in a couple of days. MORE NEWS AS IT HAPPENS.

 

[Michael Oritt]

In my last post I said "It was not easy accessing the bolts and by the time I got to the bottom I found that the gasket had sagged perhaps 3/8"

While I take full responsibility for a bad decision in not glueing the gasket to the cover before starting the installation I wonder why the original design did not utilize threaded studs rather than bolts. With one end of the studs screwed into the front plate it would be a much easier job to mount the timing chain cover and gasket and one could simply slip the gasket and then front cover over the projecting threaded ends and nut everything up without having to worry about keeping the gasket properly aligned under the cover. Plus it would eliminate the need to use the pulley as an aid in aligning the cover and having it out of the way until the cover was bolted in place would, I think, make for an easier job.

Appropriate sized studs are available through British Fasteners and i wonder if anyone has any thoughts about this or has chosen to use studs and nuts rather than bolts.

 

[Michael Oritt]

I finished the timing chain/tensioner replacement over the weekend and took the car for a test run today. Several benefits from the job:

1. A persistent rattling noise that appeared only at around 3500 rpm's during acceleration for the last year or so is now gone--probably the chain rattling against the cover or a harmonic from the untensioned chain.
2. Because of the DW lip-seal upgrade and the front cover stiffener ring sold by BCS the persistent oil leak from the front of the engine is now gone and will hopefully stay so for a while.
3. I luckily found a cracked valve retainer while verifying the valve timing (God knows how long it has been there) and fixed it before the engine swallowed a valve and self-destructed.

This was a difficult job only because it was done with engine in situ (the workshop manual assumes it will be done with the engine out) but if the new chain/tensioner lasts as long as the previous one (about 15 years) I doubt I will ever have to do it again unless I live to be 90!

 

[steveg]

I finished the timing chain/tensioner replacement over the weekend and took the car for a test run today. Several benefits from the job:

1. A persistent rattling noise that appeared only at around 3500 rpm's during acceleration for the last year or so is now gone--probably the chain rattling against the cover or a harmonic from the untensioned chain.
2. Because of the DW lip-seal upgrade and the front cover stiffener ring sold by BCS the persistent oil leak from the front of the engine is now gone and will hopefully stay so for a while.
3. I luckily found a cracked valve retainer while verifying the valve timing (God knows how long it has been there) and fixed it before the engine swallowed a valve and self-destructed.

This was a difficult job only because it was done with engine in situ (the workshop manual assumes it will be done with the engine out) but if the new chain/tensioner lasts as long as the previous one (about 15 years) I doubt I will ever have to do it again unless I live to be 90!

Michael,
Re: your "cracked valve retainer"...

Referring to the Moss "Cylinder Head, 100-6...(6 Port)" page for item #s:
Was that the cap (#69) that holds the spring in place or the little 2-piece "cotter" (#72)?

If it is an aluminum cap from DW, I've personally seen one of those with a big chip out of it. Convinced me to stick with the steel items. Especially since the Healey's not a revver.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Steve--

When I purchased the "fast street" AL head from DW about 14 years ago I got it built up complete with the AL valve keepers or retainers and yes it was one of those--for the #3 exhaust valve that had cracked and i found approximately 1/3 of it on the top of the cylinder head. I don't know when it happened and probably had not had the valve cover off in at least six months prior to starting this job. I pulled the valve cover after installing the chain and gears simply to verify that nothing had been disturbed during the installation process and that #1 was at TDC, etc. Frankly it would have even been easy to have overlooked the broken piece and I was lucky to have seen it. Its being an anodized red color certainly helped.

Yes, I know that steel ones are stronger but the old set lasted 14 years and about 60K miles. FWIW I tend to run my engine up to around 4500 when upshifting and though I am not racing the Healey I like to think that the engine is set up for street performance, whatever that is....