Yet other tensioner thread - helllppp

I’ve been pulling my hair out for a few days now. I’m down to the bitter end on the engine rebuild, with just the tensioner install left before I install the head. I was lucky enough to find a Renold on Ebay back in April but I went looking for it in my parts box and I must have misplaced it. I need to find another…like yesterday. SNG confirmed that they only have the Rolon. I have emails in to Terry’s and CJ to see if they have a Renold to sell me. Fingers crossed but not getting my hopes up.

Are there any other places to look? Does anyone have an extra to sell? I got so desperate I’ve been looking into the Nissan substitute mentioned in an earlier thread but it just doesn’t look like the right thing. It lacks the oil bushing on the back that fits into the block and channels oil into the piston. Also those appear to all be aftermarket now also.

Rob Beere Racing (UK)

http://www.rob-beere-racing.co.uk/newproducts.html#hydtens

Yup, they distribute through CJ. So I’ve already emailed them.

Erica,

I believe we’ve discussed this before but Basil Adams in the Bay Area keeps them in stock. Drop him a line at basiladams@yahoo.com.

If he happens to be out of stock, I will send you one of mine, and you can replace it at your convenience.

Just a word of warning, it will come in Land Rover packaging. Land Rover have used the French Renold parts all along, so claims that Rob Beere got them to put the parts back into production are BS.

1 Like

Thanks Ben, I’m not concerned with the packaging so long as it fits, has the locating dowel on the back and oil port on the shoe. I appreciate the offer. I’ll shoot him an email and see what he says and let you know. Oh, which side of the pond is this gentleman on? I really want to get this job moving.

1 Like

I’ve dealt with Basil. Bought a bunch of parts from him for my MGA rebuild. Highly recommended.

He is good to buy ARP fasteners from too.

I bought 5 of the Land Rover badged tensioners from him a while back; have used them all.

You know what’s going to happen, right?

Soon as you receive the new one… the one you lost will be sitting out in the open.

:expressionless:

1 Like

That’s the way it happens with me, I now have enough spare EVERYTHING in the garage to use as ballast for a boat!!

2 Likes

I probably have the “wrong” tensioner, but I do recall that I swapped the dowel into the new one, along with the screen. Of course when you extract it you can’t put burrs on it during extraction. My recollection is it came out relatively easy. At the time I couldn’t clearly determine if I had the “right” one, as it was a while ago and I wasn’t as hooked into the better info on the various sites. The similarity of spelling is a problem for careless, dyslecsic (sp?) hack mechanics like me.

1 Like

Of course it will, but meanwhile, the hours I’d have continued to waste fruitlessly searching and cursing will have been directed more productively. I hate losing crap.

1 Like

Yeah he mentioned he has a bunch of original parts. I wish I’d contacted him first. Mine’s already built though. What I don’t understand is why SNG hasn’t been able to offer these tensioners. For many part numbers the offer the genuine part and a low budget one, but not for this one for some reason.

Commiserating…
I’ve been looking for the special hinge bolts for the boot hinge for 3 days with no luck. Pisses me off, losing crap. I’m currently engineering a replacement as the special shoulder bolt is unobtanium as far as I can see. Not available at the usuals either, and no part number in the parts book only the assembly. Grumble Grumble…

Might be worth reaching out to Mr Adams. It worked for me :smiley:

Erica
I just picked up a correct Reynold tensioner NOS off eBay, made in France, with the shoe material wrapping around the edges.

I can send it to you, and when you eventually find yours you can just send it to me. That way you don’t need to spend $ on a new one. Let me know, I’m in California and can send it tomorrow.

3 Likes

When this subject last came up back in August I posted about my direct contact with Jaguar Classic Parts (ie. Jaguar-Land Rover). Following an email exchange with them I posted this comment: "FYI, Jaguar Classic Parts supplies the correct lower chain tensioner as Part # EAC3629 through your local Jaguar dealer, ie. Jaguar Classic Parts - EAC3629 is pictured and discussed in this thread in the last few months (courtesy bora492)

Here’s the link to the full thread: Which timing chain tensioner to use?

So, in short, the Renold tensioner (France) seems to be supplied directly through your local Jaguar dealer. It might be worthwhile contacting them to confirm availability.

I heard back from Mr Adams about the new part. He says these come in a Jag box so are likely the same parts being distributed through Jaguar Classics. The thing is, they no longer have the oil dowel on the back. It sounds like there is no provision for it either. He says there is now just a small hole on the back. If it’s right in the center then I guess it could be drilled for the dowel…maybe.

It seems like it wouldn’t give a very good seal against 60 PSI with a flat tensioner part stacked onto a flat shim, bolted to a rough block. How well would that actually work?

https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/cs103a.htm

Erica. This is a 2017 article I came across that talks about a Massey Ferguson tensioner made by Renold that is supposedly suitable and actually an upgrade. It might be a consideration. Perhaps someone has experience with it?

I hunted one down and the photo looks promising. If the dimensions of the holes and pin are the same as the original Jag part this one may be the solution as it has the oil feed “pin” in place. Not cheap but better than a failed tensioner!

Yup same thing on Amazon. The part photo says Renold, but the brand says Sparex? Does that mean they’re just the distributor? The oil hole in the shoe looks quite large.

I would think that the best thing to do would be to get one delivered via Amazon prime and then once in hand compare it to what you have and/or put up the dimensions and ask for someone with an original to comment. If unsuitable easy enough to return it.