1

I'm working on a 2002 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0 2WD 6cyc SOHC gas

And I just so happened to break the chain tensioner, yup. You heard it right. As if I didn't hit enough stripped bolts along the way. The tensioner broke both pieces at the very bottom. So the whole tensioner came out in two whole pieces, they were both connected to each other at the very bottom... I swear these things are so cheap they could of broke if a fly went the wrong way...

so my question is, can I JB weld or use some type of epoxy, resin or leave the rubber band on it on this chain tensioner, or is it possible to just leave the guide off ?

If you view the picture you'll notice that this vehicle has no timing marks, it requires a special tool, but the to remove the tensioner it's just below (inside) of the transmission, which requires the whole engine to come out

these two pieces connect to each other, and even though the right piece looks connected to the engine, its broken at the very bottom with the second piece

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

If the tensioner has broken in two you'll need to replace it I'm afraid. They aren't mega bucks for those and bodging it back together is just putting a timebomb in place IMHO.

Improve this answer
9
  • like literally, it'll explode or ? why wouldn't a strong epoxy work, it's only a guide right
    – user38183
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 10:19
  • Explode! really, no but if the chain looses tension, it then slips and the valves meet the pistons damaging the engine... Fine if you want to do a top end rebuild...
    – Solar Mike
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 10:21
  • @Solar Mike how can it slip, It's pretty secure on the 2 sprockets with the side tensioner, Then these guides don't really do anything but guide it
    – user38183
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 10:25
  • @hellomotto well not in that big fireball way that cool guys walk away from and don't look at but when/if it fails with the engine running it's going to do all sorts of unpleasantly expensive things to the engine.
    – motosubatsu
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 10:25
  • 2
    @hellomotto "these guides don't really do anything but guide it" while it's technically true to say that referring to it as simply "guiding" the chain understates the importance of it's role by more than a little. This is how the tension is applied to the chain, if/when it fails it's no longer going to be applying the correct tension to the chain - thus it can throw the timing out and expensive oily bits will start colliding in ways that they aren't meant to. A replacement "guide" is < $100, a top end rebuild is measured in the thousands.
    – motosubatsu
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 10:38

You must log in to answer this question.