TooManyToys
Well-Known LVC Member
I looked at an online site since I'm not home and I believe I paid under $60 for each tensioner at my dealer (I get a good discount). This is for the updated (since 5/01) units.
Timing Chain Tensioners
- Thread starter pektel
- Start date
TooManyToys
Well-Known LVC Member
I had started a poll months ago asking about when people had this type of issue. It went nowhere with all kinds of debating. Information about when they typical tensioner or chain issues pop up with pre 5/01 and post 5/01 vehicles would help get people proactive in preventative work before serious damage occurs.
Proactive=change to metal tensioners regardless of miles.
Reactive=call the mechanic and make an appt after it sh**s.
Lucky=how did it never happen to me?
It is that easy.
Dealer price was for 1 tensioner 
The guy is starting to tear into it now. I told him to inspect the chain for any stretched links, and I'll buy a new chain if it needs replacing.
For some reason he is under the impression the front cover has to come off for the secondary chain to be swapped. I thought you could do it just by removing the valve cover.
The guy is starting to tear into it now. I told him to inspect the chain for any stretched links, and I'll buy a new chain if it needs replacing.
For some reason he is under the impression the front cover has to come off for the secondary chain to be swapped. I thought you could do it just by removing the valve cover.
Just got the car back. Gotta replace a couple coils (says cylinders 6 and 7 are misfiring, and I know a couple are on the way out). The damn tensioner looked TERRIBLE. riding on the metal. Chain looked fine.
hite337
Hite Performance
Good to hear. Glad you got to it before it did and real damage to the engine.
+1 I was shocked when i got my parts back almost death for the LS.
Funny thing, the gf was bitching about it, saying I should get a new car instead of dumping "all this money" into the LS. $630 (150 parts, 300 labor, 180 visteon new coils) in 6 months is way less than a car payment. 
jolinc01
Dedicated LVC Member
$630 isn't too bad for everything really. I sure as hell know I couldn't get a new truck for that, hell monthly payments are $300-$450 on a 'new' vehicle
That's what I thought too. 8 new coils, a new tensioner, and I didn't have to do the work. Well, I have to swap the coils, but a poorly trained monkey could do that.
TooManyToys
Well-Known LVC Member
Dealer price was for 1 tensioner
The guy is starting to tear into it now. I told him to inspect the chain for any stretched links, and I'll buy a new chain if it needs replacing.
For some reason he is under the impression the front cover has to come off for the secondary chain to be swapped. I thought you could do it just by removing the valve cover.
I've not taken the early style apart to see if you can pull both sprockets off without pulling the front cover. On the 3.9L with variable timing you do have to pull the cover like I did unless you do the master link chains.
Didn't consider someone would out the old style back in. Here is the price breakdown for 2001 MY. It looks like they put in the early style tensioner like what came out of your engine. The updated parts are just the newer metal ones but they require longer bolts. Only change. But if you got this life out of the old ones this car will be gone before they are needed again.
Swapped all the plugs/coils, still had a misfire on #6. Grabbed another brand new plug, changed the #6 plug, and swapped coils on 5 and 6 cylinders. Still misfiring. And it wasn't just an intermittent thing, it was CONSTANTLY misfiring, almost running on only 7 cylinders.
At this point, I was starting to get worried. I was thinking something slipped time, and maybe my mechanic lied about inspecting the chain (which I requested) or checking to make sure the cam flats lined up (which I also requested). Also tried running without the MAF plugged in, tried cleaning the MAF, all to no avail. I'm assuming the worst, and that I will have to get a different car. So brought it back to the shop yesterday morning.
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. I stopped by the mechanic's to grab the valve cover gasket so I could return it (he reused the old one, against my advice, but his warranty covers replacement if it leaks.) He had just popped the hood, and was checking things out. I told him that cylinder 6 was the one the computer told me I was having problems with. He is inspecting things, and says to me, "Huh, I bet it would help if I hooked up the fuel injector on #6!"
Hooked it up, and she purrs like a kitten. No idea how I missed it either when I was in there changing plugs and coils. Just glad she's back on the road now. And the love/hate relationship with the LS is now back to love
At this point, I was starting to get worried. I was thinking something slipped time, and maybe my mechanic lied about inspecting the chain (which I requested) or checking to make sure the cam flats lined up (which I also requested). Also tried running without the MAF plugged in, tried cleaning the MAF, all to no avail. I'm assuming the worst, and that I will have to get a different car. So brought it back to the shop yesterday morning.
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. I stopped by the mechanic's to grab the valve cover gasket so I could return it (he reused the old one, against my advice, but his warranty covers replacement if it leaks.) He had just popped the hood, and was checking things out. I told him that cylinder 6 was the one the computer told me I was having problems with. He is inspecting things, and says to me, "Huh, I bet it would help if I hooked up the fuel injector on #6!"
Hooked it up, and she purrs like a kitten. No idea how I missed it either when I was in there changing plugs and coils. Just glad she's back on the road now. And the love/hate relationship with the LS is now back to love
oddball
Dedicated LVC Member
Ah, he was just testin' ya!
G-RELL
FULLY DIPPED LS
Very cool... my tensioner and chain came in the mail yesterday... Hopefully i can get to it soon and have just as good of luck.... Glad she's back