Years with problem tensioners

[TooManyToys]

I've been looking at this problem on this site and over at the Jaguar forum. It seems with mostly plastic upper tensioners both the guides and bodies break down over time. A very few people have noted problems with the primary tensioners, and some have noted cracks with the lower guides.

With the secondary (upper) plastic body tensioners, it appears cracks form in the body and you can also have the guides as part of the problem.

So doing R&D all my life, I always try to do a trend analysis, and maybe our history can help look at what people should be looking for.

Since I could not have 10 poll questions, in a following message note if your a Gen 1 or 2, and if you have plastic or metal bodied upper tensioners, and miles in service that problems were discovered.

Thanks.

 

[mikeyswood]

If you don't have a 2006 you're gonna have to replace parts.

/poll

 

[Shredicus]

I have a 2003 V8 that I'm getting ready to do a major cooling system repair on. Could you link the tensioner part I would need to replace while I'm rooting around in there?

 

[jmtiseo]

If you don't have a 2006 you're gonna have to replace parts.

/poll

All signs point to yes.

 

[marcredd]

It needs a "no issues" selection as well. Some, such as myself, have not had any issues.

 

[TooManyToys]

If you don't have a 2006 you're gonna have to replace parts.

/poll

Except all the part numbers for an 2006 show up as the same 2003 to 2006, typically with a release code of 2W, meaning they made into the system in '02, typical of an 2003 production. The suffix for the upper tensioners is AA and BA, typical for left and right, usually first edition.

So has anyone taken out a tension from a Gen 2 or more so the 2006 and found it to be metal, just not looking like metal?

Part of the point of the poll.

 

[TooManyToys]

It needs a "no issues" selection as well. Some, such as myself, have not had any issues.

I was trying to avoid the issue of % with / without problems, although I would have done that if I had more then 7 choices for poll questions.

I could set up a different poll with that type of query, it all depends how far deep into this we want to go.

 

[LS4me]

You do know this is EXTREMELY unscientific? The people that post on forums are generally the dissatisfied and few of the actual owners. Just how many of LS ownership do you think is represented here? Maybe less than a tenth of a percent. How many have owned more than 1 LS? Which years and engine? Was maintenance done? How often? By whom?

It may be a fun exercise but in no way represents the odds of a failure.

 

[NickT88LSC]

It needs a "no issues" selection as well. Some, such as myself, have not had any issues.

I was wondering the same thing, I am at 97,000 miles and no problem yet. some people say 90-120,000 range will deff have a problem. Any truth to this??? Anyone have lets say 160,000 miles with originals??? Does it matter how vehicle was maintained and what oil used or just time in use is the factor?? I bought my car wit 23,000 miles and only used Amsoil and Mobil 1 full synthetic.

So I wonder myself, change them as preventive maintenance, or being I am meticulous with my maintenance and oil used I may not have an issue???

 

[TooManyToys]

You do know this is EXTREMELY unscientific? The people that post on forums are generally the dissatisfied and few of the actual owners. Just how many of LS ownership do you think is represented here? Maybe less than a tenth of a percent. How many have owned more than 1 LS? Which years and engine? Was maintenance done? How often? By whom?

It may be a fun exercise but in no way represents the odds of a failure.

I'm not trying to make it odds of a failure, that's why I didn't ask if there were no problems at all. If you have a failure I'm trying to determine what the failure was.

As the poster above eluded to, the vehicle maintenance probably has an influence to it's life, mostly chains. Plastic deterioration tends to be time vs heat, with some chemical decay as well when it comes to stress cracks. Wear out from the chains rubbing may be more due to lubrication.

 

[embe]

You do know this is EXTREMELY unscientific?
It may be a fun exercise but in no way represents the odds of a failure.

Looking at the big picture one might say that some numbers are better that no numbers

 

[scjmc]

2002 130K no issues yet...

 

[jmtiseo]

So I wonder myself, change them as preventive maintenance, or being I am meticulous with my maintenance and oil used I may not have an issue???

I'm wondering the same thing myself. Thinking about doing mine at the end of the summer when I'm on vacay between co-op and school. Figure spending the money on the tensioners and a few hours to replace is better than thousands later.

 

[MMAFIGHTER121]

2000, 111K and no problems yet..

 

[TooManyToys]

I was wondering the same thing, I am at 97,000 miles and no problem yet. some people say 90-120,000 range will deff have a problem. Any truth to this??? Anyone have lets say 160,000 miles with originals??? Does it matter how vehicle was maintained and what oil used or just time in use is the factor?? I bought my car wit 23,000 miles and only used Amsoil and Mobil 1 full synthetic.

So I wonder myself, change them as preventive maintenance, or being I am meticulous with my maintenance and oil used I may not have an issue???

Considering we only show one report of a Gen1 primary tensioner going bad so far I'd be holding off that teardown to see how exaggerated this issue is on the LS.

 

[marcredd]

+1.....keep the oil changed at 3000(if conventional) so sludge does not put stress on the plastic.

 

[centason]

I'm at 207,xxx with no problems, but I am OCD about engines and maintenance.

 

[TooManyToys]

What year?

 

[LS4me]

Gen 1 V6 with 10K mile synthetic oil changes....

180Kish with no problems.