Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

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Dario
Posts: 117
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:18 pm
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Coupe

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by Dario »

A good reminder to all about performing the locking modification to the chain tensioner retaining cap. Only a couple of hours of work and much safer. This is not the first Dino engine to suffer from a faulty chain tensioner...
Stefan2000
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Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:42 am
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.0 Coupe
Location: The Netherlands
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Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by Stefan2000 »

I think you are right about that, these are important modifications.
But in this case i think the timing chain tensioner was not the one to blame. It seems like it is the bearing in the front cover from the drive gear that has disintegrated. Could just be bearing wear. Question would be what made the bearing wear premature......
DanHansen
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:32 pm
Dino: No Dino (yet)

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by DanHansen »

Stefan2000 wrote:I think you are right about that, these are important modifications.
But in this case i think the timing chain tensioner was not the one to blame. It seems like it is the bearing in the front cover from the drive gear that has disintegrated. Could just be bearing wear. Question would be what made the bearing wear premature......
I think you are right, by closer inspection of both chains and the tensioner, they are in place on both sides, and both chains have the recommended slack...
Dario
Posts: 117
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:18 pm
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Coupe

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by Dario »

By all means, it can certainly be that the bearing gave up and caused all the damage. Adjusting the tensioners might have been the last drop it could take. It's also possible that the tensioners were not tightened enough, the chain slipped, and got jammed at the bottom sprocket, causing the bearing to fail. It would be nice to know for sure, maybe closer inspection during disassembly will tell, I hope the OP will keep us posted! Still, one has to recognise that chain tensioner failure was a sufficiently common problem that a modification was needed. At this point I am very much sympathetic to the owner and glad that he is keeping his cool and getting the engine rebuilt for many more miles and smiles!
DanHansen
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:32 pm
Dino: No Dino (yet)

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by DanHansen »

After a lot of thoughts, I´ve decided to let the car go..
Even if the engine are rebuild, I will always be nervous to drive the car in the future and it will just stay in a corner of my garage never be used as it was supposed to.
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Tobi
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Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Coupe
Location: Upper Palatinate - Bavaria

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by Tobi »

DanHansen wrote:After a lot of thoughts, I´ve decided to let the car go..
Even if the engine are rebuild, I will always be nervous to drive the car in the future and it will just stay in a corner of my garage never be used as it was supposed to.
Please think about this again! After a rebuild, you'd be in the comfortable situation to have a car with an engine you can trust on. The Dino engine isn't as fragile as sometimes said.
DanHansen
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:32 pm
Dino: No Dino (yet)

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by DanHansen »

Tobi wrote:
DanHansen wrote:After a lot of thoughts, I´ve decided to let the car go..
Even if the engine are rebuild, I will always be nervous to drive the car in the future and it will just stay in a corner of my garage never be used as it was supposed to.
Please think about this again! After a rebuild, you'd be in the comfortable situation to have a car with an engine you can trust on. The Dino engine isn't as fragile as sometimes said.
I´ve been thinking, day and night, and I have difficulties to see the benefits of a rebuild engine, and not wan´t to drive car after...
Those cars, and any other classics where meant to be driven, not standing in a corner.
Maybe it can be sold for a reasonable price, if not it will be cut and parted out on ebay....
Peter B
Posts: 50
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2017 2:47 pm
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by Peter B »

Hello Dan,

My goodness, not a real nice experience. How wrote before I was in Jan 18 also looking to this car and in the winter it makes no fun to fly to Oslo, good to me.......BUT can’t really not understand why you will sell now ?
Why ? It’s an old car and nobody can see into an engine. Maybe the long not running time is more bad to a classic car then a alltimes running car........
Find the right garage and behind the repair you can drive without stress.
Or are there other details which are critical ?
Would you sell with damaged engine ? Or repaired ?
Where are you located ?
Have you contacted the seller ?
kind regards
Peter
Georg
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 6:55 pm
Dino: Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider
Location: Germany

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by Georg »

Hi Dan, I have a complete and refurbished engine which is waiting for returnig to work. I might be interested in buying your car to put it in there. If you consider selling your car, please contact me with a PM to discuss conditions of the car and details of a sale.
Regards
Georg
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DanHansen
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:32 pm
Dino: No Dino (yet)

Re: Chain tensioner adjustment, turned in to major failure

Post by DanHansen »

Peter B wrote:Hello Dan,

My goodness, not a real nice experience. How wrote before I was in Jan 18 also looking to this car and in the winter it makes no fun to fly to Oslo, good to me.......BUT can’t really not understand why you will sell now ?
Why ? It’s an old car and nobody can see into an engine. Maybe the long not running time is more bad to a classic car then a alltimes running car........
Find the right garage and behind the repair you can drive without stress.
Or are there other details which are critical ?
Would you sell with damaged engine ? Or repaired ?
Where are you located ?
Have you contacted the seller ?
kind regards
Peter
Good for you, that you´r not the one, that ended up with the trouble I´m in now...
I can´t blame anyone, I think it´s a combination of several things, that ended with a engine failure.
I have a 350M2 garage so I have plenty of space to put it away in, but I bought this car because it was in a very original and good condition and was just going to enjoy it..
I´m going to sell the car as I have lost my interest in it, and even if I got the engine rebuild, I would always have that "what if" every time I turn the key, so it would probably just end up sitting, where it is now...
The car are located in Denmark, Copenhagen.
Cheers
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