John Veninger

That has been a big question for years. The 928 dosen't eat up the chain tensioner like the 944 guys.
Strange that no one has gone out and made bottom pads.

lorenolson888

So the oil tube is backordered...

That sucks... I am pretty much at the point of pulling the tensioners off... but maybe I should wait until you say that you got yours to avoid a long wait....

Maybe the tensioners put more tension on the chain for 944/968???

I am pretty sure I need to replace Lifters tensioners check valves of all three...

PorKen

You'd keep the old tensioner - at least the partly updated 86 one.

A = update for 86, valve plate designed like a piston



Seems to me all thats required is a bit of steel, slotted on the sides for the S4 guide to slide on, a hole in the center for the piston, and drilled/tapped for two screws.

What's the bottom one look like?

hacker-pschorr

Says who? Two Porsche dealerships (back in 1999) told me these are not service items - it would be a waste of money to change out the tensioner.

Why the 928S4 doesn't eat up chains like the 944S/S2/968 is a mystery.

Dannyfumi

Unless the actual tensioner is bad, the springs in the older style wear out. As my tensioner did, better safe than have teeth break, chain, etc, and destroy your head!

Dan

H2

A potential problem is that if BOTH the upper and lower tensioner pads are worn out, you can ONLY get the proper lower pad by buying the whole tensioner unit (I have no idea why unless it's a marketing thing). However, there obviously are people out there who are using the upper pad also on the lower side, part numbers aside. I'm not recommending this but apparently it works, at least on the 968. Don't know about the others. I bought a couple but didn't install them since my pads sitll look practically new. The oil "J" tube has been known to crack from vibration over time. You're right though, the tensioner itself probably is a really long life item. The cam chains and pads (on the 968) are not though. At about 90K or 100K miles they often need replacing. It is strange that the 928 would have a different wear history. Must be a subtle design difference.

Harvey

Flormat

Well my old style tensioner spring tension feels very week so maybe it's time for replacement. My parts guy at Engine Builders Supply hunted around and called places. The other part numbers he came up with turned out to either be nothing or the wrong part. So looks like I'll need new tensioners and oil tubes. Hope they are in stock. Bottom pads look pretty good, hardly any wear but the tops are a little deep for my comfort level.