Flormat

The cam tensioners on my 86.5 are the early style and I can't seem to locate any pads for the tensioner that are not the later style. Are these early style tensioner pads still avalaible? Or does anyone know if I can replace the piston on the early tensioner with one from a late style tensioner to use the new pads? The pistons from the new style tensioner have been used and are from 944S. Or am I going to have to shell out $600 for new tensioners?

PorKen

What's your VIN serial number? (No idea on the parts, sorry.)

Dannyfumi

I bought the new tensioner, now the problem that I have is the oil J- superceded! I need an 86 oil J- tube if anyone has, backordered from Germany! If you buy new tensioners, make sure you can get the tubes.

Dan Gates
85S 32v manual

H2

I have (only) one extra tensioner pad on hand. but it would depend on what number you need if it's the right one or not. It's quite different than the ones on the 968.

Harvey

hacker-pschorr

The 944S is the same unit as the S4 - only one of the two pads is available for this model. With the possible damange that will occure if the chain breaks (ask me how I know) I would just replace the tensioner & chain. It's not worth the risk - would you install a used timing belt?

Flormat

PorKen, VIN is WP0JB0928GS861461
Dan, thanks for the tip on the oil tubes- I'll make sure my guy can get them before ordering tensioners.
Harvey, I'm replacing both tensioner pads, or maybe both tensioners if I can't get the old pads. Is your pad from the early 928 tensioners?
Hacker, I was initially planning on replacing just the pads because it seems the 928 folks get away with just pad replacement and don't have the tensioner failure problem that the 944S guys do.
Here's a picture of the new style pad and my old tensioner & pad.
Thanks all.

hacker-pschorr

Some of the 944S & S2 guys only replace the upper pad (only on available unless something recently changed). The tensioner doesn't fail, one of the pads wears out. Since only one of the two pads is replaceable, most choose to replace everything just to be safe since a new tensioner comes with two pads.

H2

PorKen,

I'll have to look the pad number up after work. It's white and quite a bit smaller than the 968 tensioner pads. I'd heard they were interchangeable...but not. If you're going to change pads, definitely change the chain. For 944s/968s there is a heavy duty (racing?) chain variation.

Harvey

PorKen

1461 - I hope I have the new style at - 1955.

Pictures are not showing, send to me and I'll post 'em, if you like.
...

Harvey,

I don't see any parts numbers for the guides in the 83-86 PDF PET?

heinrich

So, the pads are 600 dollars?

Flormat

Hacker, but isn't it only the one pad that wears out? The one that the tensioner piston pushes on?

Dannyfumi

Pads are 30-40 bucks a pair, the whole tensioner is 300 bucks!
Dan

hacker-pschorr

Flormat,
Some follow that theory - I obey the "$300 is better than new cams, head & valve's" theory
The pads are plastic, over time they become hard and brittle - sure the top one shows the most wear, I will not trust a high mileage lower pad either.

The upper pad broke apart on my 944S (destroying my cams in the process). When we took apart the head, the lower pad snapped with very little force it was so brittle. At the time I could not find any supplier offering the lower pad so I replaced everything. The 944S and 928S4 use the exact same tensioner & chain.

Dan,
Who sells this set?

Flormat

Dan, Yeah I already bought the pads @ $14 a peice. They simply don't fit. They fit my 944S tensioner and have the same part number as the 944S pad. I found a previous post on this and aparently the tensioner was updated starting with the S4. I'm wondering if I can get the old style pads or if I have to update to the new tensioner. What are all of the '85 & '86 owners doing?

Flormat

Hacker, if the lower pad was brittle then maybe I should just update to the new style tensioner, if I can get the oil tube. What do the oil tubes go for?