JHowell37

The pads on the cam chain tensioners on the 32 valve engines will require replacement eventually. This is fine if you've got a S4/GT/GTS. Replacement pads are still available (although ridiculously expensive.) Those of us with '85/'86 cars with 32 valve engines have a bigger problem. Our engines use different tensioners that are not serviceable. Porsche recommends changing them to the later tensioner.

I just checked and new tensioners are about $320 each, and that doesn't include things like the banjo bolts (of which you'll need 4, at a cost of $27 each) or the new pipes that carry oil from the head to the tensioner. With all brand new parts, you're looking at almost $800.

So naturally, most people with the '85/'86 skip it, and they might as well since only a few people have had a problem. Tensioner failure seems to be a bigger issue on the 16 valve 944 engine.

Two years ago I bought all four replacement pads because I thought they would work, and didn't realize that they were only meant for the later tensioner. I then researched the topic. The new pads went to the back of the toolbox. Last fall someone nearby was parting out a S4 with a bad engine. So he let me come over and remove the tensioners and all associated parts (i.e. oil pipes and $27 banjo bolts) for a fraction of their new cost.

I'm going to post some pics, but since this is basically a direct swap, there's really nothing special about them.

The first pic shows the parts you will remove from your engine. If your car is a '85, you can throw all this **** in the trash when you remove it.



This next picture shows the parts you will need to do this job. If you are the one who removes the tensioners from a donor engine, make sure you take all the bolts washers and pipes.



Now is a good time to mention the oil pipes. The '85/'86 used the same tensioners but the '85 tensioner used a larger banjo bolt then the '86. As a result the oil pipes for the '85 and '86 are different. In the photo below you'll see two pipes and a bag with a part number on it. The pipe with the two obvious bends is for the passenger side tensioner and its part number is the one you see on the bag. This part is specific to the '86 engine. If you have a '85, you will have to buy this pipe, it cost $22, and must come from Germany. The good news is that Roger can get it for you in a few days. The other pipe in the photo is from a '87+ engine. It doesn't drop right in, but it can be easily bent into the proper shape to work.



This photo shows the parts that will go back into your engine. The parts on the left will go on the driver's side, and those on the right go on the passenger side.

JHowell37

The two pics show the "new" tensioner installed on the passenger side.





As I said earlier, the oil pipe for the driver's side tensioner must be slightly bent to work properly. I have two pictured here. They are both the same part. I had bought one a while ago, and got the second one with the cam chain tensioners. The pipe on the bottom is as it comes from the factory. The one above shows how I bent it to fit properly.



The last photo shows the "new" tensioner installed on the driver's side.

JHowell37

So this is to clarify what you have and what you'll need.

You'll need the tensioners from an '87+ engine. I think brand new tensioners will come with new pads. If you get used tensioners, you should probably suck it up and buy the ridiculously overpriced upper and lower pads so you can install the tensioners with good pads.

If you get new tensioners, they won't have banjo bolts. The '85 engine has two of the four that you'll need, so you'll need to get the other two. I am referring to part#: 928 105 476 00. Due to the slight plumbing differences from '85 to '86 I'm not sure if the '86 has two or all four banjo bolts that you'll need.

The washers on the bolts that secure the tensioner to the head on the '85 are too large to work on the updated tensioner. The bolts from the tensioners I bought used did not have washers even though PET says they should have them. I didn't bother with washers. I have no reason to think that those tensioners had ever been touched prior to me removing them, so I assume that Hans or Fritz had too many beers with lunch the day they built that engine. I didn't bother to look for replacements.

The oil pipes cause the most confusion and they should. If you have a '85, you will need to replace both oil pipes. On the passenger side, you use part#: 928 105 213 03. On the driver's side, you use part#: 928 105 214 04 and you will have to bend it to make it fit properly. If you have a '86 you will already have the correct pipe for the passenger side. I read somewhere that the '86 also has the correct pipe on the driver's side as well.

A final note on washers. Whether '85/'86 or '87+, PET shows that two washers are used on the banjo fitting of the oil pipe where it attaches to the head. On the '89 that I took the tensioners from, there was only one washer between the head of the banjo bolt and the banjo fitting, but there was none between the fitting and the head. It was the same when I removed the tensioners from my '85 as well. The reason I raise this point is because a lot of people talk about changing their tensioner pads and always ask what size the washer is because they think they dropped the lower one into the oil pan. I'm beginning to wonder if a lot of these cars simply didn't have that second washer when the engine was built.

Hope this helps.

Rob Edwards

Great post! I love good clear explanations of confusing subjects, and the whole S3 tensioner thing is a real mess.

PorKen

Thanks for the writeup!

My '85 seems to have the classic '85 clatter when cold due to the spring 'cap' inside the tensioner. I was going to replace just the cap with the '86 upgrade, but maybe I'll double down and do the whole schmeel.

JHowell37

I didn't drive it last night after changing them, but I did run it for a minute or two. There was noticeably less chatter from under the valve covers afterward.

Landseer

This is an EXCELLENT post. Nice work.

Lizard928

I want to find an alternate for these pieces, something where the pads aren't rediculous amounts of money!

BTW the 86.5 received the 87+ tensioners.

svp928

Great Post! Thanks from those of us who also have 85-86's..

Steve

RyanPerrella

It would seem to me that the nylon pads would be easy enough to have made.

Have you guys looked at US 85-86 production? I think they produced near 15-20K cars for the US in those 2 years. Thats about 4 years of S4 production in 2 years. I will tell you that for the majority, finding parted out tensioners from an S4 is not going to be an option. Replacement pads made to fit would be.

Whats with the tensioner piston rattle? can you guys comment more on that one? Im not familiar with that but if its an issue i would like to address it on the S3 engine that I need to rebuild.

Landseer

And the early 86 is different than 85.



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PorKen

Loose chain rattle when cold. Sounds bad, but it is a simple fix.

The '85 tensioner has a flat cap over the spring which can **** to one side, IIRC. In '86, the cap was updated with skirts.

I don't know the part number. Keith/928ntslow fixed the '85 he had, that's how I found out about it. He was able to get just the caps.


'86 tensioner:

the flyin' scotsman

Great write up.

I'd only add that my '88 S4 did have 2 washers per banjo bolt. I know this for sure as I dropped one and it took me a long time to find it. They're aluminium so cant be found be waving a magnet around.

davek9

Yes thanks for the Great writeup. And to add, my '85 only has one washer (none between the Head and the Banjo fitting) only on the bolt side.

I was thinking along the same lines as Colin.

It would seem to me that the Plastic parts at least the Plunger side is attached via two threaded screws. All we need is a block of suitable plastic; it does not have a tricky shape to it. Looks easy enough to make.

How far off is the fit it the newer part, can it be adapted to the old plunger?

jpitman2

Any idea what happens to the parts that wear off the pads - are they small enough to circulate and finish up in the oil filter? Would using graphite impregnated nylon reduce the wear rate usefully, and be safe?
jp 83 Euro S AT 52k, with none of these issues..