siscogts

My 2 cents(or even less):

Apart from the childish posts between Ken and Greg,actually hiding their skills about 928(it looks like a challenge without prize for the winner) ,I think the porkensioner here is not the culprit.Unless I lost the post where it is stated that porkensioner is the culprit

Original tensioner : archaic system.Porsche engineers kept that for almost 20 years not thinking at DIY maintainance , but regular visits to Porsche centers trained mechancs each time an idiot light glows.I do not think they over-tested that system. sure, they have did it better.

Porkensioner : can compensate belt tension more dinamically, but it cannot save the world or every 928 engine and it is no engineered to be the medicine for every 928 engine ,with different scenarios and variables.

this should be the first porkensioner failure after hundreds sold?ok, not bad really, but statistics data can be cruel, it reminds me the Concorde disaster back in 2000.Concorde managers told that , in the end, only one crashed in over 20 years.they did not mention that they made 20, like if a 737 crashes every 2 weeks. speaking of statistics, it can be bad.

In october TB job on my GTS is due: I am afraid to ask suggestions on RL , now.

Imo000

The product should be able to handle variations like re surfaced heads. The proper solution is a redesign or supplying additional parts and not update to the instruction manual. Asking customers to re dril holes and pin the bolts with "something" is not an acceptable solution.

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

I like Ken's product, and have one on my car. However I agree with the above statement.
Dave

ptuomov

If the heads are surfaced within the factory spec and the factory specified 1.4mm gasket is used, then the geometry doesn't change. Worth remembering that.

I think that modification instructions for rare cases where the tensioner installs outside the range (caused by some issue changing the geometry) would be sufficient. Goes without changing that one should try to fully understand why the geometry has changed before running the engine, but if the source of the geometry change is well understood then that would work for me.

ptuomov

If the engine is stock and repaired according to factory instructions, I don't think the geometry should change and there shouldn't be need to adjust the tensioner system. Resurfacing the heads within the limit and using the thicker 1.4mm replacement gasket should keep the geometry stock.

However, say if one decks the heads and uses a thing head gasket intentionally to increase compression, then is it really that unreasonable to ask people to modify other components as well?

ROG100

Like the current media/press my meaning was misconstrued. We were talking about wear on the crank gear and that some wear was perhaps acceptable. My point was, at the same time, that we should all be aware of the other components in the system as cumulatively it could be a problem with a stock tensioner or a PKT. A little wear on one component maybe OK but a little bit of wear on more than one component can add up to a lot of wear in the system overall.

ROG100

I have always found Ken to be VERY supportive of all his products. He responds to customers request quickly and succinctly. As he says he has other commitments as we all do - its called life.
When changes, updates or modifications, be it hardware or nomenclature his reactions are quick.
I have already been issued with an updated installation manual and if for some reason additional hardware is required it will be issued in due course.
Ken your technical response and customer service are second to none - I appreciate that.

Lizard928

If one doesn't wish to drill out the holes and space it that way, I am sure one could find a lash cap to install over the tensioner rod to take up additional slop.

Or they can modify the lever with a bolt to have an adjustable range for the piston.

Hell, Carl thought it was acceptable to tell me to hacksaw off 90% of the adjustment could off the shock to make a smaller id spring work. I didnt like his "hack" fixes so I fixed it on my own.

I don't like drilling out the holes either, but I understand why Ken does it, and I'm sure it will work. Instead, I would look first at using a lash cap.

As a side note. I just installed a PKT on an 84. It had gear wear on all gears I left them on for testing. It measured 5.21mm extension with some gear wear.

bureau13

I would too, but the point is it wasn't moving in general use, nor was it touching the belt, at least not often.

GregBBRD

The OP had 9mm with everything new, except for a pretty good looking crank gear. You and I both know that new crank gears were not available for 19 months, from Porsche. I have no idea how many Portensioners are sold a month, but I'm guessing that means way too many were installed on used gears, given the current failure.

ptuomov

This inference, like many others you've made on this thread, makes no sense. I don't understand why you're so willing to sacrifice your own credibility to trash Ken's products.

SeanR

Did I miss the pictures of the water pump?

ROG100

Nothing to do with my point at all. We were telling the 928 World that it is OK to use a crank gear that is 1mm under size. What I was trying to clarify was that it is also critical to check the wear on other components in the system as well - system in general not this specific case.
Slight wear on a cam gear may be OK for a low mile usage car but if the oil pump gear is worn ------
Forget I said anything!!

GregBBRD

My whole point is to tell people to use the stock tensioner...because it is bulletproof and can't collapse, even when severely neglected.

It is, very simply, not going to fail and allow the engine to skip cam timing, unless there is some other failure.

I've asked Ken for testing data, from the very first day he sent his first sample to Mark Anderson, asking Mark if he wanted to buy and market them.

He's never given a single bit of data...data like Jim Corenman just released (because he doesn't have any.)

Instead, he resorts to schoolboy wise cracks for a distraction. "You want cheese with that whine?"

How that trashes my credibility is beyond me....

PorKen

And that has what exactly to do with this thread? You and the other folks that keep posting about the stock tensioner only clog up this thread.

I never sent a sample PKT to Mark (but I did send a PK32V'r). He asked me about selling them and directed me to talk to you.

It was only later that I realized that this request was done at your behest, just so that you could try to gather information to trash the PKT.

It writes itself. You show your ignorance each time you post, even when you are not making stuff up.