Rscaamaro

Switching my vvt on my ly6 to ls2 timing chain and the plastic In between spacer. How much slack should this setup have. I was told to uses this instead of the newer style Spring tensioners. Seam to loose

G Atsma

When cold, there will be some slack in the chain. As the engine warms, the block "grows" as it expands due to heat, tightening the chain up. So it is normal to have some slack when cold. If the timing set is good quality, and all is installed right, it should be good.

Rscaamaro

What tensioner are people running

G Atsma

When they do (not all blocks have a provision for them) it is the plastic block. It works very well.

Rscaamaro

I am using the black plastic one now just seams really loose

G Atsma

How much slack would you say there is?

Rscaamaro

Not enough to skip I don't think but it's a new chain

G Atsma

Like I said, as the engine heats up, the chain will tighten up. Get everything up and running and see how things go. I can't see the slack. It should be OK if you bought good quality parts.

Mordis

I pretty much asked the same question here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...tensioner.html

I only had it running for two days before the ECU fried and was getting a lot of random misfires but I believe it was the tune and not so much the chain. I'm supposed to be getting the ECU back next week and this time it should have the Texas Speed VVT tables in it so we'll see how it goes.

But yeah mine has quite a bit of slack when it was cold as well.

brandon6.0

iTrader: (32)

If its a new chain i wouldnt worry about it. The older gen3 engines didnt use a tensioner. Ive had the ls2 tensioner break and rattle like crazy. I usually just dont use one and have never had an issue.

CAMSTER

iTrader: (10)

A new chain should not have much slack at all maybe time to change sprockets if millage is high.

Rscaamaro

New cam sprocket and chain, 80000 on motor

BlwnLs1GTO

iTrader: (12)

If you're really worried about it, you can buy the C5R chain from WS6Store which is the strongest/best chain available for our engines (according to almost everyone).
Piece of mind does have a value...

Rscaamaro

I am going back to the spring loaded gen 4 style

Crf450r420

iTrader: (1)

Only had one out of hundreds of the Gen IV spring loaded ones break and it was years ago.