Ok just to make sure I got this straight...

I just got the new tensioner a few minutes ago. When I opened the box it was already compressed in all the way. Should I install it like it is or let it all the way out and install it that way?

After I install it should I start the car to see it it worked, or should I open the valve cover and pry the chain guide over until it triggers the tensioner, then start the car?

Thanks for all your help guys. I am really hoping this works!!

 

Install it compressed and trigger it with the chain guide. At least this is how I remember it done when doing the install in the car. Just be careful not to damage the chain or anything else.
I agree with Helix on this as that sound is in a "rhythm" which makes me think that something in the valve train is not right and not the tensioner. If you pop off your valve cover and find that the chain is already tight and there is 0 slop, then you have other issues, like maybe a valve making contact with the piston?

 

ONLY way a valve to piston happens is if it's timed wrong. NO OTHER WAY FOR IT TO HIT with stock pistons

 

Exactly. That's what I am talking about. It's why I have been asking OP if he possibly jumped some teeth.
But I'm not sure this can even happen in the low compression Mini.

 

^^^ From the video - it's a NAAZZTTTY ***** sound.......

 

Aren't our engines non-interference?

 

in stock form............yes

if it's too far off timing it won't even start

if he bent valves it wouldn't even idle properly

he definitely has chain tensioner issue

 

ok I just installed the new tensioner and opened the valve cover. I inspected the chain and found it to be a little loose!! So I am now in the process of trying to figure out how to press the guide into the tensioner to put tension on it!

 

Well I put it back together because I couldn't figure out how to get the tensioner to pop out. and..... it stills sounds like a diesel!! Maybe after I eat dinner I will pop open the tensioner again to see if it did fully come out, which I know it had to of come out.

I have no idea what it could be and I think I am royally screwed now.

I just don't get it. It runs like it is a brand new car.

 

If I had skipped a tooth on the crank do you think it would still run really well? Or if I had done anything else wrong for that matter would it run well?

HA maybe thats just the sound it is going to make and I have to get used to it. If that would be the worst case scenario I would be thrilled right about now.

 

After you eat things will go smoother... this usually works for me

post back with good news..... PLEASE!

 

No good news... still sounds the same. I just don't understand what I did. If I had jumped a tooth it would run poorly (which it isn't so I couldn't have done that). I replaced the chain tensioner and nothing happened. All the orange caps are on.

I am really pushing for Jan here when he tells me it is a tensioner problem. The only thing is what do I do now that I have already replaced the tensioner?

 

Get Jan on the phone when you can or probably not what you want to hear but take it to a MINI tech and let them take a look/listen..

 

Trust me, your car should sound almost like stock, with just a very slight loping. your car does not sound right.

 

Oh I know it does not sound right at all. I'm just trying to be very optimistic right now. I just have no clue as to what it might be right now.

Luckily this is my last performance mod, besides getting it tuned by Jan sometime soon.

 

Hmmm......weird......might want to change back to the stock cam, just to see what happens? I hate to tell you this, but I have personally seen some VERY rough looking Newman cams......not saying that is the problem but......?

 

I was kind of thinking about it possibly being the cam. Maybe this weekend I will install the old cam and see what happens. The only thing is I don't want to buy more sprocket bolts lol.

 

Can you vividly hear this ticking in the cabin?

 

Oh yeah you can hear it good with the music off, but with the music on you can hardly hear it.

 

Its not the damn cam so dont let anyone push you in the wrong direction. I ran that cam (the one I sold you) in my car with not a single thing sounding like that. You can ask anyone who saw the car at MOTD if they heard anything like that, Hell Chad from Detroit Tuned reset my SRS light and heard it run.

I have had my tensioner out 3 times and never have I released it by pressing on the guide. The oil pressure on the 1st crank has always released it from being compressed.

I would think being off a tooth would really run very poor.

Wish I could be there to help fix the issue. Sadly things like this are hard to diagnose when your not there to hear them.

Sorry you are having issues but I assure you its not the cam by itself.

 

Hearing it on a better speaker now and it sounds like the timing is off to me. Not sure how it would even idle if it were off a tooth but I guess it could be.

And you are 100% all the caps are in place? I knocked one off putting an OEM cam back in and did not realize it.

Also if you take the cover off again take a whole bunch of detailed pics of the rocker assembly left to right for us to see.

 

I was actually thinking last night that I couldn't have skipped a tooth. I left the sprocket on the entire time I did the cam swap. I held it in place with two zip ties and I marked the chain before hand with white out. When I put it all back together the white out mark was still lined up. Correct me if I'm wrong but would it even be possible to skip a tooth when I did it like that. Note: I used the car in 6th gear with the brake on method to get the bolt off.

Now I am coming to the conclusion that it might be the rocker arms. A couple of questions regarding this...
1. Can I take them all apart without having to take the camshaft out and all?
2. What do I look for if there is a bad rocker arm or something.?
3. When I go to take the rocker arms off do I have to turn the sprocket so that the arrow is pointing up?

 

Here are links to a few photos. I tried to post the photos in the thread but couldn't.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43412081@N03/4729526559/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43412081@N03/4729526087/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43412081@N03/4730171460/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43412081@N03/4729524999/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43412081@N03/4730170552/

 

Just was worried that if you let tension (upward) off on the chain and it dropped even "slightly" it could have lost contact with the very small crank sprocket, and then when you pulled it up it may have skipped a tooth or 2 or 3 down on the crank.
Just could be so many things. Hard to think that during a cam install that a lifter would have failed, but S**T happens.
Sorry your having these issues.

 

Well.. this is dissapointing.

You could go really old school & start the engine with the valve cover off ( the way we use to adjust valves ) - to pin the proximate cause.

I agree with the professor - it's NOT the cam. It's more likely onasled's theory or RMW = broken chain guide......

The cam bolt can be replaced with a better piece of hardware - your choice & some blue Locktite = good to go