Rolon timing chain tensioners

jasper53

Member
Hi all, has anyone used, or had bad experiences with the Rolon make of tensioner on the 2000? They seem to have a bad rep. with the Jag boys. Seems the rubber falls off and causes all kinds of issues. The type of tensioner seems to be common to a few cars including MGB with duplex chains, Jags and a few others. It seems Renold ones are not available new, although a version made by INA is available for the MG. Considering changing ours are they are noisy and about worn out. Just don't want to replace with something known to be a problem. Cheers, Rob
 
I've heard of the same problems on Triumph as well. I wouldn't use them.

Noise can often be the tensioner oil plug fallen out, or the main and big end bearings worn causing a loss of oil pressure.
 
I've had two lose their rubber feet. One after only 500 miles (the bottom one, which sucked) And the top one after around 5,000 miles.
 
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This a bit worrying. I bought two from Winns six months ago and the bottom one has been fitted. :rolleyes: Is there an alternative? Will the INA ones fit?
 
Thought the stories would be right. Have no intention of buying the things anyway. Getting a replacement might be difficult. May have to make do with the noise? Both plugs are in, checked the lower when we had the bearings out to check them and had a look today in the adjustment plate of the top one and it's there as well. Did eventually get an oil pressure gauge rigged up and we have 65psi cold dropping to 55psi hot. Think this is near to the factory level but not sure. When we put a listening hose over the oil filler hole, the noise is certainly coming from down there. See what we can find tensioner wise and go from there.
 
Just got off the phone with a mate who races a Jag E Type. Same tensioner problem with Rolon. Ordered from an aftermarket dealer you will get the Rolon item and they insist it is OE spec. Order it from a Jag dealer and you get the one in the attached photo. Has no adjuster to mess with and has a slightly stronger spring, so may wear faster. Still has the boss on the back for the oil feed and has the small drilling through the pad to lube the chain and pad. It is fitted and then remove the retaining plastic thingy to tension the chain. Might see if I can get a cost on them.
 

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Will ask Mr Jag how they do it. Maybe you can use the red plastic thingy to hold the in whilst removing?
 
Maybe you can use the red plastic thingy to hold the in whilst removing?

The red plastic is to stop it triggering the spring when you fit it. Once it's fitted you remove the plastic, press the plunger back into the housing and that releases the spring.
 
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