Timing chain wedge

[85"720]

I plan on taking off the head on my z24 and I've been  looking for the wedge online  that holds the timing chain  in place so that the tensioner  doesn't  fall out and cause more work. Does anyone  know where exactly  I can get one at. I've been looking  online and seen some.  people say  it fits, some say it doesn't? Can anyone point me in the right direction  where they got theirs at. Thanks

[G-Duax]

I had bought one from Snap-On years ago (for an L-series), used it a few times, but it mostly sat in the tool box.

Went to grab it 6 months ago, and the plastic was crumbling. Cheap shit !

So I cut one out of 1/2" hard wood.

Will probably be around long after I'm gone.

 

P.S., Nismo & others make a neat little travel limiter that attaches to the tensioner, that keeps it from coming apart.

Well worth the money.

Take the time to pop your front cover off (good time to replace the crank seal), and adding one.

 

[G-Duax]

Here is one of the cheap-ass plastic ones on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648831-Nissan-Timing-Holding/dp/B0002Q8TV4

[85"720]

38 minutes ago, G-Duax said:

Here is one of the cheap-ass plastic ones on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648831-Nissan-Timing-Holding/dp/B0002Q8TV4

Thank you I was looking  at  that one. Im going to  get it. 

[85"720]

49 minutes ago, G-Duax said:

I had bought one from Snap-On years ago (for an L-series), used it a few times, but it mostly sat in the tool box.

Went to grab it 6 months ago, and the plastic was crumbling. Cheap shit !

So I cut one out of 1/2" hard wood.

Will probably be around long after I'm gone.

 

P.S., Nismo & others make a neat little travel limiter that attaches to the tensioner, that keeps it from coming apart.

Well worth the money.

Take the time to pop your front cover off (good time to replace the crank seal), and adding one.

 

That's pretty neat. Have you  tried it personally?

[Tedman]

The tensioner pictured above is a modified version of the Nismo unit. Here's what the Nismo tensioner looks like. That p/n gets you the entire tensioner assembly. I have used one and it worked as advertised:

 

Here's the Nismo plastic chain stopper tool, p/n 99996-KP160. Also works as advertised:

 

Not sure if you can still buy either of these parts from Nissan Motorsports. Easy enough to make your own from a piece of hardwood as suggested above. From the Haynes manual:

  

[G-Duax]

85"720

Yes, have one in my L18 now.

My new engine will have the Kameari externally adjustable tensioner, and would have been in my truck by now is the damn ford specialty machine shop hadn't screwed my block up.

 

 

The idler sprocket on the top right replaces the3 stock tensioner

[85"720]

21 hours ago, G-Duax said:

Here is one of the cheap-ass plastic ones on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648831-Nissan-Timing-Holding/dp/B0002Q8TV4

Turns out that wedge  is out of stock. Dont know when they'll have it in stock again. Probably not. ?

[85"720]

18 hours ago, G-Duax said:

85"720

Yes, have one in my L18 now.

My new engine will have the Kameari externally adjustable tensioner, and would have been in my truck by now is the damn ford specialty machine shop hadn't screwed my block up.

 

 

The idler sprocket on the top right replaces the3 stock tensioner

 Thank you tha thats a Nice piece. Yea I'm trying to avoid  messing  with  the tensioner as much as I can.

[datzenmike]

The wood ones have to be pounded down HARD to actually wedge the chain. It also drives a small amount of slack ahead of it too. Often no matter how well you do it the cam sprocket is still a bitch to get back on. The better ones go all the way down an just block the tensioner from popping out any further when the cam sprocket is loosened and tension is released.

 

 

I made this out of fir so it's springy. It wedges easily with a few taps and also pushes the tensioner in.

.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I use a long Snap-On screwdriver for keeping the tensioner in place. Never let me down.

 

You could always cut the spring. We've discussed it before, but none of you guys seem to like the idea. Too bad too. I've cut the spring on many, many L engines, and as long as the guide geometry is set up properly, with enough tension on the chain, there are never any side effects as some of you have proposed.

[G-Duax]

Look on the snap-on, autozone, matco, etc., web sites. They all ship to your door these days.

 

This Google search brought up quite a few DIY wedges: datsun timing chain wedge tool

 

Including this post in RATSUN....

Per mklotz, 5 years ago:

Edited December 7, 2018 by G-Duax

[G-Duax]

Anyone have a 3-D printer?

Download 3D program for L-series chain tool

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

34 minutes ago, G-Duax said:

Anyone have a 3-D printer?

Download 3D program for L-series chain tool

No, but it's on my list. I think it's time I get up to speed and buy one.

[Spiff]

2 hours ago, G-Duax said:

Anyone have a 3-D printer?

Download 3D program for L-series chain tool

 

I 3d printed one but somehow it seemed a tad to wide when it was actually time to push it down. Ended up with the trusty screwdriver once again....

[datzenmike]

Someone mentioned using a folded garden hose.

[G-Duax]

Ah, maybe an application of elbow grease & sand paper on the 3D one?

Edited December 7, 2018 by G-Duax

[Tedman]

Just noticed the OP is working on a Z24. The How to Keep Your Datsun/Nissan Alive book shows a much shorter wedge shape for the Z series motors (section 9-15). Both types are shown full size so you can easily trace and make a template.  Not sure if there's a pdf version of that book on line somewhere, but there ought to be.

 

edit- Found it here:

http://datsun510.com/index.php?/files/file/21-how-to-keep-your-datsun-l-z-series-alive/

 

Edited December 8, 2018 by Tedman

[wayno]

You guys are getting way to fancy, I use a piece of plastic, I just cut one end at a slight angle, the plastic is 5/8" X 1 3/16ths" X 14 1/2" long, if I cannot find my plastic ones I just cut a piece of wood around the same size.

[G-Duax]

I like Mike's garden hose idea.

Just cap one end, fold over, insert into engine, hook the other end up to the faucet, and turn on.....

Water pressure expands the hose, and keeps everything in place  :-)

Edited December 8, 2018 by G-Duax

[Tedman]

For scaling purposes the L-series wedge measures 9 1/2" tall in my book.

 

[bottomwatcher]

Well while  everyone  is going nuts with this. Stick a philipshead  screwdriver in between the chain and cam gear to suck up any slack. Then wedge the wood. The idea is to wedge the tensioner before removing the cam gear and any slack from the bottom  end makes it easier on the top. Once secure yank the Philips and you have a few millimeters of slack to work with. Hope this makes sense.

 

 

 

 

[mxmikie]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Powerbuilt-Timing-Chain-Holding-Tool-648832/271921295566?epid=935705243&hash=item3f4fc5b0ce:g:ffAAAOSwKNhaYDVJ:rk:1:pf:0

[mxmikie]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002Q8TVO/ref=dp_prsubs_1

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

16 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Someone mentioned using a folded garden hose.

That was another one of the tools I used for that job, but I had a slug of solid round steel stuffed inside the hose.