[Dan]

My timing chain tensioners are worn with 3 grooves each, is this normal or should they be flat? I'm guessing they need replaced, or possibly machined? or are they supposed to have grooves as a guide (doubtful)? The spring on the lower tensioner felt really good and strong still.

The combustion chambers looked very good, very little carbon to be seen, I probably ran it all out before I parked it for the winter.

It is good I didn't run the motor much more, the bearings were showing wear, with some light grooves and a couple were starting to flake. The rear main was a real pain to get off, did not want to move from its notch in the block, took forever to get it out.

Cyl ridge was not bad at all though, I was able to pop the slugs out without cutting it first, didn't have any trouble with the rings catching much at all.

Cam was starting to flatten out, but the lifters look decent still, not like the 73 motor I tore down that had major cupping on the lifter bottoms.

All the bolts felt really good, nice and tight still, not like some motors I've disassembled that felt like they could be taken apart by hand. I didn't break any on this motor other than the crappy intake-exhaust bolts and exhaust mainifold to downpipe, I've got a header for it anyhow so they don't matter.

 

[opelmark]

That chain rail wear you're seeing is normal for any CIH motor with some miles on it. They all look like that eventually. Gil has the long rail (bolts to front of block) & the short guides you see inside the timing cover. I'd REALLY recommend that you get a new, unstretched timing chain while you're at it. Don't let anyone tell you those puppies don't STRETCH . . . a sloppy chain will cause real problems.

 

[Dan]

I'm definately getting a new chain. One thing I'm not used to seeing is gears that aren't worn. Most of the motors I pull apart are sbc and sbf and have very dull teeth on their gears and a chain with about 1/2 to 1 inch deflection. Is this why they sell the chain seperate?
The long rail on the block is near perfect, no visible wear. Its just the two short tensioners that are badly worn.

 

[Gary]

The lower tensioner has an oil passage and oil pressure helps keep the chain tight. Be sure you get the rubber replacement (see Pic) for the upper guide. It is much quieter than the original. When you go to put it together, remember that the cam timing marks line up when no. 4 cylinder is at TDC. Not No. 1 like most vehicles. (a little Opel oddity)

 

[Dan]

I was aware of the #4 oddity, I don't really care about the noise the motor makes, it will already be too loud to go more than probably 1/2 hr at a time in. It will rarely be driven and on the street pretty much only to and from events. I'm actually removing all the sound deadaning under the carpet and will just glue the carpet to the floor pan, there is no stereo to speak of, and I'm contemplating solid motor/tranny mounts.

 

[RallyBob]

Whatever you do, don't make ALL the mounts solid. You'll break the tranny and/or bellhousing. At least ONE mount must be cushioned. I'd keep the tranny mount and the compression side mount rubber, and make the other engine mount solid if your mind is set on solid mounts. Either this or chain the engine down on the 'lift' side to prevent rubber mount breakage.

Bob

 

[oldopelguy]

Motor mount

I once saw a V-6-Opel conversion (not mine, this time) with a couple of neat tricks for the motor mounts. Since the Opel motor mount has a single bolt top and bottom the load side (the one that pulls not compresses, or drivers side) was replaced with a bolt and spacer. The spacer went as follows (from the bottom up):
Head of bolt
Flat washer
cross member on car
flat washer
valve spring
flat washer
poly sway bar end bushing
motor mount flange on block
another poly sway bar bushing
flat washer
nut

The bolt was a 1/2" by about 5" and both the cross member and the motor bracket had been drilled out some to accept the larger bolt. On the compression side the valve spring was omitted and a solid 2" od X 2" tall piece of bar stock with a 1/2" hole in the middle.

He had started with 2 spacers and the poly bushings to replace the motor mounts, which worked well but transmitted a lot of vibration to the car. The valve spring was swapped in later on a suggestion from someone at the track and it made a noticable difference in vibration.
He had also used 2 parallel pieces of flat bar stock with to replace the transmission cross membar and mount. The two flat pieces of bar stock were also held apart by a pair of valve springs and a unique center link made out of a bolt, some washers and 4 rocker arm balls to allow for movement.
The entire installation was uniquely elegent in it's simplicity and use of parts that would have been thrown away. I'm probably doing a terrible job of describing the mounts, probably sounding a bit too low-brow for most of you, but it sure did look cool 8 years ago!

All that being said a chain on the drivers side with the stock mount has always worked fine. If you can't get the stock mount, most good parts stores have a book with pictures of motor mounts and there are several alternatives from newer, more readily available cars that will work.