How much slack is supposed to be in these damn chains? Passenger side top is almost touching the bottom. Does it need to be replaced??

 

What truck and engine? And there shouldn't be any slack essentially... the 2v's were a bit known to go through tensioners and guides. Typically a noise will indicate slack in the chain. Do you have the cover off? What do you mean by the top is almost touching the bottom...

 

98 F 150 4.6 romeo the bottom of the chain is tight but the top going from the crankshaft back to the head is hanging low. It almost touches the bottom chain

 

tried to sen a photo but cant figure it out

 

That's not correct, something is wrong. Somethings like this? This is the passenger side of my old 5.4 Tensioner and guides were shot.


Made a hell of a rattle whenever I revved it, right when it reached that slack position before the rpms fell.

A photo would be nice. I know the passenger side tensioner is on the lower portion of the chain and pushes up. But the slack on the top part should be very minimum.

the passenger side tensioner is on the lower part of the chain and during assembly the chain is brought tight across the top. The chain is then brought over and down where the slack is then picked up by the tensioner. If the tensioner goes bad, it allows the slack to roll back to the top portion of the chain. Which is probably what your seeing.

 

OK Thanks see if this makes sense. The chain is slack and I rotated the crank, the tensioner clicked up and drew out the slack but then it goes back down and the chain becomes VERY loose. the driver side does not get slack when the tensioner releases. There is very miminal wear on the guides, but a new chain is about a half a chain length shorter. Do I need to soak the tensioner in carb cleaner and get the gunk out or are there o rings in it to ruin? Thank for the help

 

Your chain tensioner is bad. I would replace both of them while you have the front cover off. You could have sludge in the tensioner and/or the oil supply hole but I would still replace both tensioners. Yours have no gasket and are cast metal the later design tensioners are made of plastic and have a bead of gasket material, either will work on your engine. The chains and chain guides should be good for 200,000 miles and more unless there is excessive wear evident on both, if so then replace them as well.