Car Wizard video of the XK8 teardown. Why the heck did he rip out metal body tensioners? This seems like unnecessary work. What am I missing?

https://youtu.be/GV9sTSxLIbk

 

It was unnecessary work. From watching the video, it seems he was misinformed on the tensioners. He said the failure point is the plastic slippers on the metal body tensioner when it was actually the 1st and 2nd gen plastic body tensioners that are a problem. However, it didn't hurt that he had the guides changed and had they not done all this unnecessary work, they would have never found the failing cam gear.

 

I also watched that video and wondered that old parts that came out were awfully nice looking. I had dealt with a single row timing chain and plastic guides on Mercedes SL, and these came out visibly brittle and cam gears were visibly worn. Well, the owner of that XK8 is probably good for another 30 years. So is, hopefully my SL.

 

It's a 2002 with 48k, no idea why he would replace all that except the cooling tower.

Take a look at around 6.42 in the vid - nothing wrong with the tensioner surfaces, and why full chains and lower tensioners anyway? I assume as a reputable mechanic the customer just said "here's my credit card, make it like new"

The really interesting bit - the unusual of disintegration of the VVT internal spring was not shown.

 

Here is the old vs new.