Triumph Repair: TR4A timing cover tensioner, cotter pin, spring piece

Question
my tr4a (1965) has a front seal leak.  i took everything off and the whole cover leaked as well.  inside the cover i found 3 sheet metal spring pieces which look like they are the tensioner. two pieces look like they were the original tensioner but is broken in half. the third piece looks like one that someone added (held in a slot cut into the cover) as a spring behind the original. my parts book shows a one piece (fabricated out of two peices) tensioner.  in addition, the pin for the tensioner that is shown in the parts book is loose and kind of floppy.  now for the questions - (1) how do i tighten the tensioner pin? it looks like there is a nut on it but everything just spins. (2) how the tensioner is supposed to be arranged and with what pieces? is this a special fix known to triumph people not found in the book? i'm tempted to order a new tensioner piece, leave the additional tensioner spring piece, seal the slot where the backside spring comes through and put back on with two new seals in the cover.  any thoughts?  
Thanks for your help.
Joel

Answer
Joel,

From all of my information the tensioner pin is essentially a clevis pin, held into the timing cover with a cotter pin.  The tensioner is one piece of spring steel folded in half and arched to put tension on the timing chain.

The proper removal/install process is to spread the two ends of the tensioner and slide it over the tensioner pin.

As to your setup, it sounds like the tensioner may have failed at some point and the additional spring was a home remedy to keep the car running.  Since the proper tensioner is available from the Triumph supply houses I'd recommend either finding a new (or used/good) timing cover or remove the additional spring and have the hole welded/brazed over.  

Otherwise it'll just be another potential hole for oil to leak out of.


Cheers,

Jim