Timing chain tightening technique...

[Jim Lehman <jlehman@domain.elided>]

Dear Alfisti,

I own a 1967 1600cc Spider and have noticed an intermittent brief slap 
at very low idle from the front of the engine.  Suspecting a loose 
timing chain I began reading various sources and have come across four 
distinct ways of tightening the timing chain on a 4 cylinder alfa, as 
follows:

1. Owner's manual says to do it while running at an idle.
2. Pat Braden's bible says to roll the car while in 5th gear is engaged 
for one complete revolution.
3. Pat Braden describes his own method of using a screw driver for 
leverage to tighten manually with the cam cover removed.
4. Use a special Alfa tool to clamp on the end of each cam and pull any 
slack toward the tensioner pulley.

So, which of the above methods have you used and which do you 
recommend??  Have you always checked the cam timing afterwards?

Jim Lehman
Burdett, NY
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