Jonsered 2152 Chain Tensioner Issues

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heavymachinery2121

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Hello folks. I have a Jonsered 2152 and I am having an issue with the chain tensioner mechanism.

About a year ago, I got the saw pinched pretty good and the bar ended up twisting slightly. It was enough to throw the chain guide plate out of whack and screw up the tensioner.

I replaced everything and thought I was good but I’ve had many issues since with tightening the chain. At first I thought it was the aftermarket tensioners that I bought (I’ve bought 3 of them) and recently I bought what I thought was an OEM one, but I’m still having the same problem.

The issue at hand is when I go to tighten the chain, the tensioner doesn’t seem to be engaging the gears and just sits there and spins. I’ve tried pressing firmly on the screw driver with no luck, I’ve tried resetting the tensioner with no luck, and many other things.

I’m out of ideas and am getting very frustrated. Could it be another bad tensioner or could something else be wrong? I don’t see much else of what could be wrong. Seems fairly straightforward.
 
Pictures?
Ask a silly question, but you do loosen the bar mounting nuts before tensioning... the tensioner won't last very long otherwise
 
Pictures?
Ask a silly question, but you do loosen the bar mounting nuts before tensioning... the tensioner won't last very long otherwise
Hello JD. I will have to take a few pics tonight.

To answer your question, yes, I back both nuts off, lift the bar up by the tip, and try to tighten. It just jits there and spins. I have also tried not touching the bar and it still does it. Yesterday it wouldn’t even release what tension was left. I had to shimmy the chain and bar off to see what was going on.
 
is your bar fully seated on the plate. sometimes you can fit the bar and not have the tension peg in the hole on the bar.
 
My guess- the first 3 were crappy aftermarket copies.
The fourth was the same- advertised falsely.
Some sellers are pretty cunning at dressing up pigs in lipstick, making plastic bags and labels look a lot like OEM.
There are sellers out there buying very cheap aftermarket parts in bulk, repacking/relabelling and claiming they are quality, charging near to OEM prices to make you think they must indeed be quality- when indeed they are not.
Go to a Husqvarna agent and order a new 353 (or similar model) tensioner.
 
Hello everyone. Sorry for not posting pics as I promised. My wife and I got sick and I haven’t been in the garage since. Been a heck of a cold.

Pics are now attached.

In case you are all wondering I had to modify the chain guide plate. I initially bought the wrong one so the oiler hole wasn’t right. I buzzed the hole out and it works fine.
 

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Your picture #4 shows the oval headed end at an angle in the case. The Ipl doesn't show any other parts in that place but if it rotates in there that may let things start binding Just a thought for you to sink your teeth into. I will need to look at some of my Jonnies and see what I may be missing.
EDIT: I looked at a 2141 and my memory is off key , the long side of the oval is 90 degrees to the bar face.
 
Does the tensioner adjust easily with it in your fingers? I ask this to possibly eliminate it as the culprit and I think it should stay in the saddle that was made for it and the long way/side of the oval should be captivated and stay parallel to the bar.
 
With the adjuster out of the saw and in your right hand- hold the oval end of the main screw shaft.
With your left hand, turn the adjustment screw- if the spigot moves easily both directions- the adjuster is good- if it does not- it is cheap aftermarket crap that has bent out of alignment rather than adjust the bar.
Go buy a new adjuster in a Husqvarna packet and shout yourself a new inner bar plate whilst you are there- they help hold the adjuster in place.
 
Does the tensioner adjust easily with it in your fingers? I ask this to possibly eliminate it as the culprit and I think it should stay in the saddle that was made for it and the long way/side of the oval should be captivated and stay parallel to the bar.
The tensioner spins with no interference or issue, whether the bar is there or not. The problem is the gears don't engage to move the bar back and forth.
 
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