backup
The ratcheting ladders job was to hold Chain tension tight during cranking, not really to act as a backup for a lack of oil pressure.
The ratchet would help as a backup just the same if the seal failed. I can't see the rear sealing surface fail on a metal tensioner. I did many web searches prior to posting and see a lot of manufactures did use tensioners with ratchets. Really no composite tensioners in my searches so only can suspect Ford was trying to save money since the volume of V8 motors they built is very high.
The last 7 series BMW I had the M30 motor last of the "big 6, 3.5 BMW motor that was used and refined for years until it ended as B35 in 92 . It had a single oil fed tensioner , a long spring
captivated in the casting to always apply pressure to the plastic guide. ( spring length approx 3x stroke) These motors run 300K,-500K without timing rail or tensioner failures. Same technology as was used in the earlier 4 cylinder 2.0 liter cylinder motors used in the 320i etc. in 80s.
I'm also a Porsche Nut and the early 911 cars were hydraulically checked ( check valve) from collapsing (on my 5th)
Then they went to spring over oil pressure fed metal tensioners needing external oil feed line through the casting, the 911 uses a sprocket idler though so no plastic also no ratchet.
Even then the Porsche mod was to add a clamping collar on the shaft of the tensioner so that in the case of tensioner failure the chain timing would not take out the valves etc. (I'll consider the Ford Ratchets doing similar).
I'll post what I find in ours, its not to bad sounding now. Just a slight chain rattle. May be just the guide worn, Have all the new guides and Metal tensioners at hand. One thing to note is the Length Ratio in the BMW and Porsche designs -more tensioner shaft bearing engagement than Ford has, likely limited space compromised the design somewhat, designers opted to run less shaft support.
Thanks for the dialog and inputs.
Ken