What are these timing chain tensioner shims used for?

[SyberTiger]

I was browsing several timing chain kits for the 4.6L V8 and noted some kits come with what appears to be shims while other kits. For example, you can see what I'm describing in THIS KIT. Anyone know what those two shim looking things are in the lower right hand side of the main picture? It looks like they would go behind the tensioners but my vehicle doesn't have any shims behind the tensioners.

Some kits include them, others don't.

I called 1A Auto to ask them the question but the guy answering the phone was useless and not knowledgeable and only read me the part description thinking that maybe I don't know how to read. The parts list doesn't even match the picture and he had no clue what he was looking at.

 

[SyberTiger]

The only info I found so far is in THIS ARTICLE that talks about the use of spacers for a "thin tensioner" design which is 0.960" thick for applications requiring the "thick tensioner" design which is 1.000" thick, the spacer being 0.040" thick. I assume the thickness is measured from the mating surface to where the head of the bolt cinches the tensioner down. I assume this because the only measurement I could find that was either 0.960" or 1.000" on my tensioners was at the location and in my case it was 1.000".

 

[SyberTiger]

Apparently, according to that article, there's a lot of confusion as to which engines are Windsor vs. Romeo. The 8th letter in your VIN is supposed to designate this. Oddly, "W" is supposed to be Romeo whereas "6" means Windsor. However, that that article there's a picture of the tensioner and guide arms that says the tensioner arms for the Windsor are shown on the right side and the Romeo on the left side. Well, my VIN is "W" meaning it's a Romeo but my tensioner arms are the ones shown in the article as being Windsor. I'm pretty sure I have a Romeo engine and further there have been comments on other forums that Romeo engines have 11 bolts holding the valve covers which mine does.

 

[Number4]

All Explorers have the Romeo engines. The Windsors came in the trucks.