redmund

Anybody have any tips for getting the spring tensioner back into place?

Popped mine off for easier access to the belts while I was doing a whole bunch of stuff to the engine (Clark's recommended it!) but now I can't manage to get the damn thing on. I can feed it part way over the stud and get the spring into place, but I can't get it up over the shank of the stud to slide it all the way back and bolt it up.

Am I just a total wuss, or is there some technique to doing this?

tod84944

You have to remove it as a assembly. If you just took the arm and spring off, you will have to take the back plate off. It is held on with 3, 13mm head nuts. You can put it back together then. You can push the arm back, and tighten it up to hold the arm in place while you put it back on. If you took it off as a assembly, and can't get it back on. compresser the arm to get the bottom nut on.

Weston

Yup, find the three 13mm nuts and pull it off, then life will be a lot easier. I ran into the same problem the first time I did a timing belt on an '88.

redmund

Woohoo, thanks lads. Found those nuts today, pulled the back plate off, and stuck it all back together! Almost finished with the engine now, so excited :O!