tensioner

["Wm. Nick Leppert" <nleppert@domain.elided>]

Ed, there is no stop on the timing chain tensioner. If the chain was not there
to stop it, it would just fall out as you kept prying.
Have you rotated the crankshaft and/or camshafts to get all of the chain slack
into the area of the tensioner?
I have seen tensioner assemblies that because of a really wierd wear pattern,
did in fact have a lip worn in the groove where the wedge (which the 14mm bolt
pushes against) acts on the tensioner (kind of making an unintended end stop).
But that is really unlikely. The only way you are going to figure that out is
to take it apart and look.
Do you have a good parts book or manual that shows how the tensioner assembly
fits into the head? You have to be careful with the process of getting it back
together with that wedge in the right place.

Changing the chain involves getting the master link up on top with the front
cam lobes pointing away from each other (should be every 3rd revolution),
locking the tensioner in the full slack position, pulling the old chain,
dropping in a new chain, using pieces of welding rod with hooks bent on the
end to grab the end of the new chain just under the idler, wiggling shaking
(the chain) cursing (that would be me) to get the rest of the chain threaded
back up towards you, making sure both rows of the chain are on their
respective rows of teeth on the idler, installing the master link, tensioning
the chain, and double checking the valve timing about fifty times, including
through a few revolutions of the crank.
Good Luck, Nick
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