Timing Belt Tensioner Or Grenade?

[landar]

The time has come. I am getting all the parts scrounged up to do my timing belt, water pump, tensioners, etc.

Lucky me.

So, I buy the tensioner at the local Lex dealer and he gives me something that looks like a grenade. I am having the hardest darn time trying to resist

pulling that pin!

Question: how do I install this puppy? I am thinking after the new tensioner pulley is in, I install this new tensioner then pull the pin.

But the pin itself will get in the way of tightening down the tensioner before I pull it. I am also thinking this thing is under alot of pressure?

How do I do this w/o....KA BOOM!

[curiousB]

The time has come. I am getting all the parts scrounged up to do my timing belt, water pump, tensioners, etc.

Lucky me.

So, I buy the tensioner at the local Lex dealer and he gives me something that looks like a grenade. I am having the hardest darn time trying to resist

pulling that pin!

Question: how do I install this puppy? I am thinking after the new tensioner pulley is in, I install this new tensioner then pull the pin.

But the pin itself will get in the way of tightening down the tensioner before I pull it. I am also thinking this thing is under alot of pressure?

How do I do this w/o....KA BOOM!

Schley makes a special tool to compress the spring in case you can't control yourself. That said you need to be careful, you could get injured. This isn't like the spring in a ballpoint pen.

http://www.wescotools.com/p-10244-schley-9...compressor.aspx

[landar]

Ok, found this in the service manual:

INSTALL TIMING BELT TENSIONER

a: Temporarily install the belt tensioner with the 2 bolts.

b: Alternately tighten the 2 bolts.

Torque: 26 N·m (270 kgf·cm, 19 ft·lbf)

c: Using pliers, remove the 1.27 mm hexagon wrench from

the belt tensioner.

I think something is left out however. It says to "temporarily" install the tensioner but never follows up with the "permanent" solution. I believe you maybe

install the tensioner with the bolts just barely snugged down, pull the pin, then final tighten to 19 ft-lb.

If I torque to 19 ft-lbs with the pin installed, I don't think the pinched pin is going to pull too easily. And even if it does, I will need to re-torque.

Just detail, but important detail.

[etex]

Forget the "temporarily" and install the tensioner by tightening the two bolts all the way down. Then pull the pin and then confirm the torque to 19 ft/lbs.

[landar]

Forget the "temporarily" and install the tensioner by tightening the two bolts all the way down. Then pull the pin and then confirm the torque to 19 ft/lbs.

Ok thanks etex. Then there is this neoprene-like boot over the tensioner. I believe it may be the dust boot.

Does that stay on or remove before installing tensioner? See the pics. In the second pic, I pulled the "boot" back to expose the pin shaft.

I guess this will all become more obvious once I get the old tensioner off.

[etex]

It will. As you said, it's just a boot.