Timing Chain Tensioner Replacement - Easy Way
I've had to pull the timing chain tensioner one too many times by now, removing the valve cover every single time gets real old. Here are some steps for replacing it fairly quickly.
Part numbers for replacement parts:
13070-2J203 - Timing Chain Tensioner
13069-53J00 - O-Ring
13079-2J200 - Timing Chain Tensioner Gasket
Remove 1st cylinder's spark plug and rotate the engine by hand till it's at TDC (Top Dead Center). You'll know it's at TDC by looking at these three items:
Crank is on mark 2 from the left:
You should see the piston in the first cylinder:
Also the Intake and exhaust cam lobes will be pointing away from the center, since we can only see the intake lobe should look like this:
Remove the oil filter and start loosening the nuts, don't loose the lock washers. I used a towel to trap them and the nuts.
Reason for pulling the TCT out was to replace the gaskets, you can see the other one ripped when I tried to remove it.
TCT compressed and ready to be installed
New gasket installed
The tensioner has a U fork, it sometimes wont go into the chain guide properly, you'll know when it's in when enough threads are visible to screw in the nuts. I tightened one nut without the washer until there was enough threads to fit the other nut and washer, then removed the first nut and added the washer in front of it.
After everything is tightened and oil filter is installed back, rotate the crank to make the tensioner extend out, this helps reduce the chance of the chain jumping a tooth when you go to first start it.
After that reinstall the spark plug and start the engine, mine stilled rattled for a few seconds, probably because the TCT was empty from compressing before installation.
Part numbers for replacement parts:
13070-2J203 - Timing Chain Tensioner
13069-53J00 - O-Ring
13079-2J200 - Timing Chain Tensioner Gasket
Remove 1st cylinder's spark plug and rotate the engine by hand till it's at TDC (Top Dead Center). You'll know it's at TDC by looking at these three items:
Crank is on mark 2 from the left:
You should see the piston in the first cylinder:
Also the Intake and exhaust cam lobes will be pointing away from the center, since we can only see the intake lobe should look like this:
Remove the oil filter and start loosening the nuts, don't loose the lock washers. I used a towel to trap them and the nuts.
Reason for pulling the TCT out was to replace the gaskets, you can see the other one ripped when I tried to remove it.
TCT compressed and ready to be installed
New gasket installed
The tensioner has a U fork, it sometimes wont go into the chain guide properly, you'll know when it's in when enough threads are visible to screw in the nuts. I tightened one nut without the washer until there was enough threads to fit the other nut and washer, then removed the first nut and added the washer in front of it.
After everything is tightened and oil filter is installed back, rotate the crank to make the tensioner extend out, this helps reduce the chance of the chain jumping a tooth when you go to first start it.
After that reinstall the spark plug and start the engine, mine stilled rattled for a few seconds, probably because the TCT was empty from compressing before installation.
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