Bleendin' timing belt tensioners.

[techy101]

I had to pull the timing belt off to swap out the water pump. The piston that puts pressure on the tensioner is a royal pain to re-compress. (pardon any incorrect terms, still somewhat new to this all)

Anyways, I finally brought it into work with me, since I've had no luck whatsoever making it even budge at home. Put it in our largest bench vice, and it still took two arms and most all of my strength to make the thing compress.

Thank gosh for that hole so you can lock it down. I tried a rivet, it bent that and popped it out, but a nail seems to be doing the trick. It has bent the nail somewhat though.

Does anyone have any tricks for these things??

The piston I'm referring to is the one that can be seen in this picture (It's an EJ22, but the piston is the same.)

[Budfreak]

Those are supposed to be very hard to compress and they do it very slowly. Basically, Put it in a bench vise and every 10 seconds or so tighten the vise as far as it will go. Use a proper size allen key(that you don't need as it will probably bend it some) to hold the piston in once it's compressed.

[immortal_suby]

you can also jack up the front of the car and set the piston on a couple 2x4's under the frame and let it down slowly to compress it

(not that I would ever have done that............. )


edit: this was dangerous and I don't recommend trying it.

[techy101]

Originally Posted by immortal_suby

edit: this was dangerous and I don't recommend trying it.

"for off road use ONLY"

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by immortal_suby

you can also jack up the front of the car and set the piston on a couple 2x4's under the frame and let it down slowly to compress it

(not that I would ever have done that............. )


edit: this was dangerous and I don't recommend trying it.

That's actually a good idea, but why not just put it between the jack and the car and compress it slowly that way??

[TomsSVX]

because it will shoot across the garage and impale small children next door.... not that I have ever done that

Tom

[ensteele]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

because it will shoot across the garage and impale small children next door.... not that I have ever done that

Tom

edit: that is dangerous and I don't recommend trying it.

[Budfreak]

Hahaha, I've had to do it that way more than once. I always use my Caravan though, Not the SVX.

(Like what was said, This IS dangerous and I don't do it unless I must)

[XT6Wagon]

hahah yah I used a floor jack and my SHO's subframe connectors to compress its tensioner.... though with the jack you can do the compression slowly, dunno that bit about lowering the car on it.

[TomsSVX]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

because it will shoot across the garage and impale small children next door.... not that I have ever done that

Tom

Just to be clear... I was kidding. I have never done this and I don't think it even should be done

Tom