cam chain tensioner issue during gasket replacement.. help!

[das4]

I just finished the timing belt, water pump and all that jazz on my stage 3 build. I went to replace the seals/gaskets up top. all went well except the tensioner part. each time I compress the tensioner using the tensioner tool, the tensioner guide raises not giving slack on the chain, but increasing the tension. am I missing something here? I've searched and searched and no one mentions this problem. thanks for any advice!

[S4tech2]

You gotta turn the exhaust cam to bring the slack to the top part of the tensioner

[das4]

so I have to remove the exhaust cam caps? I was really hoping to avoid fiddling with the cams :-(

[S4tech2]

No you're not removing you're just rotating the one exhaust camshaft. Take a pair of vise grips and clamp them onto the exhaust cam and rotate that camshaft toward the intake cam. You need to have the tensioner tool installed and screwed all the way in and have the tensioner unbolted. When you rotate the exhaust camshaft you should see the tensioner lift up plenty enough to work out the gasket and half moon seal. I think the bank 2 (driver side) tensioner gasket is difficult to do due to the timing belt cover.

[das4]

awesome thanks for that. so even though when I install the tool, the tensioner pressurizes and pushed the guide up, still install the tool first?

[S4tech2]

can you post pictures of what you are having trouble with, I thought I was on the same page but I'm not sure now. The tool is supposed to compress both sides of the the tensioner, the threaded side pulls up on the bottom and the top pulls down on the top guide.