Timing Chain Tensioner Replacement

[jrberry55]

I want to say that first off I have done quite a bit of research on the subject. I have read numerous threads stating the symptoms before and after replacing the timing chain tensioner. I 100 % have the card in the spokes sound coming from my engine bay, and it is getting worse. I am wondering if someone can shed some light on the subject for me however. I would like to know if there is a danger of the old one losing parts inside the head during removal? I havent seen anything convincing stating that an extended TCT inside the head will not release any of its components when you pull it out. Do you need to angle the part as you retract it? Is it necessary to remove the cover at the back of the old TCT to remove it? Also how difficult is it to pull the pin on the new one from the maintenance hole once you have put it in? Is there a likelyhood that the pin can be dropped? And if so is it difficult to grab? Finally I was wondering if there was anything that could be replaced on the old one after the new one is in that can make it functional again? What is it about this piece that fails causing the noise? This is quite the bombardment of questions, but I hope that someone can chime in and confirm some of my thoughts on the subject. I will be replacing the TCT this weekend and want to be confident in the work I am about to do. Thanks.

[repiv]

is a danger of the old one losing parts inside the head during removal?Off hand, I would say no, however, Murphy's Law always prevails when you least expect it.
First of all, do you have the service manual? The changing of the TCT has very specific steps involved. If you follow these steps, nothing bad will happen. You would almost have to purposely take one of the parts off the tensioner and shove it back into the hole. You're not silly enough to do that, are you? :poke: If you don't have a service manual, then you are flying by the seat of your pants and anything can happen and there are no guarantees.

I havent seen anything convincing stating that an extended TCT inside the head will not release any of its components when you pull it out.When you are at the point where you pull the tensioner out of its hole, you will have removed the stuff just before that and set them aside. The rest will come out as one unit. It won't fall apart unless you hit it with a hammer. :poke: I've highlighted one of your words in RED. If you have the service manual, you will have realized by now that you don't pull out the TCT while it's extended. It is retracted BEFORE you pull it out.

Do you need to angle the part as you retract it?Again, the service manual covers this. It is retracted BEFORE you undo the final retaining bolts.

Is it necessary to remove the cover at the back of the old TCT to remove it?On the "back"? The cover is the first thing that must be removed so you can retract the tensioner.

Also how difficult is it to pull the pin on the new one from the maintenance hole once you have put it in?You grab it with pointy pliars and pull it out. It seems simple enough to me. The set pin is held in by the spring tension applied in a shearing plane of the pin. The only worry I'd have is if you purposely shoved the pin back into the maintenance hole and let go of it. But you wouldn't do that, would you? :poke:

Finally I was wondering if there was anything that could be replaced on the old one after the new one is in that can make it functional again?It's a sealed unit. Would you trust it after you've broken the seal and put it back together? I wouldn't.

What is it about this piece that fails causing the noise?My guess would be the spring getting weak, causing the plunger to recipricate repeatedly, instead of holding a constant firm tension. (But this is just a guess.)

[jrberry55]

I do have a service manual...No seat of the pants stuff for me. I am starting in the service manual at 6-25 for the "Cylinder Head Removal". For the TCT I believe the steps go like this...

Skip steps 1-4 (with the possibility for some oil to leak out, Unless you are doing an oil change at the same time)

Do step 5 (remove airbox and and vacuum hoses)

Skip steps 6-22

Do step 23 (The "B" bolt is just a standard bolt that is .8mm and at least 40 mm long? with a nut atteched?)

*This is where the piston is retracted correct? And the nut is to hold the distance between the end of the bolt and the spring?*do step 24

Do step 25 (Turning the Bolt to compress the piston)

Do step 26 (This is where the TCT is removed)

*Are the O-Rings removed at the same time? Or do they stay attached to the TCT?*

At this point I would skip ahead to section 6-48 for the installation of the new TCT and the steps go like this...

Beggining at step 21 (Install the new TCT in the Cylinder head with new O-Rings Which I believe are already on the new TCT out of the package.)

*Do you need to grease the new O-Rings up at all?*do step 22

Do Step 23 (Install maintenance bolt with new washer)

*The new washer is not specified as to what size??? I guess that will require a trip to Checker.*

Once these steps are done all that is left is to place the airbox back and reattach the vacuum hoses

Done.

Does this all sound correct? Like I said before I just want to cover all bases. I was assuming a few things that even the service manual were not too clear about. But there were a couple things that you said that made them clearer <---(Is that a word?) let me know what you think about this order because the time to replace is rapidly approaching. I cant stand the sound any more.

[repiv]

If you have the service manual, most of these questions are dealt with.

As with most O-rings, sometimes they stay on the part and sometimes they stay on the thing the part comes out of. This is just mechanical "stuff".

Oil the O-rings with engine oil. That's what they'll be exposed to anyway.

If you don't damage to maintenace plug washer, just re-use it. Honda has a tendency to go overboard when it comes to such washers. Wipe it clean and dry before putting it back on. Don't turn it over.
Consider the usual crush washers on this car (oil drain plug), tranny drain and fill, rear diff plugs. At even 30 cents each, if every Honda owner changed these everytime they did a fluid change, this means millions of dollars of sales annually for Honda dealers. When they tell you to change these washers, they're covering their butts and their cash flow.

[jrberry55]

Sounds like my bases are now covered. Thanks!