Ok I just did a cylinder head swap on my z24 and its all back together
and i put the timing chain tennsioner on , and tried to turn the engine manually to make sure everything was good ! Well for some reason the tensioners piston goes down therefore allowing slack in the chain !
Not a good thing!! I know that the piston on the tensioner stays up with oil
but i would think it would stay up long enough for me to turn the engine around !

Someone please help me on this and let me know if im able to turn the engine manually, or just leave it and let the oil hold it up and hope for the best !

Please help !

get a spring tensioner instead of a hydraulic tensioner, more reliable and u wont have this problem

To turn the engine manually simply put the correct size bolt on the crankshaft pulley and turn it.


- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

yes obviously i know HOW to turn the engine manually

the question is Can i turn it manually without screwing up the tension because of the lack of oil presure to the piston !!


I was wondering if the spring tensioner was a direct replacment for the piston one if it is ill definatly through one in !! Plus there about 50.00 cheaper

yes they are a direct replacement. those hydraulic tensioners are junk. and if u put it in u wont have that problem