I'm removing the timing chain on my 00 2.4 and have the tensioner off but am having troubles getting the tensioner shoe removed. I've read that it just pulls off, but even with a lot of force it isn't coming off. There is a bolt/pin on the lower/right side of the shoe that it is catching on. The head is round and has a shallow x-shaped groove in the head, but isn't deep enough for a phillips head. I'm not sure if this is an alignment pin that the shoe slides on or if it needs to be removed. See the pic below to see what I'm talking about.

<img src="http://abernathy.dyndns.org/z24/Images/P1020302.jpg" width="1024" height="768" border="0" alt="image">

There is a little clip that snaps into a groove on that pin holding it on there. If you take a small flat-head screwdriver and slip it in between the pin and the tensioner clip, you should be able to get it off of there easier. It does require some force to get if off which is why a lot of people break them when they service the timing components. Or you can pry from behind it with a big flat-head screwdriver.




-da chinchilla

<img src="http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/jiggamon/avatar15569_2.gif">

Thanks. I ended up taking it off yesterday using the big screwdriver method after breaking the clip. Good thing its a $6 part!