I took off the timing belt, balancer shaft belt etc...and I wasn't thinking...didn't compress the auto tensioner.

So now it's stuck on full lock, but I need to get it back on. Just looks like a small hydraulic cylinder, is there a way to decompress it without ruining it?

Or do I have to buy a new one?

 

i just squeezed mine down with a zip tie, then placed it, then cut the tie. it worked like a charm, there is also a honda special tool, but its just like a metal bracket that hold the tensioner down...use the zip tie method
marsh

 

but it's already fully extended.

Can it be compressed after being fully extended, or can it just be 'held' from going to full lock with zip ties while you're working on stuff?

 

Maybe you should do the manual tensioner switch.

 

take the little bolt off the bottom and theres a screw on there., after that screw the flat screw bolt right and it should compress . after that zip tie or use a auto tensioner bracket to hold it down. make shure you handle it carefully or you will bust the auto tensioner and goo would b coming out.

 

What kinda fluid does the auto tensioner take? is it worth to do the manual converstion?

 

Dang bro! I actually just did this...took me about 20 minutes to figure out exactly how to do it...I finally realized I had to turn the inner screw COUNTERclockwise to get it to go down.

After that it was easy as pie. I couldn't get a ziptie on it though...so I used some tough electrical tape

I wish I would have read this before I started messing with that thing...would have saved me a lot of time.

I had a little fluid come out from the bottom, it just looks like regular hydraulic fluid to me.

 

no prob das wat im here for

 

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Be safe and get a new one. I've changed my t belt a few times and each time I've compressed and reused the tensioner, it went bad after a month or two of installing the new t belt.

I talked to some mechs at the dealership who noticed the same thing happening to H22s.

 

The tensioner is not hydraulic. It's basically a spring loaded screw. I've never seen a "failed" unit up close. Does the spring break, or maybe loose some of it's tension? i.e., does the tensioner completely collapse or does the belt just skip a few teeth and the tensioner is blamed? I have re-used several of them with no problems. Are you guys with failed units running race springs or something? After reading about all these failed tensioners, last time I opened the tensioner and gave the spring another twist. That seemed to make the belt tighter. Are A4 tensioners different?

 

I'm not sure if they changed the tensioner for 5th gens. 4th gen H22s
have an oil filled unit. You can't 'take apart' these tensioners (..they are a sealed cylindrical unit). The unit looses its capacity to hold oil and most of the tension is lost no matter how much you turn the screw to retract the cylinder. Oil starts leaking out of the rubber boot area 1-2 months after putting in a new belt.

I'd like to save some cash and reuse the tensioner, but after experiencing 2 failures ( as well as the headache of reinstalling it again ) and hearing a mech complain about the same thing, I'd just assume play it safe and get a new one to drop in eveytime I do the belt.

 

if you want to play it safe just buy a new one and save ur self da time and hassle. i would just my opinon