Ok, either I'm going nuts, or am I doing this wrong?

Took off the timing belt to install new cam. Threw everything back on and now the friggin timing belt tensioner won't tighten up! I even went so far as to remove the cover, crank pulley, mount, etc etc...in hopes of a loose spring, but nope! Everything is in tact.

Here's what I did so far:

1) Loosen tensioner.
2) Rotate crank 3 teeth.
3) Try to tighten tensioner belt.

But here's where I get stuck! The tensioner will get slightly tight, but then loosen up again? Did I strip the bolt?

 

Take out the tensionaer bolt and see if you pull any aluminum out with it. The block shouldnt of stripped, unless youve been watching those John Basedow workout tapes. But you should also buy a new tensioner and spring when you change stuff like that, just cheap insurance. You can also use a piece of wire to pull up on the tensioner to increase the leverage. You hook it through the hole where the spring goes,and pull up and tighten at the same time. It sounds ghetto, but when you need maximum tension, like in a all motor drag application, thats what i use. Now dont tighten is too much beacause it also increases tension on the water pump, and the bearings will go bad quickly. You will know you did this if your car sounds like you jsut put a JRSC on it. Good luck

 

Thanx for the tip! I'll have to try that tonight. I didn't want to get a new tensioner since the timing belt was just changed a few months ago. But we'll see if that works!