Just curious if its possible. I am pretty darn positive that the lower cover has to come off, therefore the crankshaft pulley most likely has to come off.

It may just be the idler pulley for the AC thats making the noise, but thats just wishful thinking. I will find out this weekend.

 

sorry but had to revive this thread couldn't find answers on the searches and old threads

 

Although it's POSSIBLE, you should really remove the cover. You can remove the tensioner bolt through the little hole in the timing cover (rubber cap plugs the hole) but you will probably have to bend the cover out of the way and it would be an absolute PITA to get the tensioner back on the locating pin. Not to mention you have no way of knowing whether or not your timing belt is on the crank gear correctly anymore.

Spend the time to do it right. Remove accessory belts, remove the crank bolt (yeah, I know it can suck; put on a couple pounds or get a long "helper" tube) and then replace the tensioner. This way, you can verify that the belt is on the crank gear correctly, you can make sure gear is lined up with the oil pump mark, etc.

So, in a nutshell, sure you could do it but it's not the right way. You could end up with the belt a tooth or 2 off. Worst case, you could be pulling the head due to bent valves...

 

thanks i guess im gonna have to have my buddy help me out with this one

 

Do it right, replace the belt and water pump at the same time.

 

If youre just replacing the tensioner is there anyway the timing can go off? I'm just unbolting the old and putting in a new. Or will there be enough movement to make the belt move...I'm not touching any of the cam gears or anything. Timing Belt and waterpump has been changed. But they didnt change the tensioner. And tensioner needs to be changed. Any help?