# 2.8l Cam chain tensioner problem



## abest521 (Feb 26, 2009)

About a month ago I bought a 1999 A6 avant with 175xxx miles for $500. It has alot of issues but ran and drove. Biggest problems were leaking oil and brakes. Did my research on here and bought cam chain tensioner gasket, half moon seal, cam plug, PVC kit and valve cover gasket. Started tearing into the passenger side. I have almost everything off and put the specialty tool to compress the tensioner but I'm not getting any slack in the chain. Undid the specialty tool and the tensioner is sticking. I am able to push it down and pull it up with what I believe to be full range of motion. So I bolted it back down compressing the tensioner, removed the 3 tensioner bolts and loosened the cam bolts. I have about a half an inch of wiggle room in the chain and intake cam but when I try to move the part ontop of the gasket it maybe comes up 1/4 of an inch. It seems stuck and I cannot move it enough to get the gasket and half moon seal out. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

I have been using this video as referance and it seems that he has about 10x the slack in the chain that I do. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOMx...B6skg&index=14


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## AndyTR32 (Jun 4, 2003)

This is probably way late but it will help if you hand crank the motor a little until you find the optimal spot. I think TDC was enough for me to swap out my tensioner seals but I could get more slack if I cranked it some. It's not hard to access the crank pulley bolt.


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## abest521 (Feb 26, 2009)

AndyTR32 said:


> This is probably way late but it will help if you hand crank the motor a little until you find the optimal spot. I think TDC was enough for me to swap out my tensioner seals but I could get more slack if I cranked it some. It's not hard to access the crank pulley bolt.


Thanks yeah thats pretty much all I had to do. but I had to buy the special socket and really bloody up my knuckles getting the breaker bar down there. Now for the drivers side. weeeeeee...


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