well this weekend i just change my water pump and timing chain tensioner and everything went great. today i started reading the how tos and some other posts and everyone is using there thumb to hold the piston I just want to address a little tip for taking out the tensioner with using a stubby flat head to push the piston in a pin it with it still bolted in the car. sorry i have no pics.

That's not really necessary just hold it with your during removal so the spring does fly out! Installing the pin after it's out is the most important so you can re-install it with ease! During removal I use caution and stuffed the surrounding areas with rags just in cause I dropped it! Don't waste you time trying to pin it though!

i see you in virginia beach. I think you sold me the stock se rims.. how you doing man..

why take a chance of dropping something or having the piston shoot out when you can pin it. i am pretty sure that there are people that have had a bad day before with this job and had the piston shoot out on them. mostly this is for the people scared of doing this job.

hey whats up mrfliboi im doing good bro.

That's exactly how we did it, with just a flathead. Sadly, all 3 of us who were working on the car have stubby fingers so it was a bit of a ***** to not lose them. But we got it done.

Glad it went smoothly OP!

I was careful and blocked it from possibl falling down inside the T/C, I tried to compress it but it wouldn't compress pass the edge and the pin wouldn't slide in! I got it and saved alot of time messing with that plunger!