pf100

I've searched this forum and googled for 2 hours and can't find any information on this problem. I'm rebuilding a 1998 Acura TL with the 3.2L C32A6 engine and the timing belt tensioner pulley arm, and just the arm, that connects to the tensioner spring binds against the front of the engine when I tighten it. The new tensioner is identical to the one I removed, so I don't think it's a problem of ordering the wrong tensioner. I have the factory service manual and it doesn't show any sort of spacer or shim that is supposed to be used with the tensioner pulley between the tensioner and the block. I'm including a picture of the tensioner pulley in case anyone has any information on this. The picture is looking at the tensioner from the front. The arm on the left (obviously) is what binds against the front crankshaft cover. If I had tightened the tensioner it would have bent the arm slightly. Like I said, the old one I removed was exactly like this one and also binded against the front crankshaft cover. There's no way the spring can pull the tensioner with the arm binding like it is. Please help since I can't continue assembling the engine until I figure this out! Thank you. Also, I can send more pictures if necessary.

pf100

I would edit the thread subject title to add [Solved] but I can't.
But anyway, I figured it out. Notice the "pin" cast into the front crankshaft cover in the first picture. That pin goes into the hole closest to the pulley in the arm. The second picture shows how it's supposed to be mounted. What threw me off is that when I took the engine apart, this isn't how the pulley was mounted. Someone had put the pulley on wrong! The arm was pointing up about 90 degrees clockwise from what's shown in the second picture. I'm amazed that the belt didn't break or come off, or that the spring didn't fall out since there was no tension on it and the end at the pulley wasn't even connected! Wow! I'm glad I didn't take my friend's advice to just "tighten it down and don't worry about it!"