Loosen the bolt (big one first turn it a 1/4 turn or so) then loosen the smaller bolt on the tensioner a full turn or so.. push your tensioner pulley back to the left to release pressure on the belt and retighten it to hold it in that position. Take off the old belt and finish backing off the bolts to change out the tesioner. Put the new tensioner in and do the same (pushing it to the left then tighten the bolt to hold it out of the way until you thread your new belt on)... COUNTER CLOCKWISE! Starting with the crank....then the oil pump pulley....then the cam pulley... LAST release the tensioner bolt to put pressure on the belt. I didnt have to go forward or back any teeth to line mine up. But do what ever works for you. When you are doing it this way (with the belt off) and lining up reference marks on both the other pulleys. 1. Make SURE your crank is positioned TDC with the key pointing straight up at 12 Oclock!. CHECK to make sure all the pulley points are DEAD ON. Then screw in the crank bolt. Take your rachet with big socket and go ONE FULL revolution of the crank so it is in the 12 O clock position again. (Taking out the passenger plugs will release compression and make this part 10 times easier. And you can check compression at this point if you have a tester) Are the points on the other 2 pulleys still DEAD ON when the crank returns to TDC? Remember the crank turns once for every time the cam turns twice so you could be 180 degrees wrong without checking it. Do this a couple of times. (Turning the crank ONE full revolution) and looking at the other 2 pulleys. As a matter of fact once I checked and was satisfied I fired my motor up for 20 seconds or so with no water pump ,hoses or accessories attached. To make sure it was right and was gonna start and run before I put it all back together. SEE! I told you how easy this was! Its a FORD get used to working on it! Lol

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Red 1994 Mazda B2300 Base Model With A/C--2.3L--140cid-100hp--4Cyl--D.I.S. Engine Code [A]--Bosch (4505) Fusion Iradium Spark Plugs-- "Cheap" 8mm Silicone Plug Wires--Gatorback Belt--Blocked Off/Disabled EGR Valve--Coil Mod--Throttle Cable Mod--Magnaflow Muffler/No CAT--5 Speed M5R1-RWD--3.45 Non Limited Slip Rear End---Lowered 5" Rear 3 1/2" Front---269,000 Miles as of 11/1/2013---If its a Ford you will need to keep a lot of tools and a good fire extinguisher handy.