Don't feel bad .. I have seen experienced wrenches do the same..

The older tensioners were oil fed and they would lose their oil prime over-night..resulting in a noisy/sloppy chain at start up til the oil got them pressurized again.


so , it order to remedy this, they came out with a little ratchet lock on the thrust pin/plunger that would always keep it locked at it's last length, no matter how long it sat.
Problem is , if you do any chain or head work, you have to take the plunger out and reset it.. if you don't , it just stays the same lenght it was before you worked on the car.. and that is usually too tight..
Simple little costly mistake made by many. never to be forgotten...