In a tensioner for a timing chain, a spring-biased plunger for urging a shoe into sliding engagement with the chain is temporarily held in a retracted condition, prior to installation of the tensioner, by a stopper having a pin that extends through a hole in the tensioner housing and engages a grove formed in the plunger. The stopper is bent so that its handle extends away form the pin axis at an angle greater than zero but not greater than 90.degree.. Removal of the stopper from the tensioner can be carried out by rotating the handle to avoid interference with engine components in the vicinity of the tensioner.