Cam Tensioner Removal Need for Camshaft REmoval?

I have both the factory and Clymer manuals. I was following the factory manual. Before I started to remove any camshaft cap bolts I removed the tensioner lock bolt and installed a M6 and snugged it down to hold the current position. I did NOT remove the tensioner. Am I supposed to? After removing all 16 camshaft cap bolts and caps I have zero slack to get the camshafts out. Is that because the tensioner needs to come out? Neither manual really explicitly states to remove the tensioner when removing the cams. Thanks!!

Put the bolts back in the caps, remove the tensioner then remove the cap bolts- you should the be able to release the chain from the sprockets 

Depends what you want to do.

if just want to check valve shims then do one cam at a time.  Zip tie cam chain to cam sprocket and with cam caps removed you can just roll back or forward  as the case may be and access the buckets and shims for measurement or replacement. 

if you find a lot of slack make sure you have the chain such that it wont come off the crank sprocket. Cant say thats ever been an jssue for me.

Put everything back in place then do the same with the other cam.

I have a manual tensioner which I never touch when doing the shims.